Sheila Sabine - Elmwood neighborhood of Berkeley

This past weekend, I went on a fabulous walking tour of the Elmwood district of Berkeley sponsored by my friends in the Berkeley Rotary. The neighborhood is full of beautiful craftsman homes that have been designed by many famous  architects including Walter Radcliffe, Julia Morgan, John Hudson Thomas, Albert Dodge Coplin, and James Plachek. One can view dormer Windows, Tudor roof lines, colonial revivals, Queen Anne and other residential styles from the period.

• In 1903, a streetcar ran along College Avenue. 
• In 1905, Alice Alta Bates started a hospital with eight beds on College Avenue and later the current campus of Alta Bates Hospital was founded.
• In 1906, the Elmwood district became popular after the San Francisco fire when a lot of people moved into the East Bay. In fact it became one of the fastest-growing areas in all of the US. 
• In 1907, the oldest commercial building of Elmwood was built at the corner of college and Ashby. 
• In 1925, Walter Radcliffe designed current Wells Fargo building.

Elmwood can also boast on housing many celebrities including the Clintons, Patty Hearst, Thornton Wilde-3 time Pultzer  price winner and Pauline Kale- famous film critique for  the New York Times. After you go to the movies at the Rialto theater, you can dine across the street at King Yen,or the Trattoria la Siciliana or La Mediterranee. Be sure to end your stay with a stop at  Ici ice cream at 2948 College  for the latest in homemade deliciously wicked specialities. 

Want to learn more about Elmwood and other neighborhoods in Berkeley? Email Sheila Sabine at ssabine@grubbco.com