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TIMELINE compiled by John Kirkmire ©2022 lakemerritt.org
Lake Merritt Iconic Moments 
notable structures completed, organizations formed


1867-69  Samuel Merritt becomes Oakland Mayor, leads movement to dam tidal estuary and install floodgate to create a stable lake,  also lobbies state legislature to establish Wildlife Refuge 
1870      Lake Merritt Wildlife Refuge becomes protected by state law
1906      SF Earthquake sends thousands relocating to Oakland
1907      Bond Measure, enables city to purchase properties around lake to create lakeside parkland.      
              Oakland Public Museum opens (1907-1965). House built by Samuel Merritt in 1870's.
1909      Lakeside Pump Station built for downtown fire protection
1911        First Lakeside Park Bandstand constructed
              McElroy Fountain installed in Lakeside Park
1912       Oakland Municipal Band formed
              Bowling Green added to Lakeside Park
1913-14  Pergola & Colonnade built. Walter Reed architect
             18th St. Pier / Boat Landing. Walter Reed architect
             Municipal Boathouse ( added to Pumping Station structure). Walter Reed architect
1914       Easterbrook Fountain (imported from Italy) in Lakeside Park
1915       Bunya-Bunya Tree (from SF Expo) planted in Lakeside Park 
             Canoe House  (aka Sailboat House) Walter Reed architect
             Civic Auditorium and Theater opens, aka Kaiser Auditorium
             City-sponsored Duck Feeding begins in Lakeside Park
1916       Oakland Women's Rowing Club formed
1918      
Edoff Memorial Bandstand construction begins (completion 1923)
1920      Sun Dial installed in Park  (inside Gardens at Lake Merritt)
1921-23  Duck Pond area in Lakeside Park.   Howard Gilkey architect
               Duck Island created.  Howard Gilkey landscape architect
               Cleveland Cascades.  Howard Gilkey landscape architect

1922       Snow Museum of Natural History (1922-1967) formerly  Cutting Mansion. Future site of Snow Park
1923       Edoff Memorial Bandstand completed. Waler Reed & William Corbett architects, replaces 1911 Bandstand
1924c     City Horticulture Nursery at Grand/Harrison/Bay
1925        Necklace of Lights completed. (Will continue until 1941)
1926        Bird Banding begins, will continue for  5 decades...
                Lawn Bowling Clubhouse built (formerly tennis court site in Lakeside Park)
               Veteran's Memorial Bldg completed
1927        Scottish Rite Center completed
1929        Bellevue-Staten Building. completed
                Bellevue Club (Women's Athletic Club) completed
1933        Lake Merritt Breakfast Club begins at Lake Merritt Hotel (first guest speaker is Paul Covel)
1934        Paul Covel begins Sunday afternoon waterfowl talk in Lakeside Park
1936        Alameda County Courthouse completed
1941         Necklace of Lights turned off (will not resume until 1987)
1942       Cal Spring Flower Show designed by Howard Gilkey in Gardens. 100k visitors
1946       William Penn Mott Jr. becomes City of Oakland Park Superintendent  1946-1962
1948       Paul Covel becomes Oakland's first park naturalist 
1949       Eastshore Library (Lakeview Library) completed
1950       Children's Fairyland created,  sponsored by LM Breakfast Club
              Peralta Playland opens, children's amusement park in LM channel area (1950-1968)
1951        Oakland Main Library. completed
1951        Oakland-East Bay Garden Center Inc. created by 42 garden clubs to raise funds to construct
                 a central Garden Center (completed 1959)
1952       Mid-Century Monster installed. Robert Winston sculpture 
1953        Rotary Nature Center opens
1953-54  Four additional islands added to the wildlife refuge
1954       Sailboat House ​built on site of Canoe House
1956       Geodesic Dome / Bird Cage constructed 
1959       Lakeside Park Garden Center completed, OEBGC Inc
               Japanese Garden constructed next to Garden Center
              Lake Merritt Breakfast Club meetings move to Garden Center
1960       Kaiser Center completed
1961        Ebell Wing of Garden Center added
               Thaler Fountain  built across from duck feeding area
1962       
Bird Feeding area renovated, brick wall added 
               Green House complex and Lath House added to Gardens
               Lake Merritt Rowing Club formed
              Jim Carlton discovers unique marine organism in LM
              Lake Merritt floods 7.3 feet above normal.
(Leads to building of a flood control station 1971)
1965       Succulent and Cactus Gardens; Cascades/Pond; both added to Gardens
              Lakeside Park Restaurant opens (future site of Junior Center for Arts & Sciences)
1969       Park Bellevue Tower completed
              Oakland Museum of California opens (Snow Museum collection moved here)
              Torii Gate added to gardens (will be replaced in 2002)
1971        7th Street Flood Control Station installed
1974       Polynesian Garden in Green House added
1977       Lake Merritt Joggers & Striders Club formed.
               Proposition 13 passes. Will deplete park funding and services
1978       Herb and Fragrance Garden added to Gardens
1984       Palmetum added to Gardens  
1987       Necklace of Lights restored by LM Breakfast Club
1990c    Merritt College Horticulture classes at Gardens
1992       Junior Center for Arts & Sciences (replaces Restaurant )
              Lake Merritt Institute founded by Richard Bailey
1995      Vireya Rhododendron collection added to GLM Lath House
1996      Bay Friendly Gardens added to GLM by stopwaste.org
1998      Grand Lake Farmer's Market founded, Saturdays
1999      Bonsai Gardens at Lake Merritt created
2002     Measure DD Bond Measure passes
             Measure DD Community Coalition forms
             Torii Gate added to Gardens, replaces 1959 model
             17th St dock/pier restored
2004     LM Gardens renamed “Gardens at Lake Merritt”
              Friends of the Gardens at Lake Merritt forms, unites with Oakland East Bay Garden Center Inc.
2005-09   (Japanese Garden) Gates & Fencing, designed and built by Jay Van Arsdale 
2006      Sensory Garden (formerly Herb & Fragrance Garden) created
2007      Mediterranean Garden added to Gardens
              Alameda Master Gardener Program begins in Urban Garden
2008     Cathedral of Christ The Light completed
2010      Tora Rocha becomes Oakland Park Superintendent   
2011       Oakland Running Festival (Oakland Marathon) in Snow Park   
2012      Autumn Lights Festival created
2013      lakemerritt.org founded 
             Pollinator Posse formed
             Bee Hotel added to GLM (modeled after Bee Hotel in Paris)
             Lake Merritt Channel Marsh  renovation completed
2014     GLM Cascades /Pond upgrade project
              Undercurrent light sculpture under Lake Merritt Blvd Bridge
2015     Golden State Warriors Championship Celebration at LM (also 2017)
2016     Children's Memorial Statue in Lakeside Park. Dennis Smith sculpture.
2017     ​Women's March at Lake Merritt (again in 2018)
​             Lake Merritt Advocates formed 
2019     Snow Park/ Green Streets Project renovation completed
             Billion Year Walk around Lake Merritt, science education project
             Makkeweks Sculpture in Snow Park, sculpture by Scott Constable & Ene Osteraas-Constable
            Mid-Century Monster restored by LM Breakfast Club
             Gardens at Lake Merritt Gates, designed and built by Shawn Lovell
2020    Lake Merritt Wildlife Refuge 150th Anniversary documentary
             ​Black Lives Matter Family March ​at Lake Merritt
            Weekend Vending program trial project at El Embarcadero
            Gardens & Guardians at Lake Merritt documentary
             Lakeside Chats, monthly  online speaker series begins
2021     Alpine Rock Garden added to Gardens at Lake Merritt, video
            Lake Merritt Breakfast Club: History, Traditions & Projects documentary 
             Lamppost Project sponsored by LMBC
2022    Algae Bloom causes massive fish die off at LM and SF Bay
            Compassion Peace & Unity Mural, Oakland Fukuoka Sister City Garden GLM
            Oakland 
Municipal Band, Then & Now, documentary



  lakemerritt.org and photos ©2013-2023 John Kirkmire 
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