OPPOSITE THE GOLDEN GATE The Newsletter of the Berkeley Historical Society Volume 27, Number 1 Spring 2009 Down to the Seas in Berkeley’s Ships

While Berkeley has never had the maritime activity that many other cities in the Bay Area have had, we do have our little bit of shipping history. A World War II Victory ship, a ferry and a merchant ship all were named for our city. Their stories are varied, but they share one thing in common, they are all gone now.

The USS Berkeley Victory the following 218 were named after American cities, the next 150 were named after educational institutions and the rest received By Margot Lind miscellaneous names. On December 31, 1944, the ship USS Berkeley It was a momentous occasion for the city and there Victory was launched from Kaiser Shipyards in was a huge turnout for the launch. Many items to Richmond. The keel had been laid on November outfit the ship were donated by local citizens 9, 1944 and it went into service in January and businesses, including books, magazines, 1945. At the time, it was ready to launch in less motion picture equipment, phonographs than any previous ship built in the Richmond and records, candy, cigarettes and athletic Shipyards. According to the Berkeley Gazette equipment. Some of the donors included the it was “destined to sail the blood-stained Berkeley Chamber of Commerce, the Berkeley Pacific.” The construction of the ship was a civic Public Schools, Sather Gate Bookstore, Hall- venture with many Berkeley residents working Scott Motors, Cutter Labs, Jacuzzi Brothers, Pacific on the construction. Steel Casting, and University Radio Shop. The Victory Ships were an improvement over the Liberty Ships In addition, some of the organizations that contributed were and were designed to be faster and safer with a much longer the Kiwanis, Rotary, and Lions. The generous members of the lifetime, so that they would be suitable for regular commercial use League of Women Voters, Berkeley Women’s City Club, Claremont after the war. They were first named for each of the Allied nations; CONTINUED ON page 6

Boats Named Berkeley 1 Presidents’ Message 2 Up Against the Wall 8 Thank you to our Supporters 2 Under the Shade of the Araucaria3 Calendar 8 Tribute to Ken Cardwell 5 Presidents’ Message

Spring is a time of rebirth for the natural world and also, apparently, for the Society’s Web site. Somewhat neglected in recent years when it was occupying a cyber plot The History Center is located in the Veterans Memorial Building belonging to the City of Berkeley, 1931 Center St., Berkeley, CA 94701 our Web site is being redesigned Mailing Address: PO Box 1190 Berkeley, CA 94701 510 848 0181 by a Board committee headed Another means of Margot Lind by Dale Smith and will be communication is now being Newsletter Editor located on its own domain, at highlighted at the Berkeley Dale Smith berkeleyhistoricalsociety.org. Historical Center: the posters DESIGN and production Once up and running, the site that make up the new exhibit, Board of Directors will have information about the Up Against the Wall – Berkeley Society’s programs and events Posters from the 1960s (See Margot Lind Carl Wikander as well as special features of CO-President CO-President article on back cover).Curated historical interest. Dale and by Lincoln Cushing, the exhibit Carole Bennett- Judy Kennedy others of the Society have also reveals how the process of Simmons Secretary Vice President completed a redesign of the creating posters evolved newsletter that is intended to during the 60s to become Phil Gale Treasurer improve the format while still an increasingly sophisticated maintaining the traditional look means for the expression of Ed Herny Buzz Cardoza familiar to readers. views during that politically and Dale Smith Tom Edwards stefen socially tumultuous period. Steven Finacom Allen Stross Please come see the John Hammond Bart White exhibit during Center’s usual hours, from 1:00 to 4:00, Thursday through Saturday.

Finally, Margot Lind and I would like to join in the expressions of Thank appreciation for the great contributions to the Society made by Barbara Beatty forYou her contribution Ken Cardwell, who has to the LL Stein Endowment Fund recently retired from the Debra McFarlan for her contribution Board (see story page 5). of $100 in gratitude for research into We are fortunate that the the 1944 Sham War Battle at the UC many facets of Ken’s life Stadium will soon be documented Susan Schwartz, Lynne & Audel in an oral history being Davis, Howard & Estelle Bern, Yukiyo prepared by Society Hayash and Sue Austin for their member Paul Grunland.

Contributing Memberships of Edwards Tom $50. At the Annual Meeting Allen Stross unveiled a plaque Thank you, Ken. commemorating past Board members who have passed away Carl Wiklander 2 Berkeley Historical Society Newsletter Under the Shade of the Araucaria A large, unusual tree dominates the façade of Chez Panisse, bespeaking its relationship with California Cuisine and the revolution in our food culture from the seventies. By Oscar N. Abeliuk, MD

I settled in the Bay Area still use many recipes back in the late 1970s. based on the seeds, Although my first homes which have now been were in Contra Costa adopted into the County, I have always cuisines of many non- gravitated towards indigenous people. Berkeley. I recall being In my attempts to attracted to the North learn which type of Berkeley area, especially Araucaria lives in front the “Gourmet Ghetto,” as of Chez Panisse, I have far back as 1976. met many people I do not remember how who have in different and when the exuberantly ways interacted with tall, majestic Araucaria this beautiful tree. tree, which has grown to They include the dominate the façade of current maître d’ of Chez Panisse, became the restaurant, Steve an integral part of my own Crumley, who has been environmental perception with the restaurant of Berkeley. It is by all since the early 1970s. accounts an important He is an arborist who part of the local milieu has played a dual role and I’m certain it was with the restaurant, there the first time I went managing the daily to the famed restaurant. food affairs and being However, it became the called upon to “fix” the center of my attention only tree’s encroachment some time later when I recognized The name Araucana is derived on the building. from the native Araucano people, it from my youth in Chile. In fact, it is Steve was instrumental in taking who for centuries used the nuts known as Chile’s national tree down a small fence in the 1980s, (seeds), known in Spanish as The tree, also known as “monkey to allow the public to appreciate pehuen or piñon, as a mainstay puzzle tree,” belongs to the conifer the beautiful trunk of the tree. As of their diet. The seeds, similar to genus Araucaria. Araucaria Steve warmly explained to me, “I large pine nuts, are still extensively Araucana, native to central Chile, have been up in the tree many harvested in Chile. The tree does west-central Argentina and parts of times, taking down the piñones, not yield seeds until it is 30-40 Brazil, is an evergreen growing up to the seeds of the Araucaria, which years old. As I looked for more 40 meters tall and 2 meters in trunk are grouped in large bundles.” The information, I was amazed to learn diameter. chef and owner of Ecolo, Chris that the indigenous Araucanos Berkeley Historical Society Newsletter 3 Leigh, worked for many years as a injured by the razor-sharp leaf edges.” Nobel Laureate in Literature in chef at Chez Panisse and also has However, monkeys are not usually 1971, grew up in that environment. vivid memories of the tree and the found in the species’ native range. He was born in Parral and shortly enormous amount of care that it Therefore, the genus name Araucaria afterward his family moved to has required over the years. is gaining acceptance as an Temuco, which is in the center of alternative common name in English. the region where these trees grow. Steve has witnessed the bifurcation The common name in the Chilean Araucaria trees are mentioned in of the tree into two main trunks, language Mapuche is Pehuen more than one of his poems. He and has carefully climbed the considered them “towers of silence tree many times to take down the which rose from the solemnity of branches full of sharp needles their roots.” One of his poems from that could fall on passers-by. “Isla Negra” says: Interestingly, Steve refers to the tree as a “Bidwilli.” However, it is Return me, oh sun, To my country destiny, my understanding that Bidwillis are rain of the ancient woods. Araucaria trees that are recognized Bring me back its aroma, and the as “false Monkey Puzzle Trees,” swords and grow in Australia–in the same falling from the sky, the solitary peace of pasture and genus, but a species distinct from s I became more interested A rock, the Araucaria Araucana of Chile. in the subject, I learned that the the damp at the river margins, tree that has grown to become so the smell of the larch tree, The Australian Aborigines huge in the middle of the “Gourmet the wind alive like a heart consider this tree sacred and beating in the crowded remoteness Ghetto” is not the only one in use their piñones (pine nuts) as of the towering araucaria. Berkeley. With the help of some an important ingredient in their friends, I have spotted at least two Upon my return to Berkeley, I have food, in the same manner as the more Araucarias. However, none become convinced that the tree indigenous Mapuche from the of them is as spectacular as the in front of Chez Panisse is indeed region of Arauco in Chile. one in front of Chez Panisse. Steve a cousin of the one so revered by As a result of my several Crumley explained that in the Chileans. It is quite similar and grows conversations with Steve, I have 1910s, these Araucaria trees began much faster. As one expert botanist come to believe that he likes to to be used as street trees in the explained to me, it would have link the tree on Shattuck Avenue Berkeley and Santa Rosa areas. been impossible for the tree to grow with those that grow in the south to that height in less than 200 years In February 2007 I was invited to of Chile, regardless to which if it was the type that is considered a wedding in Pucon, Chile’s lake exact species the tree in fact autochthonous and unique to the zone, which is in the center of the belongs. However, I believe that its Araucaria region of Chile. area where these trees originate. symbolism as a natural food source The lake Villarica dominates the And so, a large, unusual tree as well as its welcoming presence landscape and, as I was told dominates the façade of for the restaurant makes precise by many of the locals, there the restaurant, bespeaking its classification unimportant. are Araucarias from the area of relationship with California cuisine Not surprisingly, every one of the Argentina and Brazil, as well as the and the revolution in our food people has had some connection “true Araucaria,” which experts culture from the seventies. As we with the tree has been curious and consider almost a fossil, having witness the struggle that occurs in somewhat puzzled about its unusual existed for over a thousand years. the City of Berkeley between those character. The “monkey puzzle” who attempt to protect the trees Interestingly, the Chilean poet name originated in England, as the that have grown there for years, Pablo Neruda, considered one of species had no existing popular one should ponder this amazing the greatest and most influential name. “A monkey trying to climb one relationship between the Araucaria poets of the 20th century and would not be so much puzzled, as and Chez Panisse. 4 Berkeley Historical Society Newsletter A Tribute to Ken Cardwell By Shelley Rideout, Archives Committee

As many of you already know, Ken our collections. It is his Cardwell is retiring from the Berkeley vision and organizational Historical Society Board and from skills that have brought his position as our Archivist. During us into the 21st century, his long and illustrious career, Ken setting in place systems has worn many hats: war hero, that will serve us well for professor, author, architect and many years to come. occasional beret-clad impersonator Ken devised the of Bernard Maybeck. classification system for For the last 10 years, Ken has worn our extensive photograph the hat of BHS Archivist, answering collection, using endless questions from the public, Berkeley’s districts as the assisting patrons with their research basis for organization. and curating many exhibits. For He installed Past Perfect, a software and myself to accession and several years, he wrote the column program specifically designed catalog donations. With many 75 Years Ago for the Berkeley Voice, for historical societies and small more hours and a few more diligent before Steve Finacom took over museums, on our computers volunteers, someday we will know that task. Ken and his wife Mary and began the arduous task of exactly what items are in our have opened their homes; both cataloguing our archives, library collections and where to find them. here in Berkeley and in Inverness, and photograph and object For this foresight and planning we for volunteer appreciation parties collections. thank him, as will future generations and Ken has staffed the History Never one to keep all the of students, researchers, and Center on many extra days so glamorous jobs for himself, Ken also historians. that we could be open during our knows how to delegate. He has designated hours. Ken has been the architect of our been generous with his knowledge, future and we thank him heartily However, Ken’s most important teaching Mark Peters to scan and for his many years of good and work for BHS has been the catalogue photographs, Judy Wilkes productive service. organization and cataloguing of to enter and update memberships

Berkeley Historical Society Newsletter 5 sHips When Norman Mineta (then U.S. N.C. Frey with a crew of 43, most of whom Secretary of Transportation) was named the resided locally. She left San Francisco on Continued from page 1 California Alumni Association’s Alumnus February 12, 1920, for New York with a Improvement Club, Northbrae Women’s of the Year in 2002, as part of the ceremony cargo of 800 tons of flour. Unfortunately Club and the Town and Gown Club also he was presented with the builder’s plaque the ship went aground off Cape May, New made contributions. A special bookplate from the S.S. Berkeley by the Maritime Jersey, near the entrance of Delaware Bay, was designed by Berkeley High School Administration. on March 10, 1920. It was later abandoned student Ed Diffenderfer. and scrapped in 1930. S.S. City of Berkeley’s The Berkeley Victory Ship Committee The Ferry Berkeley consisted of such local notables as future Short Life Congressman Jeffrey Cohelan; City By Phil Gale By John Aronovici Council members Carrie L. Hoyt and Kent The ferry steamer Berkeley was the first Pursel (later a county supervisor); J. Delbert The freighter City of Berkeley led a short successful propeller-driver ferry on the Pacific Sarber, general manager of the Chamber life. She was built at Union Construction Coast. Inspired by the new ferries then being of Commerce; League of Women Voters Company in Oakland and launched in used in New York Harbor, the Southern member Mrs. George (Ruth) Scheer; Dr. January 1920. Union Construction was Pacific designed the Berkeley to be the most TK Cleveland, present of the Philadelphia organized in 1918 to build cargo ships for modern ferry on the San Francisco Bay. Quartz Company of Berkeley and the the U.S. Shipping Board, a government Rev. Edward Stovall, African-American agency organized in 1917 that, among other At the time of her construction, most minister, later president of the Alameda things, subsidized private ship construction. ferries had the one-cylinder vertical County NAACP and fair housing activist. It was abolished in 1934. The site, leased “walking beam” engine, a design that dated A special program was printed for the occasion (now in the Society archives). Mayor Fitch Robertson gave the welcome and an address was given by Sam B. Hume. The Berkeley High School A Capella Choir performed the official launch song, Smooth Sailing. The ship was a material supply ship and remained in service until May 1948, after which it was transferred to the National Berkeley Historical Society Historical Berkeley Defense Reserve Fleet in Wilmington The USS City of Berkeley NC. In October 1950 it was moved to Bethlehem Steel’s Boston shipyards to be from the City of Oakland, was between back to the 1820s with side paddle wheels outfitted for use in the Korean War and Bataan and Chunking Streets in what and a wooden hull. The Berkeley, however, delivered to American President Lines for was the Oakland Army Base. The ship’s had a triple-expansion engine driving two operation, although apparently it never engine was a steam turbine type. The ship propellers, one at each end. In this way, sailed in Korean waters. It was sent to the was chartered to Swayne and Hoyt of 430 steam was used three times before being Reserve Fleet in Suisun Bay in 1958. Sansome Street, San Francisco. Swayne and exhausted. She also had a steel hull and In August 1965, during the Vietnam Hoyt was apparently one of a number of tramp electric lights. Being larger than most War, the Berkeley saw service once more as companies, some of which later developed ferries, she could handle 1700 passengers! part of the Military Sea Transport Service. into scheduled “lines” that operated with She had a restaurant below her main deck. It was deactivated in 1970 and the ship government-owned ships leased from the U.S. The upper deck was called the “Ladies once again became part of the Reserve Fleet Shipping Board in the years following World Deck,” and men had to sit with the baggage in Suisun Bay, where it remained until sold War I. It was an anti-union company also carts on the main deck. known as “Sweat and Hungry.” for scrap in January 1993. The price was Her keel was laid on January 25, 1898, at $366,127.90. Her maiden voyage was under Captain the Union Iron Works in San Francisco and 6 Berkeley Historical Society Newsletter on October 18, 1898, she was launched. The ferry faithfully plodded on her While she didn’t start a new line of She was christened by Miss Ruby Richards Oakland–San Francisco or Alameda–San propeller-driven passenger ferries for of Berkeley and at her christening the Francisco run until the end of the trans-bay the Southern Pacific (all subsequent new president of the University of California, commuter runs. In 1939 she was selected passenger ferries were paddle-wheel driven), Martin Kelly, and President of Southern as one of the three Southern Pacific ferries she was very much the inspiration for the Pacific, Collis P. Huntington, spoke. At to remain in service (the other two were the new ferries built by the Key System in her trials, on October 22, 1898, she Sacramento and Eureka). 1903 and 1907 and the Western Pacific’s attained 12¼ knots and entered service on Edward T Jeffrey, built in 1913. These were The year 1953 saw radar installed on November 6. propeller-driven. “Berkeley showed the way.” the Berkeley. In the spring of 1958 it was In addition to naming ships after the city of Berkeley, there was also a Pullman sleeping rail car called Berkeley.

The Pullman Sleeping Car Berkeley

By Phil Gale The Berkeley Pullman sleeping railcar entered service in 1926 for use on the Sunset Limited, then operating between San Francisco and New Orleans via Los Angeles. It was one of about 3,000 “12-1” At first, and for a number of years removed from service for repairs and thus it sleepers, meaning it had 12 open-section afterwards, she was known as the “pile was unavailable when the last of the Southern berths (upper and lower with a green driver’s friend” as she did not slow down in Pacific ferries ran on July 29, 1958. curtain) and one drawing room. In addition, the same way as the paddle-ferries and it In 1959, the Golden Gate Fish Co. it had a women’s lavatory and combination took her captains a long time to get to know purchased the Berkeley for conversion to men’s lavatory/smoking room. (At that time, when to reverse the engines to stop her in a floating fish cannery. But Luther “Bill” it was assumed that only men smoked.) the slip. In 1901, she was converted to Conover, a local architect and furniture burn oil instead of coal. During the Depression, in order to keep designer, declared that he owned the Berkeley employees busy, the Pullman Company As San Francisco burned after the 1906 in an effort to save it from being converted upgraded many of its cars. The Berkeley earthquake, the Berkeley, along with the other to a fish cannery. Conover fought for two was upgraded and air-conditioned in ferries on the bay, ran 24 hours a day, bringing years until the Golden Gate Fish Company 1935. Eventually replaced by newer cars in San Francisco residents to the East Bay. gave up and sanctioned the sale to Conover. first-class service, this car saw many miles Although she was involved in many minor In 1961, in order to preserve the in troop-train service during World War collisions with piers and other ferries, there Berkeley, Conover docked the ferry at the II. After the war, during the separation of was only one accident of note in her career. old Northwest Pacific ferry slip in Sausalito Pullman’s manufacturing and operations On January 13, 1911, a large explosion and opened the Trade Fair, a floating divisions, the Berkeley went to the Southern rocked the vessel. Many passengers panicked retail store that sold knick-knacks and Pacific. It was assigned to the Southern and believed a boiler had exploded, but it souvenirs. Unlike many ferries, she had Pacific’s Texas subsidiary, the Texas and was quickly determined that the explosion not been rebuilt in the 1920s and still had New Orleans (at the time all railroads in had come from the men’s lavatory in the her original stained glass and 1898 decor. Texas had to be incorporated in Texas.) lower deck adjacent to the bar. Apparently a When the city of Sausalito declined to buy In 1958, the Berkeley was retired to mining engineer, John O. Norbom, had left it in 1972, Conover sold the Berkeley to government storage in case of war. In 1962, a vial of nitroglycerin in his coat pocket and the San Diego Maritime Museum where it was released from storage and scrapped. it had exploded. Norbom died instantly and she is now. She was declared a National five others were injured. Landmark in 1990.

Berkeley Historical Society Newsletter 7 Center Hosts First Exhibit of 60s Posters

The Berkeley Historical Society 60s to mid-70s. Lincoln Cushing, a was honored to be the venue good friend of Rossman’s, agreed for an exhibit of 60s political to safeguard the posters after and social posters collected by Rossman’s passing. He spent four Free Speech Movement veteran months cataloguing over 25,000 Michael Rossman from the mid- items. According to Cushing, “Spurred by the success of local rock and counterculture posters, Calendar of Events political posters were vibrant public Exhibit – Up Against the Wall – Berkeley documents that promoted a wide Posters from the 1960s, Berkeley History range of social issues. This exhibition Center, ongoing. documents Berkeley’s unique role House Tour May 3, 1-5pm – Maybeck

in the evolution of this medium and Collection Rossman Cushing/Michael Lincoln Country, Berkeley Architectural Heritage includes examples of works on such Association. For more information, call simple layouts and clever visual diverse issues as gay liberation, 510-841-2242. images. Copywriters and art people’s health care, opposition Walk May 9, 10am – Old Paths Behind the directors, working as collaborative Claremont Hotel, Berkeley Path Wanderers. to the Viet Nam war, support for teams, sought a synergy between For more information, call 510-655-5773. political prisoners, demand for word and image. These influences Walk May 26, 6pm – Easter Way-Crag- alternative educational models, impacted the graphic appearance mont Park-Pinnacle Path-Poppy Path, Berke- and community control of police.” ley Path Wanderers. For more information, of posters. Placing ads on radio call 510-848-2944. The 60s were also a period of and television was beyond the Lecture May 28, 7pm – A House in dramatic innovation in advertising economic means of most private Alameda, Alameda Museum. For more and marketing efforts, with graphic citizens, independent art groups information, call 510-748-0796. designers working for musicians, film and activist organizations; however, Walking Tour May 30, 10am – Berkeley makers and publishers. A creative Park, Berkeley Historical Society. For more they could afford to print and information, call 510 848 0181. revolution in advertising writing and distribute flyers and posters and Walk June 1, 7pm – Albany Hill, Berkeley design occurred; ad agencies sell them to sympathizers to raise Path Wanderers. For more information, call began employing witty headlines, money for their causes. 510-848-9358. Lecture June 11, 5:30pm – NorCalMod: Berkeley Non Profit Org. Icons of Northern California Modernist Ar- Historical Society U.S. POSTAGE chitecture. Oakland Heritage Alliance. For more information, call 510-464-3600. Post Office Box 1190 PAID Berkeley, CA 94701 Permit #131 Tour June 12, 9am – Ardenwood Farm, 510 848 0181 Berkeley, CA Berkeley Architectural Heritage Association. For more information , call 510-841-2242. Walk June 21 – Daley’s Scenic Park and Beyond, Berkeley Path Wanderers Asso- ciation, 6pm. For more information, call 510-528- 3246. Lecture June 25, 7:30pm – Alameda, an Architectural Treasure Chest, Alameda Museum. For more information, call 510- 748-0796. Lecture July 30, 7pm – Winslow Homer and the Post Civil War Era in America, Alameda Museum. For more information, call 510-748-0796.