Fruitvale, Oakland, California
Encyclopedia
Fruitvale is a neighborhood in east Oakland, California
, in the United States
. It is located about two miles southeast of Lake Merritt
and is home to Oakland's largest Latino
population, with Latinos comprising 49.5% of Fruitvale's population http://www.neighborhoodlink.com/zip/94601. Fruitvale's ZIP code
is 94601. It lies at an elevation of 49 feet (15 m).
The name (originally Fruit Vale) comes from the many fruit orchards (largely apricot and cherry) which dominated the area in the late 19th century. After the 1906 earthquake
, the onslaught of refugees from San Francisco
caused a population boom, and the unincorporated neighborhood was annexed
into the City of Oakland by 1909.
The Fruitvale shopping district is located along International Boulevard (formerly East 14th Street), from Fruitvale Avenue to 38th Avenue and is one of the major commercial areas of Oakland. The area is home to many Latino businesses and hosts several annual cultural events, including a Cinco de Mayo
parade and a Dia De Los Muertos festival. Before the 1970s the area had the Montgomery Wards West Coast distribution center and retail store located on the downtown Oakland side, roughly opposite East Oakland Hospital, both on E 14th St. On the San Leandro side, to the south, was the Fruitvale Theater. In between, around 35th Avenue and E 14th St., were the Foodvale Market, a two story department store, the post office, and a number of other businesses. St. Elizabeth’s Catholic Church and High School were (and are) a block or two east of E 14th St. north of 35th Avenue.
During and following WW II significant numbers of African-Americans immigrated to Oakland and located in the old part of town, West Oakland. This was followed by the "urban renewal" and the construction of the Nimitz freeway, bulldozing much of West Oakland. There was then a movement of the dispossessed residents to East Oakland. Fruitvale was in the middle extent of East Oakland, and remained mainly White into the 1980s-90's, when it began to attract Latino residents. African-Americans had either relocated to the outer East Oakland area south of Fruitvale roughly between 73d Avenue and the San Leandro line, or moved out of the city altogether to outer Bay Area suburbs. Presently, Fruitvale is predominantly Latino, and is the cultural landmark for the city's Latino population
The Fruitvale BART station is located near the center of the shopping district, at the corner of 33d Avenue and East 12th Street.
In 2004, the Unity Council opened the Fruitvale Transit Village. The "Fruitvale Village" has become a model of transit oriented development, showcasing a mixture of retail and housing integrated with public transportation.
is called Jingletown, also called "JT" by East Oakland natives. The history of Jingletown begins with its name, originating from a habit of nearby mill workers, largely males of Portuguese
and Azorean background, who would jingle the coins from a week's work in their pockets as they walked to display their prosperity. In 1998, the neighborhood became home to an award-winning affordable housing project that has helped to revitalize the community.
In 2003 a building boom began, with several local developers installing hundreds of market rate condos, lofts and townhomes by the Estuary waterfront. The neighborhood remains home to many working artists who live and work in converted lofts. The neighborhood is also home to the Institute of Mosaic Art, and you can see many beautiful mosaics displayed on buildings sprinkled throughout the neighborhood.
operates an Oakland-area TACA Satellite in Suite 130 at 3411 East 12th Street in Fruitvale Village.
operates district public schools.
In addition Oakland Charter Academy, a member school of Amethod Public Schools
, is located in Fruitvale.
Oakland, California
Oakland is a major West Coast port city on San Francisco Bay in the U.S. state of California. It is the eighth-largest city in the state with a 2010 population of 390,724...
, in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. It is located about two miles southeast of Lake Merritt
Lake Merritt
Lake Merritt is a large tidal lagoon that lies just east of downtown Oakland, California. It is surrounded by parkland and city neighborhoods. A popular 3.1 mile walking and jogging path runs along its perimeter...
and is home to Oakland's largest Latino
Latino
The demonyms Latino and Latina , are defined in English language dictionaries as:* "a person of Latin-American descent."* "A Latin American."* "A person of Hispanic, especially Latin-American, descent, often one living in the United States."...
population, with Latinos comprising 49.5% of Fruitvale's population http://www.neighborhoodlink.com/zip/94601. Fruitvale's ZIP code
ZIP Code
ZIP codes are a system of postal codes used by the United States Postal Service since 1963. The term ZIP, an acronym for Zone Improvement Plan, is properly written in capital letters and was chosen to suggest that the mail travels more efficiently, and therefore more quickly, when senders use the...
is 94601. It lies at an elevation of 49 feet (15 m).
The name (originally Fruit Vale) comes from the many fruit orchards (largely apricot and cherry) which dominated the area in the late 19th century. After the 1906 earthquake
1906 San Francisco earthquake
The San Francisco earthquake of 1906 was a major earthquake that struck San Francisco, California, and the coast of Northern California at 5:12 a.m. on Wednesday, April 18, 1906. The most widely accepted estimate for the magnitude of the earthquake is a moment magnitude of 7.9; however, other...
, the onslaught of refugees from San Francisco
San Francisco, California
San Francisco , officially the City and County of San Francisco, is the financial, cultural, and transportation center of the San Francisco Bay Area, a region of 7.15 million people which includes San Jose and Oakland...
caused a population boom, and the unincorporated neighborhood was annexed
Annexation
Annexation is the de jure incorporation of some territory into another geo-political entity . Usually, it is implied that the territory and population being annexed is the smaller, more peripheral, and weaker of the two merging entities, barring physical size...
into the City of Oakland by 1909.
The Fruitvale shopping district is located along International Boulevard (formerly East 14th Street), from Fruitvale Avenue to 38th Avenue and is one of the major commercial areas of Oakland. The area is home to many Latino businesses and hosts several annual cultural events, including a Cinco de Mayo
Cinco de Mayo
Cinco de Mayo is a holiday held on May 5. It is celebrated nationwide in the United States and regionally in Mexico, primarily in the state of Puebla, where the holiday is called El Dia de la Batalla de Puebla...
parade and a Dia De Los Muertos festival. Before the 1970s the area had the Montgomery Wards West Coast distribution center and retail store located on the downtown Oakland side, roughly opposite East Oakland Hospital, both on E 14th St. On the San Leandro side, to the south, was the Fruitvale Theater. In between, around 35th Avenue and E 14th St., were the Foodvale Market, a two story department store, the post office, and a number of other businesses. St. Elizabeth’s Catholic Church and High School were (and are) a block or two east of E 14th St. north of 35th Avenue.
During and following WW II significant numbers of African-Americans immigrated to Oakland and located in the old part of town, West Oakland. This was followed by the "urban renewal" and the construction of the Nimitz freeway, bulldozing much of West Oakland. There was then a movement of the dispossessed residents to East Oakland. Fruitvale was in the middle extent of East Oakland, and remained mainly White into the 1980s-90's, when it began to attract Latino residents. African-Americans had either relocated to the outer East Oakland area south of Fruitvale roughly between 73d Avenue and the San Leandro line, or moved out of the city altogether to outer Bay Area suburbs. Presently, Fruitvale is predominantly Latino, and is the cultural landmark for the city's Latino population
The Fruitvale BART station is located near the center of the shopping district, at the corner of 33d Avenue and East 12th Street.
In 2004, the Unity Council opened the Fruitvale Transit Village. The "Fruitvale Village" has become a model of transit oriented development, showcasing a mixture of retail and housing integrated with public transportation.
Jingletown
The subsection of the neighborhood adjacent to the Oakland EstuaryOakland Estuary
The Oakland Estuary is the body of water separating the cities of Oakland and Alameda, California, in the San Francisco Bay Area. On its western end it connects to San Francisco Bay, while its eastern end connects to San Leandro Bay.-Crossings:...
is called Jingletown, also called "JT" by East Oakland natives. The history of Jingletown begins with its name, originating from a habit of nearby mill workers, largely males of Portuguese
Portuguese people
The Portuguese are a nation and ethnic group native to the country of Portugal, in the west of the Iberian peninsula of south-west Europe. Their language is Portuguese, and Roman Catholicism is the predominant religion....
and Azorean background, who would jingle the coins from a week's work in their pockets as they walked to display their prosperity. In 1998, the neighborhood became home to an award-winning affordable housing project that has helped to revitalize the community.
In 2003 a building boom began, with several local developers installing hundreds of market rate condos, lofts and townhomes by the Estuary waterfront. The neighborhood remains home to many working artists who live and work in converted lofts. The neighborhood is also home to the Institute of Mosaic Art, and you can see many beautiful mosaics displayed on buildings sprinkled throughout the neighborhood.
Economy
Grupo TACAGrupo TACA
TACA is the trade name "brand" comprising a group of five independently IATA-coded and -owned Central American airlines, whose operations are combined to function as one and a number of other independently owned and IATA-coded regional airlines which code-share and feed the TACA brand system...
operates an Oakland-area TACA Satellite in Suite 130 at 3411 East 12th Street in Fruitvale Village.
Education
Oakland Unified School DistrictOakland Unified School District
Oakland Unified School District is a public education school district which operates elementary schools , middle schools , and high schools in Oakland, California.-History:...
operates district public schools.
In addition Oakland Charter Academy, a member school of Amethod Public Schools
Amethod Public Schools
Amethod Public Schools is a nonprofit charter school system with headquarters in Oakland, California....
, is located in Fruitvale.
External links
- Unity Council (formerly Spanish Speaking Unity Council) - Community organization.
- The school of Mosaic Art in Jingletown
- Interactive Fruitvale District Map - Visit Oakland
- Oakland Fire Department - Engine Company 13 - Fruitvale District - Unofficial FD Site
- Peralta Hacienda Historical Park - Museum of History and Culture