Assignment 9

This is it. My story telling into Mt. Eden and the Pioneers that helped changed the East Bay is over. I had fun bringing to my class the story of these European immigrants, who helped mold the culture that would go on to prevail in the area. People Like John Jonson, the first settler of the area who helped upstart the salt industry, or the Oliver Family, who took control of the majority of all salt production in Hayward. This is significant in Bay Area historybecause what the class learned about Mt.Eden is a trend that was found through out the East Bay. Racism, Cultures helping each other out to survive, ethnic enclave creations, all put Mt. Eden as a vital part of east bay history. Through out the time of developement in Hayward, Mt Eden was unique in taht the residents refused to annex into the city, for the simple fact that they wanted to keep in tact the small township feel that their ancestors always spoke about. Even after neighborhoods began to rapidly expand around the area, and the residents were about to get annexed, the community stood up planty of times and prevented this from happening. Such a strong reaction froma small community proves that David could dlay goliath if the cause for change is strong enough.
The class should come away feeling like Mt. Eden is an important part of East Bay History, and even though when you enter some parts oF Eden, you feel like you are in 1873, that feeling is what caused residents to learn to love life as simple as it comes, even at the "Hart of the Bay", where developement after world war 2 helped shape the area into what it is now. I feel like Mt eden, which was finally completely annexed at the beginning of the year, after a 20 year battle ith the city, will always be remembered for being that community in the East Bay that refused to give in to the status Quo. even as different residents, and races, came to the community, they too learned to appreciate the small town feel, and they were accepted with open arms rather than violence( Well, Russel City, located in Mt Eden, was always a minority city, due to the fact that hayward realtors refused to sell land to colored people in the inner cities due to depreciating prices.
The Future of Mt Eden includes a new home developement, sewage system that is up to date, a running water system (remember, eden gets their water from the well system, which was created in part to create an independent, sustainable part of town). Sidewalks will also be put into place to further modernize this part of town. Along with the developement will come a slight loss of community, because the new residents that move in will never have lived in one of those beutifull, old houses situated on acre plus lots. These houses reminds me of historic times, and with their existence next to modern homes, one will learn to really appreciate the history that is associated with Mt. eden. With that said, historians will now have to just wait and see what the future has in store. they will have study demographic trends of the area, as the original German and Dutch Settlers will most certainly be replaced by a surging asian and Latino population, thus, changing the customs and traditions of the area. Further than that, the only thing historians can do is sit and wait for the moment when Eden modernizes, and see if the small, tight knit community will manage to stay in tact. Until then, thank you class for reading my blog. It was a pleasure working with you guys, and I wish yall the best of luck. Any questions regarding Mt eden, feel free to email me, or post a comment on my blog. Im going to keep it open for further research..

Juan barajas Jr

Assignment 8

If the Hayward Historical Society were to ask me for a presentation on the town of Mt.Eden, I would use a power point with an emphasis on video visuals, which is the most effective way one can truly cherish the beauty of the area. The main emphasis of the power point presentation will be to show the audience that the rich history of the Bay Area can not be told without mentioning Mt. Eden, which has been an important stop in the Bay Area since it was incorporated in the mid 1800's. The history of Wheat and Salt production is unique to the area, as the wheat was processed and shipped to San Francisco by boat, and the salt was a staple of the region, as it was home to the famous Morton Salt Company. This Salt Harvest was a technique used by the Dutch, that was introduced in the Bay Area by Dutch Immigrants.
The Video would show old posters and maps of the old Eden Township, and the property of the family to which it belonged to. It would also show modern day houses, and how in some places it feels as if you are still living in the 1900's!; Old homes, Goats and other farm animals running around the abundant property lots...No sidewalks. All these little things contribute to the big picture, which is the showing of Mt Eden as a place of natural Beauty( It is said that the name came from Kentucky residents of Mt Eden, but also after Eden Itself, after its natural Beauty). The Major point that will be proven to the audience that will be watching this is that Mt Eden has failed to annex to the city of Hayward for so many years due to the history of prosperity in the area, and neighbors feeling as they live in their own little world. They want to live in the city, yet not in the city. This will all be proven through 20 years of anti Annexation newspapers, and various form's of Media depicting neighbors protesting the annexation.
Another form of media that will be passed out during the presentation will be a pamphlet showing the names of all the pioneers of the area, and their contribution to Eden. Also on the pamphlet and on video, landmarks such as the Southland Mall, Chabot College, and The Mt Eden cemetary will be shown in pictures and explained the use of the land prior to becoming what it turned into today. All this material, carefully crafted together, will help prove to the audience that MT Eden is a place rich in history that will continue to have its small town feeling, and independent community for plenty of years to come. ITs hsitory of anti annexation is unique enough in the bay area that a thorough explanation is needed to understand why Mt Edeners want to continue to be in their own little world.....

Assignment 7

To better Understand the history that I have researched, the history of the people of Mt. Eden and their love for the area, one must come to experience the peacefulness that is achieved here. The research that I took part in is very important for many reasons, but most importantly, explains why most of the people of the area still reside there, and most are of German, or Danish descent; The tight knit community that Mt Eden Was founded it continues to flourish today, and the main indicator that this is ongoing is the name of the are, which even though was annexed by the city of Hayward in the 1950's. this helps us understand why the names of the street in the region are named after pioneers of the areas, and why many of the families still reside there today! this can be seen right next to Chabot College, where the Fry Family continues to operate a barn with supplies, in a building that feels as if you are back in Hayward in the late 1800's.
The evidence that I found took place primarily in the mid 1800's, as families that never struck it rich during the gold rush were now flocking to get jobs in the agricultural or salt industry. People like Joe Johnson , A salt Pioneer, or Joel Russel, also a Dockworker, allowed the people who worked the labor with them to stay in the area and settle with their families. These two factors, along with the fact that a general store was opened, a post office, and a church where all can worship, paved the way for a tight knit community that disagrees with complete annexation, even today!The fact that neighbor's like to live in an area with no sidewalks, well water, and huge parcels also proves that the way of life that was established by the Mt. Eden area pioneers continues to be cherished to this date.
My story is a bay area story for many reasons. First, the bay area has been a place known for its advancements in technology (San Jose, Silicon Valley), and willingness to expand cities infrastructure , including building of houses, schools etc. Mt Eden is unique in the fact that even though it is located in Hayward, what is ironically known as the heart of the bay,
the residents of the area refuse to be part of the main stream, and have fought the local government over 20 years to prevent the annexation of the lands in which their homes are built! Even though it would mean more advanced water systems, sewage, and sidewalks, the neighbors enjoy the small town feeling, and feel as if this would intrude on their personal lives! the fact that the place was known as "Little Copenhagen" and "German Town" also make it unique in that these were enclaves for the German and Danish Populations that were coming to the area at the time. Even though other groups in Hayward settled elsewhere in the city, such as the Portuguese by downtown, or the Mexicans and blacks in Russel town, the Germans came from a distinct, educated background that allowed for more of a skewed advantage overall. Things that we spoke about in class and read, such as the discrimination of Asians in the Bay also apply here in Mt Eden. Asians were discriminated in the Mt Eden part of Hayward, with evidence of Burial certificates not stating a name, but rather China men, and other derogatory names. This helped me learn as to why Chinese or Asians, particularly in Mt. Eden, never were heard from rather than that of been peasants, and never had such big land holdings in the area.
The real question that I am left with is really this. Will Mt. Eden continue to flourish as a diamond in the rough of Hayward, or will its downfall begin as this neighborhood becomes more integrated and diverse? Will the Annexation of Mt. Eden help lead to a modernization of Eden? Will the people be willing to accept this? Will all the historic places, such as the Mt eden cemetary, the famous windmills of the areas, houses with surplus yards, trees, dissapear, or will they continue to put the spotlight on Eden? Only time will tell this time, but my guess is as good as yours. One thing that truly remains to be discovered is wether or not Eden will ever open a museum of some sort to display all its rich history that is preserved to today. DO the residents of hayward care? probably not, but the history of this region is so rich and in abundance that citizens can only benefit from knowing how their community developed into what it is today.

Julie C's Blog

The treatment of Japanese and Chinese workers during the late 1800's was harsh, and unnecessary. Look at this pic, from records of the Mt. Eden Cemetery. Although the name of the German and Dutch Families appear as their own, the Chinese are called "Chinamen" here, and are listed under that! this shows the deep ties to hate that have been a vital part of Bay Area history. Now that's interisting!Also notice that a majority of these bodies have been removed from the cemetery...maybe to make room? who knows....

Heres the Pics Promised

As promised, after my visit to the historic society in Hayward, i took some pictures of some Things that I thought were interesting. there are plenty of articles demonstrating the efforts of the city of Hayward trying to annex the islands of Eden, as seen on the pictures here. Also, heres late 1800's article on the Mohr family following a tragic accident that killed off various members of the family. it is interesting to note that the newspapers back then literally put your family business out! there was no privacy what so ever! that shows how tight knit the community of Mt. Eden was. Also Here, are pics included of more of those houses which I spoke about in my blog. Assignment 6 should be posted by manana...


Juan B

Assignment 5

The Main focus of my research into Mt Eden has now become the unwillingness of the community to annex to the city, and efforts to conserve historical relics . Historically speaking, Mt Eden has always been considered rich in land and huge parcels. To this day, a lot of home located on the main "Eden Islands" which include Saklan, Dunn, eden and a few others in the Mt Eden Area, still sit on parcels that the city of hayward sees as useless. The City of Hayward Argues that the land is a "Eye Sore: for the community, with many places here still lacking infrastructure such as a modern sewer system (Septic tanks are operated in these homes) water, whcih is provided via well by the Mohrland co., which was started by the Famous Mohr Family of the area. After reading many articles dating back to the 1800's and eaerly 1900's, The Mt eden-Russel city area has always had an instilled sense of pride in its community. many of the families that owned homes in the area, such as the Gadings, Mohr's, Frys and all, have fought hard to conserve many of the sites that are still standing. Even things such as the old post office and political center, where eventually torn down, but not before a fight with the Lyons Club and other community orginazations.
According to the city of hayward website, the last two of the five islands were finally annexed in february of this year, but that hasnt stopped the small town feel of the area. Through articles found at the Hayward area historical society, The city of hayward has been fighting hard since the late 1980's to annex the remaining eden islands. it is intereisting to note that the very residents of this place, only 605 people(Hayward review 2003), showed a huge opposition to any annexation plans. Even though these were little peices of land compared to overall Mt. Eden, it is important to note that the majority of the residents in this community is people that have been there for generations, and dont no anywhere else to go. During these first fights against annexation, 20% of the "Islands" population arrived and showed the city that they were to not lay down easy. Even though it took years to make this area a part of hayward, it will be interisting to see for years to come how old homes and new homes will merge on modern city blocks, as the city will pave these historic roads, which are currently still behind in things such as sidewalks and stuff....
The leader of the movement to annex Mt. Eden to the city of hayward was a politician by the name of John Dutra of Fremont(Hayward review 2005). As well as been a politician, John is a business man, and owned a real estate business which bought approximately 12 acres of land from Mt Eden "Saklan Island". johns plan was to buy all the land he could until he can have enough land to offer the city 8.5 million dollars to provide modern infrastructure for the part of the city. Dutra then sold the land to developers KB homes, who are now in the process of building 160 homes in the area. Although the homes will be along side these other parcels, they will never be the same as the houses of the old residents of hayward. The community, which has always been tight knit, is still holding on to their strong beliefs that have been passed to them from Joe Johnsom, and Cornelius Mohr, and the Olivers. These men were always loved not for been business man and large land owners, but for acting like a common man, offering jobs and money to the needy, and making sure Mt Eden Would never have to depend on a city to provide for itself (Examples, the windmills, Mohrland Water company, which still provides well water, the creation of community churches, schools, and other things considered benificial to all.)
I will be putting up pictures of teh NP articles I read, and the interisting maps I found on Mt. Eden. .....ALSO, NEXT TIME I will blog about the Mohrs and their unwillingness to sell off the land in which Chabot now stands.....

Mt Eden

when Most people see the Southland Mall, they think of it as just that; a place to shop. What theyn dont see is the rich significant history of the peice of land. The land that Southland is on was actually owned by the Famous Mohr Family of Hayward, who after the father died, sold off most land they held in Hayward. One of the Mohr Daughters, Mariahn, married Jeryl Fry, who was also a descendent of pioneers, as they went to school At Cal Berkeley. They sold off the land, and now they own multiple properties here in California. There is even a Fry Lane across the street From Chabot College, which is in a nicer neighborhood in Hayward. The Following Quote was taken from the website of the Pioneer Mohr-Fry family."The agricultural history of the Mohr's and Fry's extends back to the 1850's, when Bruce Fry's great-great-grandfather on Jerry's mother's side, Cornelius Mohr, left his job on a whaling ship in the port of San Francisco and began a farming operation on a Spanish land grant near what later became Hayward (Alameda County). His son, William Mohr, continued farming row crops and wheat, and breeding iris" (Mohr-Fry Ranches).

The picture you see is the actual house that still exist on the original property! I think of this as interisting because for some reason, things used to be built with quality, and ones own hands. These houses should be wowed upon simply because just building them took just the hands of the pioneer families, and nothing more. Sure, they were rich enough to have it planned out, but who built it? Sandoval Mentions in his book Cradle of the Salt Industry, that the whole Community loved Mr Mohr because he provided everyone in the area a job, and a chance to better prosper. Never in the book did he mention people were living in bad conditions or been mistreated. Only positive aspects of Mt. Eden have been recorded, and teh success of the Pioneers Family members show that they have come a long way.

Heres some Images I took at the Mt Eden Cemetary on Depot Road in hayward. here, the Dutch and German leaders of the community invested in property to assure proper burial of family members as they became diseased. personally, this is the cemetary richest in History in all of Hayward due to historical figures buried in here. Also included is a picture of property in Russel ZCity, located in old Eden. here, plenty of land still sits vacated, such as this parcel, and the one in the other. Although the rest of the city seems to be built on, Eden still enjoys a small town feeling. just been there the other day made me feel relaxed, as if i wasnt in the bay. You guys should walk around there some time, its pretty cool...

Juan barajas Jr

Sorry For Lagging, BUt....

I have Finally Finished reading the History Of the Mt Eden Area, and have been pretty Impressed on how a tight knit community, such as Mt Eden was able to keep its name and history for so long, thanks to advocated from the families of Pioneers that have settled in the Area. The Last week, I was looking for a way to get some kind of information to try to interview a family member from the original Mohr Estate, but that plan has gone sour since I recieved no response from the help I was suppose to get! I learned in the reading that The Mohr estate is still in existence today, directly next to Chabot College. What happen was the original benificiaries of the estate Of Mr Mohr, who owned land all through out alameda county, 700 acres in total, inlcuding Union City, and the part that was one of his kids ended up selling for the buiilding of a community college, Chabot. Wheat Grain was originally grown on this land immidietly after the arrival of plenty of Dutch Immigrants. Unlike immigrant groups from other parts of the country, these immigrants were actually professionals in their country, or they were just adventure seekers who hit it big. Wither way, people in this area were prosepering at the time, and the main land owners were loved by their communities as well.
The original Salt Ponds were all given to a SF bay Area conservation group, and are state ran now. One was over ran by the building of the San Mateo Bridge, and another, Off Clawiter, is a museum that you can visit today.
I will be putting up blog postings every day, the rest of the week, so stay tuned...pics are coming soon too ( Tomorrow, for sure, My bad on the lag class...)

Assignment 3

For secondary sources, I found one author in particular that really broke down the area known as Mt. Eden Today, And that is Author John Sandoval and his book Mt Eden-the cradle of the salt industry. Mr Sandoval was a great secondary source due to the fact that he got all his information from very credible sources; It is first hand from the pioneers families who have allowed mr Sandoval to sift through their collection of family heirlooms to tell the story. He knew these people, The Olivers, the Mohrs, through been a member of the Mt. Eden Lyons club.
The Most important topic that Mr sandoval wrote about in this book is the way the salt industry evolved into what it was before developers bought the land and built it over. The Salt industry in the area began almost immidietly after the first resident of Mt. Eden, John Johnson, a Scandinavian adventurist who left his country at a young age, squatted on 14 acres of land on what is known as Mt Eden. Johnson, who was more of a business man than a gold miner, noticed the medittereanan weather, soil, and shoreline and saw potential in salt mining.(Sandoval 20). Eventually other pioneers settled in Mt eden, including the Russel City area, and ran the salt industry of the Bay Area, one that would put "Little Copenhagen" on the map.
Mt eden was not a one crop area, however. Grain was a huge part of the industry, as it was shipped to san francisco for processing, and a good resting spot for those looking to venture up north.
Sandoval will be a great help to me because not only has he laid the foundation of what I needed. the history of a little town which thrived on the backs of immigrants who came from nothing, and made it into a huge empire. Many of the houses and huge lots remain in this part of town, and to me they tell a story. What was the use of the huge windmills that are still present today do the wells still work? Why have owners of land in russel city been reluctant to sell their stakes to developers? I want to know all these answers, and that is how i will contribute to the work of Mr. Sandoval. I want to know the story behind the people buried in the Mt. Eden Cementary (I swear I used to have a ghost in my house.. I lived in Waterford Apts, right behind the cementary!) Mohr, Gading, Barton,.... I want to know how these people managed to run this little township on their own ...schools, post office.... These are all questions in need of answers. I will be putting up pictures at the very latest by sunday, I will let the class know when their posted

Juan Barajas

Assignment 2

Upon Doing my research, i have managed to actually find books that are directly related to my topic.!! Mt. Eden, the cradle of the salt industry in California by John Sandoval is a historical context of Mt Eden, and manages to explain the history and important figures of the area! many names that we see in Mt. Eden , such as Clawiter, are simply overlooked as a simple street name, but historical context is never tied into it.Clawiter was a large land owner in the region, who came to this country in hopes of making it big. Indeed big he made it, as Sandoval writes about the 500 acre purchase Mr. Clawiter made of land in the Mt. Eden region in 1877 . The purpose of this land was to grow wheat, and the wheat was then transported to San Francisco. Most of the settlers of the time knew that they would never strike it rich with the gold rush, and the smart ones struck it rich by having businesses and other things that helped maintain society. Mr Clawiter even helped form a cementary for the people of Eden, Which today is located right behind the waterford apts and Chabot College off 92! Him, together with other familiar names such as Gading, and Petermen, hepled establish this fine community, and their names on every other street sign are whats to show. Mt eden sustained itself so well, that the post office still bears its name to this day! You guys should read this book, its a small book, but tis so interisting, you might jsut read it all in one day!

Welcome- Assignment 1

The Topic that I have chosen for research is the history of Mt. Eden here in Hayward, Ca. There were a few reasons for which I chose this topic for research. First, I lived in the area for 2 years, and always wondered how such beautifull place can flourish without fluorescent minds. Second, is the funny history behind how this small "Town" Began. It is said that a a group of people from kentucky came to try and strike it rich in California, only to have gone through enough by the time they hit the area. The settlersthen split their supplies and headed seperate paths, but a few remained and inhabited the place illegally through squatting. They then hung up their wagon cover, which read Mt. Eden Company, which is the town they were from, in between two trees and this part of history began. To me this is very significant in American history because at the time, transportation was a major issue, and people didnt inhabit the west due to poor modes of transportation. What the Eden Company managed to accomplish was an actual voyage in which they traveled almost the entire lenght of the country, and managed to end up in the Bay Area. I also find it amazing how various immigrant groups came to from one city. In Mt Eden , it was people of Dutch and German heritage, but the Portuguese, Japanese, Mexicans, all had a part in forming this great city.