The Erased Cut of the Key Number 11 Line

OHA’s Daniel Levy asked, “How did the Key System (KS) no. 11 line get from Harrison St. to Oakland Ave.”, pointing out that a historic aerial showed what appears to be a private right-of-way. KS streetcar 717 at the end of the line at Linda Ave. and Piedmont Ave. circa 1946.

L223-05-Waldemar Sievers Photo, Courtesy John Harder, (Image 1 of 30)

First some background that may be found in Sappers’ “Key System Streetcars”. Consolidated Piedmont Cable established the line in 1892 to climb Oakland Ave., a gravity loop included. It was purchased by Oakland Transit in 1902.

L223-10-Woodward, Watson and Co. Map, Collection and Courtesy of John Bosko, (Image 2 of 30)

Once it was converted to an electric line, it was truncated back to Lynda, now Linda, Ave. to avoid the hill up Oakland Ave. Over the years, the terminus downtown would shift, and, from 1932-1943, it incorporated the KS no. 15 line’s route out to 38th Ave.

L223-15-Realty Bonds and Finance Co. Map, Collection and Courtesy of John Bosko, (Image 3 of 30)

A comparison of two north-oriented aerial maps from 1939 and 2018 show the path of an auto, yellow dotted line, starting on Harrison St., previously Ave., and entering Oakland Ave. The red arrow indicates the presumed path of the streetcar. Ref: c-5750_289-64, 1/1/39

L223-20-Courtesy U.C. Santa Barbara Library, Special Research Collections, Detail and Google Earth, (Image 4 of 30)

To investigate directly, KS 705 is ready to board at Broadway and 13th St. in this northwest view, circa 1946.

L223-25-Waldemar Sievers Photo, Courtesy John Harder, (Image 5 of 30)

Passing familiar territory at 15th St., the streetcar will eventually turn right at 24th St. North view, circa 1946.

L223-30-Waldemar Sievers Photo, Courtesy John Harder, (Image 6 of 30)

KS streetcar 717 passes United Automotive Service at 266 24th St. Despite what its banner reads, the streetcar is heading toward Broadway, and not Oakland Ave. The building on the right edge had both cable car and streetcar roots, and served as a car dealership, and in 2021 as Whole Foods, provides visual confirmation. This area was cleared out for a building project in 2018.

L223-35-Leon Bonney Photo, Courtesy John Harder, (Image 7 of 30)

Continuing with images of streetcars running toward downtown, KS 982 on Harrison Blvd., now called St., is seen in this northeast view approaching the 27th St. take-off point in Oct. 1947, as it passes Don Lee Cadillac and Oldsmobile, the building mentioned above.

L223-36-Courtesy BAERA, Western Railway Museum Archives, 171354ks, (Image 8 of 30)

KS 921, also heading downtown on Harrison Blvd. in this north view from June 1948, picks up passengers in front of Westlake Junior High School, now called Middle School.

L223-37-Fred Matthews Photo, Moreau Coll., Courtesy BAERA, W. Railway Museum Arch., 90406ks KS , (Image 9 of 30)

This 700 series car continues to the northeast outbound from downtown in this southwest view from 1948. The position of the storm drain in the foreground, just north of the Orange St. split from the road, would signal the beginning of a private right-of-way ...

L223-40-Leon Bonney Photo, Courtesy John Harder, (Image 10 of 30)

... and as this image would testify, the auto is heading away from this path. Southwest view, 1948.

L223-45-Leon Bonney Photo, Courtesy John Harder, (Image 11 of 30)

To actually experience the private right-of-way, KS 712 awaits at Linda Ave. and Piedmont Ave., Northeast view, 1946 or earlier based on the automobile plates.

L223-50-Waldemar Sievers Photo, Courtesy John Harder, (Image 12 of 30)

Once past Lake Ave., a private right-of-way was built to bring the track up to grade with Oakland Ave. KS 706 is shown along the right-of-way with Beach Elementary School in the background in 1944, northeast view.

L223-55-Wilbur C. Whittaker Photo, Veilbaum Coll., Courtesy BAERA, W. Railway Museum Arch., (Image 13 of 30)

The aforementioned right-of-way is still intact as appreciated in this northeast view from 2017.

L223-60-Stuart Swiedler Photo, (Image 14 of 30)

On reaching Oakland Ave., KS 701 makes a sharp right to begin its climb in this northeast view from 1947. The previous need for a cable car to scale the steep grade to the northeast can be appreciated.

L223-65-Waldemar Sievers Photo, Courtesy John Harder , (Image 15 of 30)

After climbing Oakland Ave. at the onset, KS 970, here taken from a 1948 excursion, rolls down to MacArthur Blvd. in this northeast view. Most of the structures behind the streetcar persist despite the MacArthur Freeway replacing the namesake boulevard at this juncture.

L223-70-Leon Bonney Photo, Courtesy John Harder , (Image 16 of 30)

Now turning to the southwest in 1946, KS 708 continues an uphill journey west to the presumed private right-of-way, passing Piedmont-bound KS 712. A photograph taken of this area in 2020 would be totally obstructed by the freeway and associated ramps, plus all the structures on the south side of MacArthur Blvd. would be gone.

L223-75-Waldemar Sievers Photo, Courtesy John Harder , (Image 17 of 30)

A complementary northeast view at the MacArthur Blvd. dip, 1946. The large property, right, that filled the entire triangle created by the remnant of Perry St., Perry Pl., and MacArthur Blvd. was 466 MacArthur Blvd., but also 156 and several other Perry Pl. addresses.

L223-80-Arthur Lloyd Photo, Courtesy BAERA, Western Railway Museum Archives, 111079ks, (Image 18 of 30)

The MacArthur Blvd. side of no. 466 is seen here in a southwest view from 1956. The structure would be cleared for Highway 580. It had 29.5 rooms, 10 for the owner and the rest for 7 renters. Records indicate it had previously belonged to the estate of one W.S. Turner, the front portion completed circa 1900.

L223-85-Courtesy California Department of Transportation, Binder 5238, (Image 19 of 30)

KS 712 picks up a fare at Pearl St. in this east view from 1946. The four houses from the right edge inward have since been replaced by apartment buildings.

L223-90-Robert L. Stein Photo, Courtesy BAERA, Western Railway Museum Archives, 46079ks, (Image 20 of 30)

KS 971, line 11 in a southwest view, passes no. 241, left, and no. 243, right, Oakland Ave. as it has reached the private right-of-way on May 22, 1948. The tower of the First Congregational Church is prominently visible in the distance.

L223-95-78- Fred Matthews Photo, Moreau Coll., Courtesy BAERA, Western Railway Museum Archives, 9037, (Image 21 of 30)

Back to a northeast view, the destination is reached. After reaching the top of the hill, KS 974 glides through the private right-of-way heading toward downtown, circa 1948.

L223-100-Al Thoman Photo, Courtesy Al Thoman, (Image 22 of 30)

KS 715 has reached the bottom of the cut where Oakland Ave. and Harrison St. fuse in this northeast view from July, 1947.

L223-105-Tom Gray Photo, Courtesy BAERA, Western Railway Museum Archives, 80410ks, (Image 23 of 30)

Continuing a northeast view, KS 945 has emerged from the cut into open traffic. The oddly-shaped building lining the cut was home to several commercial businesses located between 2810 and 2816 Harrison. Here seen is a barber, a beauty parlor, shoe store, and New Rex Liquors, but in 1940 there was a cleaners, a library, and a market.

L223-110-Leon Bonney Photo, Courtesy John Harder, (Image 24 of 30)

Buses replaced the no. 11 line service on June 26, 1948. Aerial photographs were checked to ascertain when the private right-of-way and oddly shaped-building were removed. This north view from Apr. 8, 1953 shows the two are intact.

L223-115-Copyright California Department of Transportation, 3300-31, Detail, (Image 25 of 30)

Based on these two aerials, the intersection was reconfigured sometime between 1958 and 1965. Craig Sundstrom provided a Oakland Tribune clip from Dec. 12, 1960 indicating the pending removal or demolition of the site. Ref: but-1958_4v-77, left; cas-65-130_6-194, right

L223-120-Courtesy U.C. Santa Barbara Library, Special Research Collections, Details , (Image 26 of 30)

This southeast view taken during MacArthur Freeway construction in late 1960 shows the oddly-shaped building, marked by the red square.

L223-125-Ed Brady-Aerospace Photo 6003, Courtesy BAERA, Western Railway Museum Archives, 146525ov, (Image 27 of 30)

By early 1962, the reconfiguration was complete, the red arrow pointing to the triangular-shaped median set in place as shown in this east view. The slice of freeway construction west of Grand Ave. along the top would suggest that increased traffic at the Harrison St. exit and entrance may have necessitated this change.

L223-130-Ed Brady-Aerospace Photo 7255, Courtesy BAERA, Western Railway Museum Archives, 150547ov, (Image 28 of 30)

Just to be sure, this northeast-directed aerial from 1964 provides a better view of the reconfigured intersection, the red square marking the triangular-shaped median. Thanks for asking the question, Daniel, it deserved a look seeing that not a clue of its existence has been left behind.

L223-135-Ed Brady-Aerospace Photo 9117, Courtesy BAERA, Western Railway Museum Archives, 145051ov, (Image 29 of 30)

While KS 712 picks up passengers in front of 560 Oakland Ave., east view from 1946, appreciation and gratitude to John Harder who single-handedly made this presentation possible in a very challenging time in our history, to the memory of Al Thoman, who dug that key color slide out of an old chest before he left us, and to Craig Sundstrom for supplying newspaper clips and other insights into the area.

L223-140-Waldemar Sievers Photo, Courtesy John Harder , (Image 30 of 30)