2023 PHOTO CONTEST SUBMISSIONS
In fall 2023, the El Cerrito Historical Society held its first-ever historic photo contest, inviting the community to submit images at least 50 years old. In all, more than 80 photos were submitted, from pictures of a backyard birthday party to scenes of the days before El Cerrito was a city to professionally staged architectural photos. Thanks to all who contributed their pictures and associated memories.
Ann Hotta submitted this 1966 photo of Girl Scout Troop 3140, of which she was a member from 1963-67. The troop met at Hillside Community Church, 1422 Navellier St., and most of the girls attended Castro Elementary School.
Anthony Golden, vice president of the Albany Historical Society, submitted this vintage photo of Albany Hill, taken from vicinity of the Castro Adobe and looking west. The photo is thought to be from the 1920s.
A photo of Brian Smith’s family home on Harper Street after construction was finished. 1964. People knew the building it as the “Boat House.” Submitted by Brian Smith.
Brian Smith submitted this photo of his parents’ home under construction on Harper Street in 1964.
Ruby Adachi poses with one of the family dogs, Polly (or Porri), a beautiful German shepherd by the Adachi family home on the grounds of Adachi Florist & Nursery. Ruby is the youngest of the five Adachi children and worked at the family business. Ruby was born in 1921 and still resides in El Cerrito. Ruby recalls that Porri was "a good dog." Circa 1940. Submitted by Dana Hiramoto.
Wakao Adachi poses in front of the Adachi family florist store, ready to go to a social event and wearing a beautiful light blue dress and holding wrapped flowers in one arm, and perhaps a gift is her other arm. You can see the letter "A" for Adachi on the front of the store. This photo was taken around 1958, when Mrs. Adachi was 65 years old. Submitted by Dana Hiramoto.
Donna Houser submitted this photo of her grandfather Umberto Paoli as his gas station at the corner of Central Avenue and Carlson Boulevard (now the site of a four-unit apartment building)., 3201 Carlson, is now there). Paoli lived two blocks away at 3360 Yosemite Ave. with Houser’s grandmother, Giovannina Paoli, and two 2 daughters, Dora and Annita. Annita, who was Houser’s mother, used to tell how she would walk the gas station to deliver a little pot that he used as a lunchbox. Photo is from the late 1930s or early ‘40s.
Entrance to Mira Vista Country Club, circa 1950s. Submitted by El Cerrito Police Department.
Looking south on San Pablo Avenue from Central Avenue in the 1950s. Submitted by El Cerrito Police Department.
One of ECPD’s 1957 Chevrolet patrol cars. Submitted by El Cerrito Police Department.
Looking south on San Pablo Avenue from Central Avenue in the 1950s. Submitted by El Cerrito Police Department.
Fleet of El Cerrito Police Department cars, they appear to be 1961 Plymouth Belvederes. Submitted by El Cerrito Police Department.
Gregory Han submitted this photo from his first Holy Communion in 1964 when he was in the second grade at St. John the Baptist School. Han is in the foreground, right of center. The shorter classmate left of center is Kirk Barry. Standing in the background is Jack Yost, who later became El Cerrito High School vice principal, shooting home movies of his daughter, Gail Yost.
Copy of a 1947 newspaper article on the new wing of the El Cerrito Preschool Cooperative (then known as the El Cerrito Preschool Center).ECPC is one of the longest continuously running cooperative preschools in America, built by parents in 1940 and with additions 1947. Founded in 1940, the preschool has provided play-based education for more than 4,500 children and their families. Submitted by Irene Ng.
This photo from the 1960s shows the El Cerrito Preschool Cooperative’s front yard and inside the school. The concrete tunnel the children playing in is still at the school. All of the playground equipment was assembled by parents. Submitted by Irene Ng.
A 1965 photo of some of the students of El Cerrito Preschool Cooperative and the mothers that ran the co-op back then. One of the founding members of ECPC was Lucille Fogerty. She had four sons who “graduated” from the co-op. Two of them. John and Tom, found fame as members of the rock group Creedence Clearwater Revival. Submitted by Irene Ng.
The 1966 class picture from El Cerrito Preschool Cooperative taken in front of the school's sand area. Submitted by Irene Ng.
Bill Glockner and his bowling team at the old Golden Gate Lanes bowling alley in the mid-1960s. Glockner was a butcher at Poloni’s Market. Also show are owner Gene Poloni, Ron Nicoli and Fred Hailey, who was married to Angie Hailey, Poloni’s sister. Submitted by Joanne Paulsen.
Joanne Paulsen submitted this photo from her parents’ 25th anniversary celebration at Louie’s Club in 1970. Shown here are Dr. Sal Guiffre and his wife, Gloria. Guiffre was a good friend of Bill and Mary Glockner, as well as their family doctor.
My father, William “Bill” Glockner and his son, Gene, with a brace of ducks at the New City Market, where Glockner was a butcher in the early 1950s. During duck hunting season, Glockner would help other businessmen who brought in their birds. Submitted by Joanne Paulsen.
Joanne Paulsen submitted this photo of her grandfather Henry Glockner and father Bill Glockner at their B & H Meats counter inside Polonis Market at 1600 Liberty St. The two men ran their shop from the late 1950s into the ‘60s. She remembers going to the store after school and getting a hot dog from them.
This photo of the 1961 opening of Billy Martin’s Cerro Square nightclub was submitted by Joanne Paulsen, whose father Bill Glockner attended, along with Rich Abel. The event drew a number of Martin’s fellow major league baseball players, including Mickey Mantle (center looking at camera), Lew Burdette and others. The club, located where Burger King now stands, was short-lived, but Paulsen said her dad collected autographs from the players.
One of a series of snapshots my mother took of the parade on Moeser Lane celebrating the 50th anniversary of El Cerrito in September 1967. Submitted by Joe Paulino.
One of a series of snapshots my mother took of the parade on Moeser Lane celebrating the 50th anniversary of El Cerrito in September 1967. Submitted by Joe Paulino.
One of a series of snapshots my mother took of the parade on Moeser Lane celebrating the 50th anniversary of El Cerrito in September 1967. Submitted by Joe Paulino.
One of a series of snapshots my mother took of the parade on Moeser Lane celebrating the 50th anniversary of El Cerrito in September 1967. Submitted by Joe Paulino.
One of a series of snapshots my mother took of the parade on Moeser Lane celebrating the 50th anniversary of El Cerrito in September 1967. Submitted by Joe Paulino.
Bettianne Flynn, co-founder of Contra Costa Civic Theatre, leaving the Flynn home in El Cerrito for 1968 Easter services. Submitted by Kathleen Flynn Ray.
Phyllis Adams and Louis Flynn in "Dear Ruth." Opening night of the first production by Contra Costa Civic Theatre on Feb. 5, 1960, in its original home. The building was formerly the Vista Theatre and is now Atlas Liquors. Submitted by Kathleen Flynn Ray.
This photo is from an article in the Richmond Independent newspaper for an article about Louis Flynn, co-founder of the Contra Costa Civic Theatre. Pictured from left are Matthew Flynn (son), Kathleen Flynn Ray (daughter) and Louis Flynn. Submitted by Kathleen Flynn Ray.
The opening night curtain call for “The Orchid Sandwich,” presented during the Contra Costa Civic Theatre’s first season. The play was one of CCCT's signature shows and was written by CCCT co-founder Louis Flynn. From left, Phyllis Adams, Johnny Trovado, Sherry Sailer, Louis Flynn and Betty McCarthy. Submitted by Kathleen Flynn Ray.
The cast of “You Can't Take It With You,” staged by the Contra Costa Civic Theatre at the Harding Elementary School auditorium. CCCT performed at Harding after its original home in the old Vista Theatre was sold and before it moved to its present location in 1971. Submitted by Kathleen Flynn Ray.
Wedding photo of Gus Pestana and Joan Flores at St. John’s Chapel in 1948. The photo was in a large envelope that turned up at city hall in October 2017. City employee Lina Huang submitted the photo hoping the owner would recognize it and claim the envelope, which included a second photo of three girls.
Members of the Pryde family, owners of Pastime Hardware, and Roy Mespelt at the installation of the store’s new sign in November. Submitted by Mark Mespelt.
Copy of a Richmond Independent newspaper item about a charity donkey softball game at Cerrito Vista Park in February 1966. Submitted by Mark Mespelt.
Copy of a Berkeley Gazette newspaper item about the groundbreaking ceremony of the El Cerrito Plaza BART station in June 1966. Submitted by Mark Mespelt.
Copy of a Berkeley Gazette newspaper item about the celebration of El Cerrito’s anniversary in April 1971 at city hall. Submitted by Mark Mespelt.
Bill Glockner and his bowling team at the old Golden Gate Lanes bowling alley in the mid-1960s. Glockner was a butcher at Poloni’s Market. Also show are owner Gene Poloni, Ron Nicoli and Fred Hailey, who was married to Angie Hailey, Poloni’s sister. Submitted by Joanne Paulsen.
This fiberglass Doggie Diner head marked the location of the Doggie Diner hot dog stand on the west side of San Pablo Avenue at the corner of Fairmount Avenue. The location is now a parking lot. Submitted by Marvin Collins, who took the photo in 1970.
Marvin Collins took this photo of the Roberre Lalieux house, 611 Lexington St, with his first Nikon F camera and made the print in his own darkroom. The well-gabled concrete mansion, located just north of Lincoln Avenue, was one of the finest houses in early El Cerrito. Submitted by Marvin Collins.
A scene from the Contra Costa Civic Theatre’s 1961 production of "Auntie Mame." From left, Louis Flynn, Dorothy Desrosiers, Wayne Howe, Ruth Grutman and Byron Prong. Submitted by Matt Flynn.
The original home of the Contra Costa Civic Theatre in the old Vista Theatre at the corner of Blake Street and San Pablo Avenue. The El Cerrito Chamber of Commerce, led by Bettianne Flynn, Ken Berndt and Barbara Lowry, shared the building with the theatre. The building is now Atlas Liquors. Submitted by Matt Flynn.
The cast of the 1968 revival of "Dear Ruth" at the Contra Costa Civic Theatre in the original home at 11382 San Pablo Ave. From left, Roni Greenberg, Clinton Weaver, Karen DeBeal and James Looney. Submitted by Matt Flynn.
Contra Costa Civic Theatre co-founder Louis Flynn hosted a local talk show on El Cerrito's cable television access channel during the infancy of cable TV in the Bay Area. Here he interviews Judy Rae Whiting. Flynn’s trademark was a collection of wild neckties, some he made himself and others given to him by loyal fans. 1962. Submitted by Matt Flynn.
Plaza Suite was one of the first productions at the Contra Costa Theatre’s then new (and present) home at 951 Pomona Ave. Pictured are George and Charlotte Meyer. George Meyer, a retired Richmond policeman, also volunteered to help build CCCT's stage, as the new theatre was refurbished almost entirely by volunteer labor by those that believed that El Cerrito needed a community theatre. Submitted by Matt Flynn.
One of a series of architectural photographs were taken by Julius Shulman in 1948 of the Atwell House at 1411 Atwell Road, which was designed by Richard Neutra. The original photographs are archived at the Getty Museum in Los Angeles. Submitted by Nancy Woodruff.
One of a series of architectural photographs were taken by Julius Shulman in 1948 of the Atwell House at 1411 Atwell Road, which was designed by Richard Neutra. The original photographs are archived at the Getty Museum in Los Angeles. Submitted by Nancy Woodruff.
One of a series of architectural photographs were taken by Julius Shulman in 1948 of the Atwell House at 1411 Atwell Road, which was designed by Richard Neutra. The original photographs are archived at the Getty Museum in Los Angeles. Submitted by Nancy Woodruff.
One of a series of architectural photographs were taken by Julius Shulman in 1948 of the Atwell House at 1411 Atwell Road, which was designed by Richard Neutra. The original photographs are archived at the Getty Museum in Los Angeles. Submitted by Nancy Woodruff.
“My sister's birthday party, early 1960s. The girls are wearing their finest party dresses as they gather to play a party game in the backyard of 1215 Richmond St. Submitted by Robert Colbrun.
“My sister Martha riding her new bike in the 1200 block of Richmond Street.” This picture was taken in December 1960, right before Richmond Street was widened. Submitted by Robert Colbrun.
A sign from the shop owned by Amy Stenberg’s great-uncles Patrick Alexander, Nick and Paul, and grandfather Frank Ruben. They were four of six Stenberg brothers from Marstrand, Sweden who arrived individually and lived in Rust (later El Cerrito ) and Berkeley. The shop was located about where Pastime Hardware is today. Circa 1918. Submitted by Amy Stenberg.
Terri Crinnion and her fellow Bluebirds who were promoted to Camp Fire Girls on the steps of El Monte Elementary School after the ceremony. 1969. Submitted by Terri Crinnion.
A photo taken on "Western Day," one of the many special events the El Cerrito Parks and Recreation Department used to put on for kids. “We went to Canyon Trail Park each summer, spent all day there playing sports, doing crafts and participating in various special fun days. 1969. Submitted by Terri Crinnion.
Forrest French and son Casey laughing in front of 6258 Cypress, El Cerrito. August 1969. Submitted by Tiffany French.
Casey French leaning on railing at the family home, 2110 Harper St. in the mid-1960s. Submitted by Tiffany French.
Dennis French pitching to younger brother Casey in the backyard at 2110 Harper St. in June 1961. Submitted by Tiffany French.
Casey French and friends hanging out at the French home at 2110 Harper St. circa 1963. Submitted by Tiffany French.
The 1970 El Cerrito Youth Baseball Broncos All Star Team. Casey French played third base. Submitted by Tiffany French.
The Breneman family house and clinic at 525 San Pablo Ave, circa 1915-20. Submitted by Virginia Burns.
A formal portrait of Joseph T. Breneman, the first doctor in El Cerrito, taken around 1900. Submitted by Virginia Burns.
Doctor Joseph Breneman's grandchildren, Joe, June and Winifred Staley, wearing masks during flu epidemic of 1918. Submitted by Virginia Burns.
Sisters Themy, Wendy and Miki Adachi in the greenhouse at the Adachi Nursery, around 1963. As children, they often played at the nursery while their parents worked. You can see some of plants, like azaleas and chrysanthemums, that were grown by the Adachi family and sold in the retail Adachi Nursery. Submitted by Wendy Adachi.
The Adachi Florist shop and nursery was built in 1935 at 11939 San Pablo Ave. (shown left in the photo). The basement was used for grading and bunching grown in the greenhouses on the property. As the business grew, they built a larger second Adachi Florist and Nursery adjacent to the original store on the right. The first store was eventually leveled, but this is a rare photo circa 1956 that depicts both stores standing at the same time. The second Adachi Florist and Nursery stood from 1956-1967. Submitted by Wendy Adachi.
Elsie (Adachi) Kano, the leading floral designer for Adachi Florist and Nursery, holds a floral arrangement that she designed in 1967. She was formally trained in ikebana, the Japanese art of flower arrangement, and worked many years designing floral arrangements and finally retired at the age of 100. Submitted by Wendy Adachi.
Aerial photo of Adachi family greenhouses, nursery and floral shop at 11939 San Pablo Ave, circa 1958. The store featured a florist, gift shop and garden center. The nine greenhouses grew roses, carnations, chrysanthemums, Easter lilies, azaleas and poinsettias. The family home, where two generations lived, is shown at the edge of the property. The "boiler house" with the tall exhaust stack generated the heat for the buildings. Submitted by Wendy Adachi.
1970s BART billboard promoting El Cerrito’s recycling center. Submitted by El Cerrito Police Department.
Access road to Mira Vista Country Club, date unknown. Submitted by El Cerrito Police Department.
Police and ambulance crew respond to an emergency on westbound U.S. Highway 40 (now Interstate 80), circa 1950s. Submitted by El Cerrito Police Department.
The intersection of Liberty Street and Manilla Avenue in the 1950s. Submitted by El Cerrito Police Department.
An ECPD officer makes a traffic stop in the 1300 block of Richmond Street in the 1950s. Submitted by El Cerrito Police Department.
One of ECPD’s 1957 Chevrolet patrol cars. Submitted by El Cerrito Police Department.
Fleet of ECPD’s 1957 Chevrolet Series 150 patrol cars. Submitted by El Cerrito Police Department.
El Cerrito Public Safety Building, circa 1960. Submitted by El Cerrito Police Department.