#TodayInOaklandHistory August 19, 1924, Frank Epperson was granted a patent for the Popsicle.

He originally called them Epsicles, but his kids wisely told him to call them Popsicles instead.

https://oaklandwiki.org/Frank_Epperson

#Oakland #History #OaklandWiki

There have been some interesting ways to cross the Bay (the helicopter service in the 1960s and the short-lived hovercraft service come to mind), but hopping into a 1910s open cockpit plane that takes off and lands on the water would certainly be...invigorating.

There were at least 3 different services of the ""the world's shortest air line" over the years, though the Airy Ferry service never really took off😏

The plane used for the c.1929 service also took off and landed on the water, but the larger cabin was enclosed, and airplane technology had improved a lot.

But accidents still happen...at least one of them resulted in serious injuries.

https://oaklandwiki.org/Air_Ferry

#OaklandHistory #OaklandWiki

The recent toot by @DavidGallagher reminded me of Andrew Alden's https://oaklandunderfoot.com site, which reminded me of my entry into local history -- #Oakland signs

Many of them are gone now, including the one that first really sparked my interest, New Lucky's
http://blog.ouroakland.net/2011/05/signs-new-luckys.html

That interest grew into an obsession, so now there's the #OaklandWiki as a repository for my dives into #OaklandHistory as well as those by others
https://oaklandwiki.org/New_Lucky%27s

And I can't forget to mention the ghost signs project by @ihazrabies with signs in SF and Oakland

@morgan @transbay @RideACT And you go past the pedestrian tunnel under highway 13! #OaklandWiki https://oaklandwiki.org/Tunnel_under_Highway_13

@DavidGallagher @davidrumseymaps There's a similar one for Oakland from 1896--it has been super helpful for IDing early buildings and businesses.

I just wish it had been successful enough that they had done more than 1 year

https://oaklandwiki.org/The_Illustrated_Directory_of_Oakland%2C_California

#OaklandWiki

For #FensterFreitag, one of the stained glass windows at First Presbyterian Church of #Oakland

#OaklandWiki #OaklandHistory
https://oaklandwiki.org/First_Presbyterian_Church_of_Oakland

The church itself was one of the first in Oakland, dating back to 1853. The current building at Broadway and 27th was completed in 1914.

@InfrastructureWeak We used to have that, the Merritt Queen
https://oaklandwiki.org/Merritt_Queen

Even further back, a boat between Fairyland and Peralta Playland, the Viking Launch. I haven't found much about that one, though

#OaklandHistory #OaklandWiki

#TodayInOaklandHistory April 9, 1882, Rev. Laurentine Hamilton died while preaching on Easter.

Hamilton had been pastor at First Presbyterian Church of Oakland, but was charged with heresy(!) and forced to leave. He founded a new church, which eventually became the First Unitarian Church of Oakland.

Besides his untimely exit, Hamilton is best remembered as the namesake of Mount Hamilton near San Jose.

https://oaklandwiki.org/Laurentine_Hamilton

#OaklandHistory #OaklandWiki

#TodayInOaklandHistory March 10, 1841, Ina Coolbrith was born. She was the first librarian of the #Oakland Free Library, and the first poet laureate of California.

Her family came to California, led over the Sierra Nevada by Black mountain man Jim Beckwourth

She and her mother used her mother's maiden name Coolbrith to distance themselves from their relative, Mormon founder Joseph Smith

https://oaklandwiki.org/Ina_Coolbrith

#OaklandWiki #OaklandHistory

@seaslugofdoom The building was constructed in 2 parts, the shorter part on the corner, then the tower part later (like happened with the Tribune Building and Tower). It was built for a bank, so there's a big vault in the lower level.

More info on the #OaklandWiki if you're interested
https://oaklandwiki.org/Oakland_Bank_of_Savings_Building

But I need to add a photo of the duck 🦆

@migurski a bit more about the map https://oaklandwiki.org/Soderberg_map
#OaklandHistory #OaklandWiki

This wasn't some obscure fact buried in a records room. Several of the references on the Wikipedia article listed Oakland as his birthplace.

It took a little longer (10 minutes) to find that Wikipedia article had his birthdate wrong, too. Buek died the day before his 28th birthday.

Which is just a reminder not to trust any single source when researching history (not even the #OaklandWiki 😋 ), even one as vaunted as Wikipedia.

fin 🧵3/3

@srlawton The PPIE trains, the "Overfair Railway," were made by Louis MacDermot in #Oakland https://oaklandwiki.org/MacDermot_Mansion

#OaklandWiki

#TodayInOaklandHistory December 3, 1869, photographer Anne Brigman was born. She was part of the Photo-Secession movement, which helped redefine photography as an art rather than merely documentation.

Her studio was a converted barn on Brockhurst Street in the Hoover-Foster neighborhood.

https://oaklandwiki.org/Anne_Brigman

#OaklandWiki #OaklandHistory #Oakland

@MikeDunnAuthor Today in #OaklandHistory Read more about the General Strike on the #OaklandWiki https://oaklandwiki.org/1946_Oakland_General_Strike