Tri-City History in Photographs

A monthly column in the Tri-City Voice

Let’s explore local history through themes and photographs. Have a topic or idea you’d like us to explore? Email us at info@museumoflocalhistory.org.

No. 1: February 1, 2022: Hats

Hat (noun): A shaped covering for the head, usually with a crown and brim, especially for wear outdoors.

Drawbridge, 1917: Eight young men in suits and ties (four in hats) on the front deck of the Lomita Gun Club.

Mission San Jose, Oct 18, 1902: Sunderer Family (five in hats) on a picnic in Mission Peak Hills.

Niles, December 1907: Man in hat outside foundry in Niles.

Warm Springs, 1925: Eight hay crewmen in hats on lunch break. Manuel Ramos at far right. In background are wire bales and hay baler.

No. 2: March 1, 2022: Depots

Niles, 1876: George Fisher Family at Niles (now part of City of Fremont) Station. For many years the Fisher Family ran the Depot Restaurant and combo bar/hotel.

Centerville, July 04, 1911: View of July 4th Parade, facing east, with view at right of Southern Pacific Railroad Depot at Centerville, now part of City of Fremont.

Decoto, year unknown: The Southern Pacific Railroad Depot at Decoto was located between Depot Road (east), H Street (north), Railroad Avenue (west) and Decoto Road (south) in the town of Decoto, now part of Union City.

Alvarado, 1972: View of Southern Pacific Railroad Depot at Alvarado (now part of Union City) in disrepair.

No. 3: March 29, 2022: Bicycles

Centerville, 1902: First motor bike club in front of Bell’s Bicycle Shop.

Newark, year unknown: “Candy” Annie Fowler stands next to bicycle, with men and boys gathered around.

Irvington, year unknown: Ladies on bicycles at Curtner Seminary for Young Ladies.

Ardenwood (Centerville/Newark), 1880s: Clara Patterson with her lady’s safety bicycle

No. 4: April 26, 2022: Schools

Alvarado / Alviso, March 1907: The original Alviso School during a flood. These buildings were replaced by a new school in 1910, and then a third in 1940.

Irvington, 1899: Curtner Ladies’ Seminary (this structure) opened in 1896 at the corner of Washington Boulevard (then known as Mission Road) and Driscoll Road. This was the second school on that site. The main Curtner building burned down July 4, 1899, and in 1900 reopened as Anderson’s Academy, a military school for boys that had relocated from nearby Alameda.

Decoto, year unknown: The first Decoto school opened in 1869 on the May Ranch bordering Dry Creek. The second grammar school (this structure) was built in 1883 on H Street. The third school was built in 1929 on the same spot. That school was improved over the years, eventually becoming an adult school within the New Haven Unified School District.

Newark, year unknown: Lincoln Public School, built in 1865, was Newark’s first school. It was a typical one-room school catering to grades K-8. The building remained open until 1945, but is now gone. Its legacy lives on in today’s Lincoln Elementary.