Publisher Description

Cherry festivals, Holy Ghost festas, oyster pirates, tractors, squatters, Portuguese--the many threads of San Leandro's past have woven a rich historical tapestry underlying the modern city of San Leandro. These 15 square miles between San Francisco Bay and the East Bay hills have been an Ohlone village, a Spanish rancho, a small farm town, the Portuguese capital of the West, an industrial center, and a major metropolitan suburb as a succession of new people has transformed the area.

Review Text

Title: New Book Looks at City's History Author: Amy Sylvestri Publisher: San Leandro Times Date: 11/19/2008 Before his writing career took off, Jack London made a few extra bucks in a less noble profession -- he was an oyster "pirate," sneaking onto the San Leandro shore at night and stealing shellfish to sell at local markets. That is just one of the surprising bits of information that local historian Cindy Simmons uncovered while she researched her new book on the city's history, Images of America: San Leandro. Simmons worked for over 30 years as a librarian with a particular interest in San Leandro's past. She worked to cultivate the San Leandro room at the Main Library as well as several of the displays at Casa Peralta and she also contributed to the downtown history walk, so she was a natural candidate for writing about the city. Similar books about Hayward, Oakland, and San Lorenzo have already hit the shelves. "I didn't have much time, but the experience was fascinating," said Simmons, who had just six months to pull the book together. "Everything seemed to link to something else and the whole process was really interesting." When she retired, she was asked by Arcadia Publishing to collect photos and anecdotes and create a timeline for San Leandro that runs from the Ohlone Indians, to the building of missions, to the arrival of Portuguese immigrants, to the transformation from an agricultural town to the suburbs, and all the way through the millennium. Much of Simmons' book consists of rare photos and drawings. She said that the centennial exhibit the city created in the 1970s was a big help, as were the photos donated by individuals of their ancestors. While researching the books, Simmons visited the local IDES hall and learned about the annual Holy Ghost Festa that has been celebrated by San Leandro's Portuguese community since the late 1800s. She also looked into the Cherry Festival, which began in 1909. She learned that Dutton Avenue was called "Chicken Lane" because of all the chicken ranches, and that Harry Morse, the lawman who captured "Black Bart" used to work out of the county courthouse when it was in San Leandro. "When you do something like this book, you learn that everything is connected and that's gratifying," said Simmons. "One thing leads to another and you get the big picture." Simmons will speak about the book, followed by a book signing, at the San Leandro Main Library on Sunday, Nov. 23, at 2 p.m. The book is available at area bookstores or online at A portion of the proceeds from the books will be donated to the San Leandro Museum.

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