CC SA-BY Our Oakland

Ever noticed that shiny Brass EBMUD Fire Hydrant outside EBMUD headquarters and wondered what the story is?

According to Oakland Magazine, it's a design unique to the East Bay, known as the Model 64. It "was created by industrial designers Neil Sampson and Don Baldocchi in 1971, back when the East Bay Municipal Utility District headquarters was at West Grand Avenue and Adeline Street. John Plumb, the former secretary of the district, ordered a brass model to set in front of the headquarters, and the hydrant made the trip to downtown when the offices moved." 1

Links and References

  1. In The Mix Oakland Magazine July-August 2009 (via archive.org)