El Camino Rancho San Antonio Marker 2
California Historical Landmark 299
According to the CA state parks website:
NO. 299 CAMINO OF RANCHO SAN ANTONIO - The Camino of Rancho San Antonio ran from Mission San Jose to Fruitvale, and later to San Pablo by way of Oakland and El Cerrito. The word camino means trail, road, highway, or line of communication that is in general public or private use.
Location: SW corner of Oakland and Santa Clara Aves, Oakland 3
According to Historic Spots in California, 3rd Edition:
A section of the old camino of Rancho San Antonio (SRL, 299) that led from Temescal south to San Leandro, San Lorenzo, and MIssion San Jose was long distinguishable in the area of Moss and Santa Clara avenues. When, about 1870, Edward P. Flint from Boston purchased a large tract of land here, the ruts made by the old wheels were plainly discernible along the rear of what is now 60 Santa Clara Avenue. From Harrison Street to Grand Avenue, Santa Clara Avenue follows approximately the route of the old Mexican road. In strange contrast, the MacArthur Freeway passes a stone's throw from the site of the ancient road. 1
There is an El Camino Rancho San Antonio Marker which is located in the northeast corner of Mosswood Park, at the intersection of Broadway and West MacArthur Boulevard. The marker was originally erected at the southwest corner of Oakland and Santa Clara Avenues in 1939 by the Daughters of the American Revolution, Oakland Chapter. 4 It is not yet known when the plaque was moved, but the original site of the marker was first eliminated through the construction of a portion of MacArthur Boulevard, and is now underneath the MacArthur Freeway. Some sites still refer to the original location. 3,5
The inscription reads as follows:
El Camino
Rancho San Antonio
About 1820, along this route
ran the earliest known road
from Mission San Jose over
Rancho San Antonio to the
Ranchos North.
Erected by Oakland Chapter,
Daughters of the American Revolution.
1939.
The precise location of the Camino is not yet known, although a map of the Rancho showing an approximate location of the Camino was prepared by the National Park Service, State Park Division, in 1936. 6,7
An Historical Map of the East Bay Area 6,7
Links and References
- Historic Spots in California, 3rd Edition (p.11)
- El Camino Rancho San Antonio The Historical Marker Database
- Alameda - California State Parks ohp.parks.ca.gov
- Plague [sic] Slated on Site of Old Spanish Road Oakland Post Enquirer February 9, 1939
- Camino of Rancho San Antonio Wikipedia
- Berkeley Library catalog listing
- Uploaded map image
