History of Alameda County, California. (2 volumes)
first edition
1928 · Chicago
by Merritt, Frank Clinton
Chicago: The S. J. Clark Publishing Company, 1928 2 volumes. First edition. Somewhat scarce. Small quarto. Pp. xx, [21]-694 + 582. Profusely illustrated with photographic views and numerous portraits. Index to each volume. Dark green cloth, gilt-lettered spine, marbled endpapers and edges. Rear outer cover of volume II rubbed and with light surface scratches, one lower corner just showing, else a fine and tight set. A good history of the growth of the county combining mug shots and views of city streets and buildings. Volume I begins with a general history of California and early exploration, early land grants, pioneer days of various towns (Oakland, Berkeley, Alameda), early history of the county, a business directory of Oakland, the City Charter of 1888, Oakland in the nineties, the business section in 1896, Oakland (1905-1915), police and fire departments, county elections since 1914, the University of California, Alameda County in the WWI, period of growth (1925), Piedmont, the new city charter, airplane races, industrial growth, elections of the late 1920's, and much more. The first volume is crammed with over 125 current and historical views of the county. Volume II consists of over 400 biographies (some with mug shots) of leading citizens (includes an index). [Rocq: 6].. (Inventory #: 7892)