This set features Lake Merritt. From the downtown drivers on the Lincoln Highway passed by Lake Merritt and then left Oakland on Foothill Blvd. in the direction of Hayward.
A few of these were taken over in the Grand Lake district which is by the lake but not that close to the Lincoln route (unless one detours the other way around the lake from the downtown to get to the continuation of the Lincoln route).
Over on that side of the lake is the throwback Children’s Fairyland, a 1950 amusement park right on Lake Merritt (and one we visited many times as a family when I was growing up in the East Bay). It is said to be the first “themed” amusement park in the US and the first such park created with young children in mind.
Two more theaters: the Grand Lake (1926) and the now closed Parkway (1925).
The mid-century building in this set is the Kaiser Tower (1960) and the one interior shot shows the lobby in its sister building next door – the Mies chairs are a nice touch. The Kaiser building was once the world headquarters of Henry J. Kaiser‘s business empire and also his personal residence.
