Last week, before the rains came I took a short walk at Lake Merritt in Oakland. The Lake was originally part of the San Francisco Bay many eons ago. Dr. Samuel Merritt, a mayor of Oakland who owned property at the shore's edge, was keen to get the body of water cleaned up so that it could become a source of civic pride. In 1868, he proposed and funded a dam between the estuary and the bay by which the flow of water could be controlled, allowing the water level inland to rise higher and become less saline, turning the tidal lagoon into a lake. Sewage was to be redirected elsewhere by two new city projects, though these weren't completed until 1875. The resulting body of water was called variously "Lake Peralta", "Merritt's Lake" and later Lake Merritt. Lake Merritt underwent a some restoration in the early 2000's and in February 2013 Mayor Jean Quan and other officials inaugurated a 750-foot (230 m)-long channel, including a paved trail, a pedestrian bridge, and restored tidal marsh, a major step towards reconnecting Lake Merritt with San Francisco Bay:
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| The new bridge and the new gateway to the bay |
Lake Merritt is a true treasure in Downtown Oakland and I hope it continues to be for generations to come.
Must have been a lovely walk! The wildflowers and birds are beautiful.
ReplyDeleteI wish I was there!! We have 3 feet of snow! #anythinggoes
ReplyDeleteWhat lovely photos and a fantastic walk :-)
ReplyDeleteHappy New Year :-)
Lovely scenery and landscape photos. It would be nice to be close by water to enjoy a walk. Where I live you have to drive for at least an couple hours or more to find water and beaches. Thanks for sharing your adventures with Pictorial Tuesday
ReplyDeletePeabea@Peabea Scribbles
Beautiful images and always and fascinating to here how the lake was made Patrick
ReplyDeleteThis looks lovely. It is just a quick BART ride away from my daughter.
ReplyDeleteHey, I was in Oakland too!!! hahahaha Only thing is I was only 14 yrs. old & my brother was stationed there. We went to see him off. He was on a ship called the U.S.S. Aludra. Wow, that was many moons ago my friend... MANY MANY MOONS! hahahahaha Great pics, thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeletePatrick,
ReplyDeleteHow cool, a lake in downtown Oakland! Thanks for sharing the photos and history surrounding the lake. I hope it remains in good condition for generations to come, too. It's nice to have lovely spots like this to visit alone or with your family. Happy WW, my friend!
What a beautiful lake! That would definitely make for a great walk.
ReplyDeleteThe history of it was super interesting. I'd love to go walking around that lake.
ReplyDeleteI love seeing little pockets of nature in the midst of a busy city!
ReplyDeleteLove the scenery and landscape for this walk!!!
ReplyDeleteLove nature walks like this!
ReplyDeleteLovely post with great scenes and shots
ReplyDeleteLake Merritt is such a gem in Oakland. I admit I don't get to spend a lot of time exploring it being on the other side of the bay most days.
ReplyDeleteGreat post! Looks like a wonderful place to walk
ReplyDeleteVery nice! Is that last building city hall? It looks grand.
ReplyDeleteWow - gorgeous photos! Lake Merritt and surrounds look like a beautiful part of the world! #TeamLovinLife
ReplyDeleteJust lovely! I have been to San Francisco and crossed the bay to Oakland. #TeamLovinLife
ReplyDeleteWe don't have enough lakes in Australia - I think water bodies like this are just so special.
ReplyDeleteWhat a great walk - I have only made it to San Francisco for a day but I'd like to revisit the area at some point.
ReplyDeleteHow nice to have a walk along with great scenery! Thanks for taking us along.
ReplyDeleteLovely! I love the bridge!
ReplyDeleteThis is a beautiful lake! I've been to San Francisco many times but I've missed seeing this. Something to add to my travel list!
ReplyDeleteThat's so interesting! I've been to San Fran a couple of times but never saw it from this angle. Cool! #teamlovinlife
ReplyDeleteA fabulous account and pics of your walk Patrick. Thanks for sharing :) #TeamLovinLife
ReplyDeleteNice photos and article. Thanks for sharing at Party in Your Pjs!
ReplyDeleteI love finding mid-city treasures like this park....they are such a needed bit of nature and serenity for city dwellers (or visitors). Obviously from your pictures, Oakland has done a great job of restoring and maintaining this jewel.
ReplyDeletei just put the Lake Chalet back on my list of things to do because i haven't been to that restaurant in a while.
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