Oakland Underfoot

2305 Ward Street, Berkeley

I have a dated stamp from this firm, but here they left their mark in both lanes of the driveway too; more visible in the full 1000-pixel image.

5465 Lawton Avenue

Unlike the other examples of marks by A. (Albert) Nelson, which are hand-drawn, this one was made with a stamp. Interestingly, the periods after “A” and “Nelson” are triangles.

Also unlike the other examples, this one has no date. There are no cement workers named “A. Nelson” listed in the city directories of 1927 to 1937, so he may have lived elsewhere.

My thanks to Ken for spotting this. I surveyed this area early during my great quest, and my eye was less sharp than now. The area is so rich in stamps that I ought to survey it again.

1601 12th Avenue

I’ve recorded two different versions of Feeley’s mark from 1925 (here and here), and this example appears to be made with individual letters.

3798 Harrison Street

Ambo Concrete was an outfit run by Sam Sposeto, who may have been related to Angelo Sposeto. I have Ambo marks from two dates, 1976 and 1979. This mark could be any age. I assume W. S. Wayne worked for Ambo.

Lee Avenue at Perkins Street

This pristine mark, one of two at this locality, is officially the best J. A. Marshall impression in all of Oakland.

Mr. Marshall may be the contractor whose relative, architect Leola Hall, accompanied him and learned the foundations of her trade. However, he may instead be John A. Marshall, listed as a “cementwkr” in the Berkeley directory in 1905.