Oakland Underfoot

829 E. 19th Street

This is the first mark I’ve found from a San Pablo sidewalk contractor. Here’s a shout-out to you sidewalk stamp fans up there—your guys got around.

2211 9th Avenue

This is in a driveway along the great palm allee of the former Francis “Borax” Smith estate. It reads “Azorean Construction Co. / 236 Moss Ave. / Oakland Cal”

Azorean would be a typical business name for East Bay immigrants from the Azores Islands, part of Portugal. Names like Vieira and Casqueiro come to mind.

552 Montclair Street

This mark graces a mansion at the top of Montclair, with mature palms and a hayloft in the back. There are badly worn examples in the sidewalk, but the entryway has this mark on top of a post. It’s a different configuration from other Wicker marks I’ve seen.

1502 3rd Avenue

This shows more detail than the first Maguire mark: periods in the name, and what look like six-pointed stars.

1568 36th Avenue

This is definitely not J. C. Vieira or F. C. Vieira.

1454 36th Avenue

I can’t make this one out, although I keep thinking it looks familiar. But I’ve checked all the oval marks in the graphic key to no avail.

[Since then it has become apparent that the numbers on the bottom aren’t a date.]

2638 Peralta Street

I think I’ve seen this guy’s name before, but I don’t have a record of it. Whatever.