Oakland Underfoot

4935 Clarke Street

Fred Ferrero was born in 1883 in Castellamonte, Italy, emigrated in 1899, and launched his business in 1920 as Fred Ferrero & Son, with his eldest son Romeo. By the time this mark was laid down, the other son Aldo must have joined the firm. Aldo, I presume, is the A. J. Ferrero of Alameda whose marks are collected here from the 1950s to the 1970s. More biographical facts about Fred are on page 527 of The History of Alameda County, California, volume II. Also treated in that book are Carl and Andrew the Sorensen Brothers (p. 121), Ed Doty (p. 350), L. J. Scaramelli (p. 384), Olaf Riechel and H. G. Bredhoff (p. 404), and Nat Lena (p. 418).

Another history book, Past and Present of Alameda County vol. II, features Anson Blake (p. 487) and Frank Bilger (p. 440) of Blake & Bilger.

454 W. MacArthur Boulevard

I will have to find another of these to learn the full name and particulars of Hillhouse.

UPDATE: It’s Hillhouse & Reardon.

1844 E. 12 Street

I’ve been looking at and photographing sidewalk stamps for a full year, and I think this one tickles me the most.

5756 Ivanhoe Road

Ivanhoe is a street done up the same way as the adjoining block of Ross Road, in harmonious textured concrete, but only on one side. Anyway, it has a much better example of the earliest Fitzmaurice mark than the other one I found on 35th Street.

6408 Telegraph Avenue

This is right next to the bus stop. Orth is a long-running name, either H. C. Orth or a relative, in northern Oakland sidewalks.

6407 Regent Street

I have to assume that this business was Mosagna and Son, presumably younger than Mosagna (but maybe not!).