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Description

Including The Residence of A.K.P. Harmon (Harmon Conservatory and Harmon Gym at UC Berkeley)

Finely printed color promotional tract and tract map on verso, promoting a development on the northwest side of Lake Merritt, bounded Grand Avenue, Broadway, Lake Merritt and Thomas L. Berkey Way.  

Promotional brochure for a residential development called Boulevard Terrace, just off Lake Merritt, in Oakland, California. It advertises (with colored illustrations on the panels when folded) that the residence of Mr. Jas. Moffitt is to the west of the development and the residence of Mr. A.K.P. Harmon is to the south. The map itself shows those residences, including Mr. Harmon's greenhouses and stables.Currently the Cathedral of Christ the Light is located on what use to be Mr. Harmon's property. The only streets named on the map that are still existing is Grand Ave., Broadway, Webster St., Valdez St. and Waverly St. 

The Boulevard Terrace promotional tract, dated circa 1896, advertises a newly developed residential area located at the northwest corner of Lake Merritt in Oakland, California, including the large residential tracts owned by pioneer Oakland residents James Moffitt (Oakland Fire Chief, 1883-1899, who had also operated a fruit orchard from the area) and Albion Keith Paris Harmon (location of Harmon Conservatory, shown as the main greenhouse on this map) (see below). The promotional material highlights the tract's desirability as a location for "first-class residences," emphasizing the efforts taken to improve and beautify the area. The surrounding streets have been laid with cement sidewalks, and utilities such as water, gas, and sewer lines had been installed, making the properties appealing for potential homeowners seeking modern amenities in an elegant setting. 

A key selling point of Boulevard Terrace was its proximity to Lake Merritt, with the development promising scenic, elevated views of the lake and the surrounding hills. The promotional copy also highlights a proposed boulevard encircling Lake Merritt, which would add both aesthetic appeal and recreational opportunities for residents.  

The tract also boasted accessibility to major transportation routes, with the Broadway and Piedmont cable cars only a block away, facilitating easy commutes to other parts of Oakland and San Francisco.  

The map and promotional materials emphasize the proximity of prominent homes and estates, including those of Mr. A.K.P. Harmon, Mr. James A. Moffitt, and Mr. H.F. Matthews, whose residences are illustrated in detail with accompanying orchards, stables, and greenhouses. 

A.K.P. Harmon 

Albion Keith Paris Harmon (1821–1896), known as A.K.P. Harmon, was a prominent financier, mining magnate, and philanthropist who played a significant role in the development of Oakland, California. Born in Maine, Harmon set out for California in 1849 during the Gold Rush, crossing the Isthmus of Panama by foot before reaching San Francisco. Initially drawn to the mines of Coloma, he struck gold on his first day and used his initial fortune to establish a general store in San Francisco. After losing the store to a fire, Harmon opened another in Sacramento, where he operated for four years before investing in the lucrative Comstock mines. These investments allowed him to amass considerable wealth, positioning him as a key figure in the business community.

By 1872, Harmon had made his fortune and decided to settle in Oakland, where he purchased a six-acre estate near Lake Merritt. His property, stretching from Webster Street to the lakeside along Grand Avenue, became renowned for its expansive gardens and the Harmon Conservatory. The conservatory, constructed on the estate at the corner of Grand Avenue and Harrison Street, was among the largest in California, covering 4,500 square feet of glass. The main building, designed in the shape of a cross, housed vineries in two wings and featured 40-foot dome ceilings in the other two, which showcased an array of mature plants. Additional greenhouses brought the total glass coverage to nearly 8,000 square feet, and in 1886, Harmon added a 5,000-square-foot glass rose house, the largest in the state at the time. 

Harmon's estate near Lake Merritt was not only a symbol of his wealth but also a landmark in Oakland's horticultural history. In 1901, after his passing, Edson F. Adams acquired the main structure from the Harmon family and had it moved to his property on the edge of Lake Merritt. The conservatory became a local treasure, and in 1903, the Adams family gifted it to the city of Oakland.

In addition to his real estate ventures, Harmon was known for his philanthropy. In 1879, he donated $15,000 to the University of California, Berkeley, for the construction of an octagonal wooden building that became the university's first indoor athletic facility, later known as Harmon Gym. A benefactor to the community, he also served as Vice President of the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children in 1888. 

Rarity

The promotional tract is very rare.

OCLC locates 1 example (California State Library).

Condition Description
Separation along creases.
Schmidt Label & Litho. Co. Biography

The Schmidt Lithography Company was based in San Francisco. Max Schmidt, a German immigrant, founded his first printing business in 1873, and he was one of the first printers to use lithography on the West Coast. His plant burned twice, in 1884 and 1886, but by the 1890s he ran a factory in San Francisco, as well as branches in Portland and Seattle.

During the 1906 earthquake and fire the company’s premises were destroyed again. Schmidt quickly acquired a nearby paper factory and production continued practically uninterrupted. Within two years of the fire, Schmidt had rebuilt on the site of his former factory at the corner of Second and Bryant Streets.

Schmidt’s company was best known for its printed labels, but they also produced other items like separately-issued prints. The company was once the largest printing company on the West Coast and today they are remembered for the clock tower that still stands at Second and Bryant Streets.