Landslides. Trusts. Museums. Tragedy.
For over a century, countless neighbors and organizations have cared for Jungle Hill, officially and unofficially.
1925: The Jungle Hill landslide
More information on the landslide can be found on the Oakland Geology website, where Andrew Alden covers all things “Deep Oakland”.
During heavy rains in January 1911 the hillside north of Ransom Street, overlooking that dogleg at the north end of Santa Rita Street, gave way. Three years later, early in the morning of 20 January 1914, in the midst of a series of storms that ravaged the whole west coast, the hillside farther downhill started moving. The Joneses across the street nearly died when their gas line broke. More sliding happened a few days later.
After the landslides, Jungle Hill was deemed unsafe for building due to the soil composition, making the lots effectively worthless. As a result, landowners abandoned their loans, sending the lots into foreclosure and bank ownership.
1961: A Blighted Lot
This 1961 article from the Oakland Tribune is the documented start of a blight-renewal cycle of Jungle Hill. Two items of note- we find out the origin of the Jungle Hill moniker and, in what would become a familiar refrain from the city, the neighborhood was blamed for the blight, respectively:
It was named “Jungle Hill” by children in the neighborhood, for this is the kind of place that speaks of mystery and adventure to a child.
Our investigation indicate, that in many cases, the rubbish and debris is there because the people in the neighborhood have made it their private garbage dump. These people aren’t just hurting themselves, they are contributing to blighted conditions which are spreading throughout the city. - Wayne Thompson, City Manager
1970s: A Time of Renewal
In the late 1970s, neighbor Marques Miller founded the Santa Rita Land Trust to gain possession of the land, clean up the blight, and turn Jungle Hill into a park for neighbors and native critters. The Land Trust convinced the various banks to donate the lots they held to the trust. Considering the lots were unbuildable and long foreclosed on, this was likely a deal that benefitted the banks and the community.
The Santa Rita Land Trust worked with the Army Corps of Engineers to soften the slope and clear the park of debris. (pictured on the left from the Jun 20, 1977 edition of the Oakland Tribune). They secured donations from local businesses and lobbied the local and state governments for support. They planted over 200 trees! (pictured right from the May 05, 1978 edition of the Oakland Tribune).
In just ten months, this group of neighbors transformed a space known for mudslides and trash into a park with a playground and trails. The undertaking was a massive success. The Governor of California showed up on Arbor Day in 1978 to plant a tree. The project became a blueprint for success for community involvement in land trusts.
