The Laurel District is a diverse residential and commercial neighborhood in
Oakland,
California
California is a state in the Western United States, located along the Pacific Coast. With nearly 39.2million residents across a total area of approximately , it is the most populous U.S. state and the 3rd largest by area. It is also the m ...
. encompassing the blocks northeast of
Interstate 580 between High Street and 35th Avenue. It lies at an elevation of 226 feet (69
m), and is bordered by the
Allendale neighborhood to the west, the
Redwood Heights neighborhood to the east, the
Dimond District
The Dimond District () is a neighborhood centered on the intersection of MacArthur Boulevard and Fruitvale Avenue in East Oakland, Oakland, California, East Oakland, California, in the United States. It is located about two miles east of Lake Merr ...
to the north, and the
Maxwell Park
Maxwell Park is a neighborhood in Oakland, California located in the foothills of the city. It is geographically bordered by MacArthur Boulevard, High Street, Trask Street, Foothill Boulevard, and 55th Avenue and is adjacent to Mills College, I- ...
neighborhood to the south. At the heart of the neighborhood lies MacArthur Blvd., a bustling shopping area with annual festivals and many local shops.
History
The Laurel district traces its name to the Laurel Grove Park residential tract, which was laid out in 1900 at the north end of the district's contemporary boundaries. Originally named Key Route Heights after the
Key Route streetcar system, the neighborhood adopted the Laurel name after the city of
Oakland built Laurel Elementary School in 1910.
The prominent Laurel Gateway Arches over MacArthur Blvd at either end of the district were designed and installed in 2006.
MacArthur Blvd., which runs through the Laurel district, was once
U.S. Highway 50
U.S. Route 50 or U.S. Highway 50 (US 50) is a major east–west route of the U.S. Highway system, stretching from Interstate 80 (I-80) in West Sacramento, California, to Maryland Route 528 (MD 528) in Ocean City, Maryland, on the Atlantic ...
, before Interstate 580 was built to replace it in the early 1960s. Two movie houses in Laurel were in operation from the 1920s until the 1960s. The Laurel Theater is now a church. The Hopkins Cinema at 3525 MacArthur now houses a Goodwill thrift store and an AutoZone auto parts store. Earlier (around the 1950s) it was a Hagstroms supermarket.
Education
The
Oakland Unified School District
Oakland Unified School District is a public education school district that operates a total of 80 elementary schools (TK–5), middle schools (6–8), and high schools (9–12). There are also 28 district-authorized charter schools in Oaklan ...
operates district public schools. Laurel Elementary School is located in Laurel. Residents are also zoned to Bret Harte Middle School and
Skyline High School.
At the southeast end of the Laurel neighborhood lies the John Swett School site, now home to The Urban Montessori Charter School. John Swett School, which closed in 2004, is notable as the elementary school alma mater of actor
Tom Hanks
Thomas Jeffrey Hanks (born July 9, 1956) is an American actor and filmmaker. Known for both his comedic and dramatic roles, he is one of the most popular and recognizable film stars worldwide, and is regarded as an American cultural icon. Ha ...
.
See also
*
Dimond District, Oakland
*
Maxwell Park, Oakland
*
Redwood Heights, Oakland
References
*
External links
Laurel District Association- Neighborhood Association for residents and merchants
Laurel Village Association- Volunteer Neighbors Association for Laurel Residents
{{Oakland, California neighborhoods
Neighborhoods in Oakland, California
Streetcar suburbs