75.77.211R

. Key Route Fuel and Feed was across the street. Its stocks of coal and wood, sacked feed, and other commodities were delivered in railroad cars on a spur track behind the Key Route train station. This attractive rustic station opened in 1904, when Borax Smith started his electric train system. Trains from here headed westward through a cut between Howe Street and Broadway, ran all the way down 40th Street and out on a long trestle over the bay to meet ferryboats. The station was located directly opposite and facing Glen Avenue. When trains started running on the Bay Bridge in 1939, a new station was built at the corner of 41st (the J Hamburger place is part of the one time station). The present parking lot was an area of tracks, some for freight cars, and others for passenger trains that reached San Francisco. In recent grading to enlarge and improve the parking lot, train tracks were uncovered that had been paved over in 1958, when the last train rolled gently down Piedmont Avenue and turned toward the Bay Bridge. In this block of Piedmont across from the station was Curly Freeman's famous pool hall at 4060. It had been the site of the area's first nickelodeon movie house, according to late long-time resident John Keller. This tiny cinema soon folded, replaced by a larger, finer picture palace about a block down the street at 3974. Operated by Katherine Heber, the building had a sort of false front, with blank upstairs windows to make it look like a residence. Nels Carlson said the theater featured mostly westerns made at Niles, with Bronco Billy racing around to a lively piano accompanimentWhen the nickelodeon was opposite the train station, that busy block was the business center with lots of foot traffic. People were getting on and off the street cars that connected downtown with upper Piedmont. Other cars of Oakland Traction (another Borax Smith enterprise) came into Piedmont Station from Rockridge, traveling down to Broadway to 40th, through the cut to 41st and Piedmont. The locals referred to this as the "Country Club Car Line." The term Piedmont Junction was often used for Piedmont aWhen the nickelodeon was opposite the train station, that busy block was the business center with lots of foot traffic. People were getting on and off the street cars that connected downtown with upper Piedmont. Other cars of Oakland Traction (another Borax Smith enterprise) came into Piedmont Station from Rockridge, traveling down to Broadway to 40th, through the cut to 41st and Piedmont. The locals referred to this as the "Country Club Car Line." The term Piedmont Junction was often used for Piedmont and 41st. The station, the hotel, the pool hall and cigar store, barber and shoeshine stand - they were all here in that block across from the trains. Up at 4125 Piedmont in 1924 was Skagg's Cash Store, listed in the 1928 directory as "Skagg's Safeway." Piggly Wiggly was one of the earliest grocery chains, established by Andrew Williams about 1921. Branch store #5 was at 3966 Piedmont. McMarr Stores, another early chain, had branches at 4080 and4214 Piedmont. Hagstrom's, an East Bay chain, had popular store at 4021. That number appears nowadays on the central entrance of the Julia Morgan building at 40th and Piedmont, designed for Elsie Turner with Morgan's "trademark Della Robbia wreaths" set in the brick walls. There is an interesting upstairs space, originally the Chauffeurs' Union Hall (note the emblem in the transom over the door).Most chauffers in early Piedmont belonged to this union.. Across the Avenue here is the Piedmont Grocery, established in the 1890s by Herman F. Sack and operated many years by his son Herb. Next door was Piedmont Meat Market, operated by the Guerra family. The two businesses were consolidated in 1964. -

Used: H.G. Burlingame ~ Special Agent