Miller's Garden was a mid-19th century amusement park and grounds in Oakland.
From Ye Olden Oakland Days - 12/25/1921:
Now for Miller's Garden, which was on the west side of Broadway, between Thirteenth and Fourteenth streets. This occupied the entire block and had a high board fence eight to ten feet high around it. Inside there were some fifteen or twenty large oak trees, and they sure were large ones, too. Then there was the dancing platforms. tables and benches and other conveniences suitable for out-of-door entertainment. This was also a very popular place for picnics, and on Sundays there were acrobatic performances by the Siegrist family, such as tight-rope walking by Rosa, while August would ride a bicycle on the tight-rope with his sister Emma doing a stunt on the trapeze hanging under his wheel. ["Wheel" was a term for bicycle, in those days. - MF] At that time, August was the only one around the bay who did the stunt of riding a wheel on the tight-rope. Then Father Siegrist had some trained dogs and they sure would do some fine acts
On the southwest corner of the block was the saloon in a story and a half building, with its usual water trough in front and the rest of the trimmings that go with a garden. The admission on Sunday was 25 cents. 1
In an article about the history of parks of Oakland:
Miller's Garden, at about the same time, [1860's - MF] was on the west side of Broadway between 13th and 14th Streets, covering an entire block.
Eventually Miller moved his gardens to Temescal at Telegraph and 51st. In this new location the Gardens covered 22 acres, with Temescal Creek splitting the property. 2
A listing of early parks:
Old Oakland Parks 3
Early-day parks in the Oakland area were Zimmerman's Gardens, Miller's Garden, Badger Park, Blair Park, Piedmont Springs Park, San Lorenzo Grove and California Park,
Who was Miller? What else do we know about his Temescal property, and what caused him to vacate it?
Links and References
- Ye Olden Oakland Days Oakland Tribune 25 Dec 1921, Sun, Page 11
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It Was Wonderful While it Lasted Oakland Tribune 03 May 1952, Sat, Page 4
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Old Oakland Parks Oakland Tribune 23 May 1955, Mon, Page 35