Living in San Lorenzo

The Squatters Organize

In the early days of California statehood, people claimed land simply by living on it. But in San Lorenzo the land had already been claimed by Mexican landowners. Some of the newcomers thought they had a legal right to squat on this land. In 1853, a group of them formed the "Pre-emptioners League" of "settlers upon what are supposed to be the public lands belonging to the United States." The leader of these squatters was Jacob Harlan, who had been a scout with General Fremont. He wrote a book about his experiences called California '46-48. (Today's Harlan Street is named after Jacob Harlan.)

The legal owners of the land in San Lorenzo had to spend years in court before they could finally force these newcomers to either move or buy the land.

Delivering Mail to the Four Corners Area

San Lorenzo's first Post Office was dedicated April 4, 1854. It was located in the San Lorenzo House (hotel), and owner Albert E. Crane was also the postmaster. He had to select a name for the Post Office, as "Squattersville" didn't seem like a good permanent name. The town could have been called "Crane's" since it was in his hotel, but Albert Crane was more modest than William Hayward, and the name of the old Mexican rancho was selected: "San Lorenzo."

The mail was received in Shiman's store starting in 1859. Residents had to come to the Post Office to pick up their mail until 1904 when Joe Correa began to deliver mail to homes. He used a wagon pulled by a horse named "Babe." Joe replaced Babe with the area's first car in 1918. He continued to be San Lorenzo's letter carrier until he retired in 1934.

Village Post Office

The first free-standing San Lorenzo post office opened in 1893. The building had previously been a barber shop, and was located on Lewelling Boulevard and Usher Street. Postmaster Gertrude Mooney and her assistant Mary Videll were in charge when the first Bohannon homes opened. Suddenly 1,325 new families needed mail service and the two women worked from six in the morning 'til midnight, seven days a week, in cramped and drafty quarters. Streets have been named after both of these ladies in honor of their heroic efforts.

Earning a Living

Before the second World War, most of the people who lived in San Lorenzo were farmers or worked on farms. New immigrants to the area worked as field hands, including a large number of Chinese who came here after the completion of the railroad in 1869. Those who could save money hoped to own their own small farm. A few successful land owners were able to make a small fortune from their acres and acres of land.

The large number of farms and farm workers effected other businesses in the area. Farmers were only paid once a year when their crops were harvested. They had to charge their purchases at local stores all year, then the pay bills once they received payment for their crops.

Orchards

Do you have a fruit tree in your yard? You may have one of the few artifacts of San Lorenzo's orchard era. Centennial Yearbook of Alameda County (1876) said: "San Lorenzo is a place of about 250 inhabitants, and one of the most beautiful horticultural villages anywhere to be found. It is a mass of orchards and gardens, with fine roads and good drives."

Vegetable Farms

The San Lorenzo area was famous for rhubarb and tomatoes. The ease of shipping vegetables by refrigerated rail car created a national demand for California vegetables as early as 1912. The first rhubarb of the season to find its way to east coast stores often came from San Lorenzo farms. The Nicoletti family sold some of their crops at a stand immediately in front of their house on Washington Avenue.

Fruit Dryer

It seemed logical for fruit growers in San Lorenzo to want to process their crops so they could sell them for a higher profit. They had been drying their own fruit by laying it out in fields. But in the 1870s, they tried something new. According to Centennial Yearbook of Alameda County 1876: "A few years [ago] a number of the fruit-growers formed a joint stock company and established the first Alden process fruit-drying establishment on the coast. For some cause, or perhaps a combination of causes, and although Chinese cheap labor was employed, the enterprise has not proved a success. The factory is in San Lorenzo." The fruit drying factory failed, but the community gained in the long run. The building became the Village Hall which was the social center of town for many years to come.

Nurseries and Greenhouses

In the early days of San Lorenzo, there were many nurseries and greenhouses on Lewelling, Grant and Ashland Avenues. According to the Centennial Yearbook of Alameda County (1876): "One of the foremost nurseries in the state is that of Eli Lewelling, at San Lorenzo." The family was from Wales, and orignally spelled their name Llewellyn, but they soon "Americanized" it to Lewelling.

Japanese Nurseries

A wave of Japanese immigrants flowed to the East Bay in the early years of the twentieth century. The East Bay Flower Growers Association members were mainly Japanese. Families worked hard to establish greenhouses and raise flowers, along with specialty crops such as strawberries. Hot house roses and carnations were shipped via refrigerated cars to Los Angeles and New York. The first Japanese immigrants found work as:

• Cannery Foreman
  
• Tomato and Cucumber Farmer
  
• Berry Farmer
  
• Strawberry Farmer (8 families)
  
• Cucumber, Tomato, Pea, and
• Rhubarb Farmer
  
• Nursery Worker
  
• Nursery/Roses Worker

But the Japanese immigrants were not often welcomed by European immigrants. Laws were established that prevented Japanese people from becoming citizens or owning land. They had to rent land to farm. The last of the laws specifically limiting the rights of Asians was not repealed until 1965.

World War II brought sad years for Japanese residents of the United States. According to San Lorenzo historian Doris Marciel: "When the United States entered World War II after the bombing [by Japan] of Pearl Harbor, the Japanese were forced to leave their places and go into internment camps. Some of the farms went to ruin. After the war, many of the Japanese returned to re-establish farms and nurseries. After over 60 years of raising flowers in their nursery on Ashland Avenue, the Okada family sold its nursery. Because of the housing developments around the property, the agricultural zoning was changed requiring them to pay more taxes for the land. Also, flowers are shipped in from other areas at a lower cost."

Shipping

he most efficient way to get to San Francisco to sell crops was to take a boat from Robert's Landing. This landing at the mouth of the San Lorenzo Creek was originally established by Robert Thompson in 1850. William Roberts bought him out just a few months later. Besides shipping, the landing also served as a base for fishing boats and oyster hunters.

Manufacturing

In 1878 the only manufacturing jobs in San Lorenzo were at the blacksmith shop of Henry Smyth. According to the Historical Atlas of 1878: "Henry Smyth, who had been employed by Boyle and started the first forge-fire in San Lorenzo, succeeded to his business, which has grown into an establishment for repairing and manufacturing farm machinery, employing from fifteen to twenty men."

Cannery Work

California Packing Co. provided seasonal work at a facility in San Lorenzo in the early 1900s. It operated as Del Monte Plant Number 9. The large cannery opened with the asparagus season in early spring and ended in the fall with the tomato crop. Because many of the workers were women, the cannery operated a daycare center as early as 1919. The facility was located on Hesperian where the Highway 238 interchange is now.

21th Century Jobs

Today most jobs in San Lorenzo are retail. There is some light industry on Meekland Avenue. San Lorenzo was designed to be a "bedroom community" with residents commuting to work other places. That plan has worked, and today the majority of San Lorenzo residents commute to work.