Monday's featured open house will be at Studio One Art Center, 365 45th St., near Oakland Technical High School. "We are inviting the public to stop by between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. to see our summer classes in action," says center director Johnette Jones-Morton.

"There are a number of children's and adult classes under way here at the center. Our teen group members are available to greet visitors and show them around our facility."

The 100-year-old Studio One building started out as a home for orphans, sponsored by the Ladies Relief Society. The structure has served as a bustling arts center since it was acquired by the city in the early 1950s, and is slated for major renovations and retrofitting with funds approved by voters under Measure DD.

On Tuesday, the F.M. Smith Recreation Center hosts visitors from noon until 3 p.m. "We are having a mini-carnival with face painting, bean bag toss, a raffle, and a table tennis exhibition," says director Kwock Yee.

The center is named for renowned Oakland town builder Francis Marion Smith, who made his fortune extracting borax from Death Valley and spent vast sums to developing the Key System train lines and building subdivisions in the East Bay hills during the 1920s. His estate, Arbor Villa, once stood up the road from today's rec center.

A pair of fiber-glass mules, symbols of Smith's famous 29-mule teams that hauled out the borax from the desert, will once again "prance" proudly in the park, as soon as repairs are completed, says Kwock.

Mosswood Park will be showcased on Thursday from 1 until 4:30 p.m. Tennis, African dance and martial arts classes will be under way.

Mosswood Park is also home to the landmark Mosswood Cottage, a charming example of the Gothic Revival Cottage style. Once the home of Joseph Moravia Moss, and built in 1864, it is City Landmark No. 6.

Anne Woodell, a long time supporter of the city's parks and recreation program, recounts how the Moss House is one of five historic houses now belonging to the city.

Together with Dunsmuir, Camron-Stanford, the Peralta Hacienda and DeFremery House, Mosswood contributes significantly to the unique architectural heritage of Oakland.

In 1907, city voters, with the active encouragement of then-Mayor Frank Mott, advocate of the so-called "City Beautiful Movement" -- which called for the acquisition of park lands -- approved passage of a historic bond measure. "The city was then able to buy certain 19th century-era estates before they were lost forever to developers."

DeFremery House, 1651 Adeline St., was acquired at this time (1907). It too is a city landmark, and appears to be individually eligible for listing on the National Register of Historic Places, say the history files. James DeFremery (1826-99) came to California from Holland, arriving in 1849 at the height of the Gold Rush. He was a banker who established the Savings Union Bank, a forerunner to today's Wells Fargo Bank. His property, known as "The Grove" for its towering live oak trees, originally encompassed 9 acres.

The 24-room two-story house is among the oldest structures in Oakland still standing, and is notable for its gracious wrap around porch.

History files reveal that such widely known Oaklanders as former Congressman Ron Dellums, Mayor Lionel Wilson, dancer Ruth Beckford, musician Coke Escovedo and sports legends Frank Robinson, Bill Russell and Curt Flood spent their youth participating in rec programs at DeFremery Park.

Displays from the various recreation centers are currently on view in the Dalziel Building, 250 Frank H. Ogawa Plaza, next to City Hall. Log on to www.oaklandnet.com/parks, to see a complete listing of this month's special events, or call 238-3092.

Be sure to mention today's band concert in Lakeside Park," says Woodell. "It starts at 1 p.m., picnics, blankets, lawn chairs and flag waving are encouraged."

Call 339-2818 for more information.

The Oakland Tribune: Cityside
Leanne McLaughlin, Managing Editor
(510) 208-6447
(510) 208-6477 Fax##
lmclaughlin@angnewspapers.com Email