San Leandro Portals to Past History for Fun

Saturday, June 4, 2016 Parade (1 0-11 am) &  Festival  (11am-6 pm) Downtown San Leandro #SLCHERRYFEST It was a lovely time to be alive and the most spectacular sight of all was the cherry trees in blossom, thousands of cherry trees as far as the eye could see...There were little villas hidden in the valleys of blossoms." June 5, 1902 San Leandro hosted the 1st Cherry Festival.  Bessie  Best....was considered on the San Leandro's fairest maidens was chosen queen of the Cherry Festival.  The festival was opened with parades, flag raising and a 21 gun salute. An estimated 25,000 people attended and 15 tons of cherrys were given away!  This year on June 4, 2016, the 107th Cherry Festival will again celebrate the tradition. Come visit the San Leandro Historical Society Booth.  I'll be there between 1-3pm. Download the app on Google Play or Itunes

I.H. Begier reported that one cherry tree on the Rindespacher place on Estudillo Avenue yielded 1100 lbs of fruit. In 1900 agriculture was still the mainstay of the San Leandro communiity. Cherry and apricot orchards furnished both local and eastern markets. The shipments to San Francisco in July 1901 were reported at 100 tons per day.....some fruit averaged but four to the pound. Mr. Begier planted rhubarb in 1902 and a year later shipped 40,000 rhubarb plants to Jersey Island on the Sacramento River. A 40-lb box of aspargus sold for 40 cents a pound and the first box of cherries shipped to Phildephia that year brought $22 for 10 pounds. Another crop of some importance was "horse beans" or "favas". At the end of th 1901 season M.M. Avelas reported having shipped 18 carloads of this crop to the east. Some 240,000 pounds also was reported as having been shipped to Cuba. In addition to the fruits mentionsed, currants, raspberries were raised in cons...