History Walking Tours

As part of our commitment to educate and inform about local history, we are presenting an ongoing series of walking tours around Alameda. Join Alameda Post Editor and award-winning East Bay historian Dennis Evanosky for leisurely walks that will leave you with a greater appreciation and understanding of Alameda’s history. We will explore a wide range of topics including early residents, architecture, the environment, transportation, cultures, and other topics of historical significance.

Alameda Post - Dennis Evanosky leading a historical walking tour for the Alameda Post — Award-winning East Bay historian Dennis Evanosky is also the editor of the *Alameda Post*. Photo Adam Gillitt.

Tours will be conducted on Saturday mornings. Each tour will meet at 10 a.m. and ends where it starts. Our walks will cover 90–100 minutes over 1–2 miles. We suggest you wear comfortable shoes as well as sunblock, and bring water. Mobility devices, strollers (kids under 4 are FREE!), and well-behaved (or especially cute) dogs are always welcome.

We are using money raised to cover some of the initial expenses incurred to create a nonprofit news source and newspaper to serve Alameda. We hope you will join us and have some fun learning about Alameda’s history!

Upcoming Tours

August, 2022 – Architecture of the East End

Alameda Post - An Alameda bungalow — One of Alameda's many colorful bungalows. Photo Adam Gillitt.

Alameda Post - East End bungalow — Plaster and geometric elements give this Alameda bungalow a crisp Art Deco personality. Photo from Dennis Evanosky's bookAlameda, An Architectural Treasure Chest.

Alameda Post — Christmas Tree Lane decorations — A display on a Thompson Ave. (also known as Christmas Tree Lane) lawn. Photo by Adam Gillitt.

One of the original Fernside houses. Photo courtesy Alameda Museum

Alameda Post - Cohen Estate 1927 — The Cohen Estate, before being subdivided in 1927. Photo courtesy Alameda Museum.

Join the Alameda Post and award-winning East Bay historian Dennis Evanosky for August’s East End Architecture history walking tours in August as we look at the architectural styles found on Alameda’s East End. We will also explore the earliest homes from the 1850s, including some built on the East Coast, shipped around Cape Horn, and reassembled here in Alameda.

Join us on Saturday, August 13 to investigate the 19th- and 20th-century styles in the area and learn the story of the homes on Christmas Tree Lane where a waterworks once stood. We’ll investigate why Lincoln Avenue has that little bend, and crack what KQED calls the “bizarre urban legend of Alameda’s little people houses.” Meet at Lincoln and Versailles avenues. Advance tickets $15.
On Saturday, August 20 we will learn the story of A. A. Cohen’s Fernside—the largest home ever built in Alameda—and how it inspired Mark Hopkins to build his palatial estate on Nob Hill. Meet at the intersection of Fernside Boulevard and Gibbons Drive and High Street. Advance tickets $15.
Then, on Saturday, August 27 come along as we explore the neighborhood at the southeast end of the island that was once the original little town of Alameda. Meet at Encinal and College avenues. Advance tickets $15.
Or, sign up for all three tours for $40 and save $5!

We encourage you to sign up in advance to ensure your place. If space permits, tickets may be available for purchase on the day of each tour for $20.