Oakland is holding a massive fair devoted to Bay Area history | East Bay Times
It’s no secret that Oakland’s Lake Merritt is human-made. What’s less known is why.
Samuel Merritt donated money to create the nation’s first protected wildlife refuge and also, coincidentally, some prime waterfront property for him to develop. “The wildlife refuge meant that the wealthy people who purchased homes from him wouldn’t have strangers shooting birds and impacting the tranquil, lakeside community he was trying to establish,” says Iliana Morton, executive director of Oakland’s Camron-Stanford House.
Fans of such lore will have an opportunity to bathe in it on Sept. 10, when the Camron-Stanford House will hold a history fair with more than 20 museums and historical organizations from around the Bay. The fair features a smorgasbord of unique exhibits and take-home activities, ranging from artifacts from a World War II aircraft carrier to Carpenter Gothic architecture to a lace-based tribute to Ruth Bader Ginsberg. Old-timey beverages will be served, rare books will be available to purchase. Best of all it’s only five bucks – free if you have an Oakland Public Library card.
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