Can you help preserve El Cerrito history?

1) Do you have any pictures showing panoramas, old-time buildings, or businesses in El Cerrito that we could copy?

- or any milk bottles/caps from El Cerrito, or other memorabilia that we could photograph?

- or any old “TEPCOware” that you would be willing to donate to the Historical Society or that we could photograph?

- or any other memorabilia that you would be willing to donate to the Historical Society or that we could photograph?

2) Do you know how or why any of the streets in El Cerrito have the names they do?

3) Do you know or have information about any of the following businesses, individuals or their relatives:

Mr. B F Denton (Beverly), owned Denton’s Fuel & Feed; cousin or brother owned Denton’s candy store

Jean Helsdorn (took over Denton’s Fuel & Feed?)

Other fuel & feed stores in El Cerrito

What construction company built the dog track??

Neil Corey, son of Frank, who owned Corey’s hardware in Albany

McKee & Hamilton Foundry/Machine shop

Charles Collins (superintendent at Hutchinson Quarry)

Fred Seavey (involved with brickyard)

William Grafton Worthington, President of Boericke & Runyon

Dr. Lyle Wellman, COO of Boericke & Runyon

Donald Jagger, GM at Boericke & Runyon

Donald Goldberg, chief pharmacist at Boericke & Runyon

Mr. Louis Davis, was on the city council, Western States Fuel & Feed

Mr. Bryon; Capellis family; Joe Lagel; Mr. Shevlin

John Neuner (worked at Federal Builders Supply)

Freeman Nichols (worked at Federal Builders Supply)

Ferris Fuel & Feed

Klier Brothers/Klier Brothers Lumber

Burg’s & Gishes of Gish’s furniture factory (Manila and San Pablo)

Henry/Emile/Paul/Bertha/Caroline/Magdelina Eckmann, their father had a butcher shop about Navellier & Scott

Christine Sonke Robinson, Helena Sonke, their mother taught piano and their father ran Sonke dairy

Estrella’s pig farm (behind Portuguese Hall); A. E. Donnelly

The Brotherton family; Ed Pedro, “Eddie’s Barrel Yard”, also had feed & fuel

John Carrick (founded EC Mill & Lumber and later sold it to Elmer Freethy) or his daughter Charlotte

Mr. Holcomb – started Albany Mill & Lumber on Central Avenue?

Tony Lombardo family/poultry ranch; Zecka family

Krislovich/Kristavich family; Bertolotti family

Jack Lord; Keller Ranch; Botini family

John Balra, had friends by the name of Carlsen who lived on Colusa

Glassen kids; their dad farmed the area north of Gladys. Jimmy was a fireman & lived on Richmond near Eureka;

Mary Ellen lived in Alameda, married pianist about 1930; Irene married Joe White about 1970?

Sperikes Sterites; Liberty Poultry Ranch

Anyone 85+ years old who grew up around El Cerrito

3) Do you know or have information about any of the following people/dairies:

Home Dairy – Hinds, Phipps, Schwarz
John Kooy
John Balra’s Ranch & Dairy
Eckhart Brothers/El Cerrito Dairy
Dairy near Yosemite & El Cerrito Creek – McAllister?
Merlo Dairy
Sonke Dairy/A. E. Donnelly – the mom taught piano
1000 Oaks Creamery, Mira Vista Creamery
A dairy on the Albany/El Cerrito line
Cerrito Home Dairy
Caminzind Dairy, Cozumel family 
Smith Dairy
Smith Village Dairy 
McClellan Dairy
Golden State Creamery
Royal Jersey Dairy
Massucco Dairy
Bonzi Dairy
Zecka Dairy

Please contact us at the email address at the top of the page.

Thank you for any help you can provide!