Dimond District, Oakland, California

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The Dimond Library, in the heart of the Dimond District.
The Dimond Library, in the heart of the Dimond District.
Location of the Dimond District in the City of Oakland.
Location of the Dimond District in the City of Oakland.

The Dimond District is a neighborhood centered on the intersection of MacArthur Boulevard and Fruitvale Avenue in East Oakland, Oakland, California, in the United States. It is located about two miles east of Lake Merritt, north of the Fruitvale District, and west of the Laurel District. Dimond's ZIP code is 94602. It is a multicultural neighborhood where the hills meet the flats and is a unique melting pot of cultures and social classes. In the district is also a park called 'Dimond Park'.

It is named after Hugh Dimond, who came to California during the Gold Rush and purchased the land comprising the district in 1867. In 1897 he built a cottage that used the adobe bricks from the Peralta family's 1827 home. The bricks were used again to build the Boy Scout hut that is still standing in Dimond Park.

The district is home to several historic buildings, including the Altenheim, originally a retirement home for German Americans. The current structure was built in 1909 according to a design by San Francisco architect Oscar Haupt, after the original structure was destroyed by fire.

Near the Dimond Library are stores, shops, markets (e.g. Safeway, McDonald's, Farmer Joe's Market, Longs Drugs, Peet's Coffee & Tea and a new location of the small East Bay bakery La Farine).

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