Maxwell Park, Oakland, California

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A view over Maxwell Park
A view over Maxwell Park
Location of Maxwell Park in the City of Oakland.
Location of Maxwell Park in the City of Oakland.

Maxwell Park is a neighborhood in Oakland, California, bordered roughly by MacArthur Blvd, High Street, Trask Steet, Foothill Blvd, and 55th Avenue. The neighborhood, nicknamed "Little Piedmont" since its origin (see below), is adjacent to Mills College, I-580, Brookdale Park, and the Fairfax neighborhood. John P Maxwell was the developer of this area that is now named after him. The original development area was bounded by 55th Avenue, Trask Street, Monticello Avenue and Camden Street. The land was opened for development on May 7, 1921. Burritt and Shealey, house builders to the well-anointed in Piedmont, were the main developers. A journalist noted, "Landscape engineers laid out the streets so that they swing gracefully over the entire property, conforming to the scenic contour of the land." Nearby streetcar transportation and a salubrious climate were cardinal selling points. It is in East Oakland's justly famed 'warm belt'. Now the streetcars are gone and AC Transit (bus system) replaced the trains in 1960. It is served by Line 47, which runs through the neighborhood to and from BART, and by Line 48, which runs up and down High street to and from BART, along with the many lines that run along MacArthur Blvd. Notable places today include Maxwell Park Elementary school, Maxwell Park (a park), Fremont High School, and Home of Peace Cemetery.

Nestled in the foothills of Oakland, Maxwell Park is well known for its scenic beauty. The neighborhood is particularly noteworthy for its numerous lush front yard gardens, and much of the neighborhood enjoys panoramic views of the Oakland hills from the north to the east.

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