LADEIS' RELIEF SOCIETY CHILDREN'S HOME

Description:
The Ladies’ Relief Society Children’s Home is located in the Temescal neighborhood in North Oakland. Built in 1906, the Shingle-style building is U-shaped and symmetrically massed. The building retains the same footprint, foundation, and first-story brick walls, and generally the same massing of the Ladies’ Relief Society’s first building, which was constructed in 1894. However, that first building was destroyed by a fire. The building was listed at the local level of significance nder Criterion A in the area of social history for its association with the Ladies’ Relief Society. The Society was established in 1871 and created charitable institutions to shelter the needy women and children of Oakland. The Ladies’ Relief Society differed from other local charitable organizations of its time because it was operated and controlled by woman. Although men served on the board to offer legal and financial advice, the female members made the decisions and directed the Society’s goals, objectives, and mission. It was also a nonsectarian charitable organization. The Society operated the children’s home until it closed in 1940. It was also listed under Criterion C s a strong representative of the congregate type of children’s homes. The congregate type of home cared for children en masse and did not emulate family life. These homes were large buildings that separated the children by sex, and allowed them to come together only for meals. Nearly all of California’s early children’s homes operated on the congregate model. In Oakland, the Ladies’ Relief Society Children’s Home is the oldest surviving building of the congregate type.

Registration Date: 7/13/2006

Location:
City: Oakland
County: Alameda

Directions:
365 45th St.

Back   Return to Listed Resources Listing