Oakland's Oakmore Highlands district is one of the most picturesque and prized in the city. Although various streets are commonly referred to as being in “Oakmore,” this neighborhood has specific boundaries and a distinctive history.

In the 1920s, on the heels of its successful Lakeshore Highlands development, the Walter H. Leimert Company created Oakmore Highlands. Comparing its location to “Fifth Avenue in New York; State Street, Chicago; Market Street, San Francisco,” and others, the company, lead at the time by Walter's son Harry, stressed the “high-class, conveniently accessible, popularly priced homesites.” Prices in this “new residential park” began at $2000.

In 1926, to make the area reachable, Leimert had the "$150,000 concrete and steel" Sausal Creek Arch Bridge built as an "extension of the Park Boulevard [street]car line." Today, we know it as the Leimert Bridge.

Work on the bridge was supervised by George Posey, an Alameda County Supervisor and engineer of the Posey Tube to Alameda. Acceptable then, today it would be considered a conflict of interest for a local government official to be awarded a large, private project such as this.

As an additional benefit, "a community business center" (1400 block of Leimert Blvd.) was part of the Leimert Company plan. In the early days, there were two markets located next to each other: the Food Mart and the Imperial. With the advent of supermarkets, only one survived. A 1937 photo shows "Baker's Drugs" and a dry cleaner in the shopping area.

The opening sale advertisement, dated October 17, 1926, called Oakmore Highlands the company's "crowning achievement." A bird's-eye map points to the 1000 acres and "75 million in value" of previous Leimert projects in Piedmont and Lakeshore Highlands. Further, the ad states how all Lakeshore lots had been sold and their values had "increased over our original prices from 100 to 300 percent." The promotional piece astutely trumpeted, "Oakland is just starting to grow."

Oakmore Highlands was developed in sections and, according to a 1935 Oakland Tribune story, new areas were offered only after "adjoining sections had become well-established." Thus, buyers were protected and did not have to "gamble with the future."

A February, 1935 Oakland Tribune article indicated that "the first 20-year home loan granted in Northern California under the Federal Housing Act went to Mr. and Mrs. Alva Starr for construction of their home on Oakmore's Oakview Drive." Starr was principal of the Glenview school.

In November, 1935, the Oakland Tribune stated that the average cost of an Oakmore Highlands home was "just under $9000." Prices ranged from $6850 to $30,000.

Over the years, the area has become known for a range of styles. Among them are Mediterranean, Tudor, Monterey Colonial, Rustic and Moderne.

In 1926, the Oakmore Homes Association (OHA) was established "for the general benefit of the tract." It is one of the oldest homeowners' associations in Oakland.

When envisioning our lovely city, many possible pictures can be conjured. Without a doubt, the Oakmore Highlands is one of Oakland's jewels.