The Chung Mei Home for Boys

The drums began pounding at 2 p.m. A crowd of more than 1,500 people was gathered in front of El Cerrito’s city hall to mark a grand day in the city’s history.

It was opening day for the Chung Mei Home for Chinese Boys, said to be the only such orphanage in the United States.The year was 1935, and the 68 “Chung Mei boys” who were moving into the home, dressed in khaki uniforms ...story continues on The Patch

Dorothy & Sundar Shadi History Room

The El Cerrito Historical Society offers "open hours" at the Dorothy & Sundar Shadi Historical Room (located in City Hall on the 2nd floor) on the third Thursday of every month. You can also contact the Historical Society to arrange an appointment.

You can also call Tom Panas at (510) 526-7507 for more information. (Click here to see the Shadi Room Reference Policy (the rules and policies for the Shadi Room.)

Historical Narratives
by Melvin Melfits

Contra Costa/Alameda County Line

When one refers to the County Line, it is the boundary between Alameda and Contra Costa Counties, which, on San Pablo Avenue, is the existing creek which runs all the way from the bay on up into the hill area. In other words, it is the dividing line between the cities of El Cerrito and Albany, and is referred to as Cerrito Creek. During salmon spawning season a few salmon have been seen going up stream. One extra long salmon was taken a few years ago way up to Everett Street where there is a smaller stream that runs off the County Line Creek.

Near the north bank of the Cerrito Creek where Yosemite Avenue dead ends once there was an old graveyard which had wooden posts driven into the ground and a wooden fence around it to indicate the boundary line. It was said that Victor Castro had buried in this spot some of his help that had passed away. This graveyard is shown on the old county maps in the 1890's. A few hundred feet west or, down stream from the graveyard on the Albany side, are a number of holes in large rocks where the Indians ground their meal. During grading along the creek lots of shells were encountered. story continues...