Northern Ca Palm Society, Fremont Ca, April 3rd

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Date: Sunday, April 3rd, 2016
Time: 1:00 till 5:00
Location: 36501 Niles Blvd Fremont
Save the date! April 3, 2016, 

We are grateful to Janet Barton who has arranged a wonderful tour and history presentation at the California Nursery Historical Park in Fremont. Complete details are printed below. This notice is being sent early as I will be out of town and unable to send a reminder until the middle of March. Mark your calendars now.

(some mobile phone mapping apps will give you the wrong location. Make sure it agrees with the intersection) Intersection: Niles Blvd and Nursery Avenue

Parking: Free. Park near the Vallejo Adobe. From parking lot, walk back toward the entrance of park and take the road next to the rose garden to the lawn area to get to the picnic area. Picnic Potluck (1:00-2:00): On lawn in front of the Nursery Office. If it rains, alternate plan below. Please note that the park has limited facilities for picnicking. The park is waiting for approval of its Master Plan and does not have every amenity that we’d like. We will have six picnic tables.

Bring your picnic basket complete with plates, napkins, and utensils so we don’t need to clean up or recycle. If you have a portable chair, you might want to bring it in case we need more seating. We don’t have electricity or running water outside. However, we can get water from inside the office when it is open. Facilities: Bathrooms are available in the nursery office and will be available from 1:00 until after the presentation. Bathroom near Vallejo adobe will be open during tour.

Presentation in Nursery Office (2:00): The historic Nursery Office will be open at 1:00 so you can view the exhibits before the presentation. Note that food is not allowed in the office.

Presentation will start at 2:00 sharp, so if we have rain, please arrive by 1:45 to give youself time to settle in.

Palm and Tree Walk (3:00 approximate): Bring walking shoes. Surfaces can be uneven. Bring umbrellas if we have light sprinkles.

Auction: After tree walk

Alternate plans for lunch in event of rain: Sunset magazine recently ran an article on visiting Niles. Check out their article. (http://goo.gl/duuQYO) Not included in the Sunset article are Devout coffee (coffee and pastries), Broncho Billy pizza (The “slice” is good for two), the Nile Cafe (sandwiches, salads, and soups), and Mr. Mikey's (deli).

Optional Fremont field trips before or after meeting: Allow about an hour and a half for the suggested field trips while in Fremont (see below). Allow longer if you wish to spend time at the destinations.

Our picnic will be on the same lawn as in this photo. “Barbecue given by Geo. C. Roeding, Jr., California Nursery Company, Niles, California, July 11, 1930 to visiting members of Twenty-Eight Annual Convention, The Pacific Coast Association of Nurserymen, San Francisco.

We are excited to host the Northern California chapter of the Palm Society at the California Nursery Historical Park. The park is 21 acres of the original 463-acre nursery that was established here in 1884 in Niles, now a district of the city of Fremont. The property is home to many old and unusual trees, including about 15 species of palms, some dating from 1884. The history of the nursery starts with John Rock, who established a nursery in San Jose the year the Civil War ended, 1865. John Rock and his partner R.D. Fox needed more growing space and established the California Nursery Company here in Niles in 1884. George C. Roeding purchased the nursery in 1917, combining the nursery with his Fresno operations. The Roeding family owned and operated the nursery until its closure in the 1970’s. Two nursery operations leased property here from the city and the last closed about 5 years ago. The park is waiting for approval of a Master Plan. The California Nursery Company provided all kinds of plants – fruiting and ornamental -- and helped to build California’s urban and agricultural landscape. The nursery was once the largest west of the Rockies and sent plants overseas, across California, and throughout the United States. Plants from the California Nursery Company landscaped Hearst Castle, the California state capitol, Golden Gate Park, San Quentin, and many other projects – commercial, residential, and experimental. The nursery provided palms and other plants to all three San Francisco world’s fairs – 1894, 1915, and 1939-1940. Over two hundred mature palms were transported in 1914 -- by horse, wagon, train, and barge -- across the bay to San Francisco for the 1915 Panama-Pacific International Exposition. The palms, planted in four rows, created one of the landmark landscape features of the exposition, the half-mile long Avenue of Palms. On the park property are several historically significant buildings. The Jose de Jesus Vallejo Adobe was built in the 1840’s. Nursery buildings include the nursery office, packing sheds, and the old retail building. The 1907 nursery office holds many exhibits about the nursery and archives relating to the nursery’s history. We added an exhibit last year for the centennial of the Panama-Pacific International Exposition. Also on the park property are many old and unusual trees. Fifteen different species of palms are planted through the park. Some were planted as young trees in 1884 and are probably about 140 years old. Also on the property are dawn redwoods, bunya-bunya pines, Canary Island pines and junipers. 

A complete list is here: http://www.fremontica.net/CNCo/tree_inventory2.php

Long-time volunteers maintain a rose garden, cactus garden, and small Japanese garden.

The Math Science Nucleus, as of last year, maintains the Vallejo adobe garden, oversees the park and gardens, manages the nursery archives, and runs science programs. We hope you enjoy your trip here. Your hosts: Janet Barton: Retired software engineer, longtime plant enthusiast, landscape design student,volunteer in the California Nursery Historical Park garden, Roeding Archives , and Shinn Historical Park.

Dr. Joyce Blueford: President of Math Science Nucleus, paleontologist, manages California Nursery Historical Park and Roeding Archives Nelson Kirk: You all know Nelson. For us, he is the Fremont guy we go to when we have questions about trees Suggested side trips while in Fremont to see other historical palms and trees Details are online here for these must-see heritage trees: goo.gl/vDrqcX 1. Shinn Park and Arboretum (1251 Peralta Blvd) is home to two very large Chilean wine palms planted in 1878. These champion palms stand guard over a small Japanese Garden. The park is also home to some equally old and unusual trees. 2. The Mission San Jose district contains several worthwhile trips. Mission San Jose was established in 1797. Planted in the area, of course, are the expected Canary Island palms that were planted around California missions. Is there a 200+ year old Canary Island palm here? Possibly. 3. Across the street from the mission is Palmdale Estates. Palmdale was was once part of the mission lands, a nursery, a winery, an estate owned by a series of families, and home to the Sisters of the Holy Family, and more recently a wedding location. The area is now under development, so a visit sooner than later is definitely in order. 4. The final suggestion is a short trip up and down the street that was once the driveway to the old St. Mary of the Palms school for girls – Adelina Commons. The street undulates like a gentle roller-coaster lined with palms, alternating Canary Island and fan palms. A very quick but charming side trip. Directions to the California Nursery Historical Park The park is at the intersection of Niles Boulevard and Nursery Avenue. Depending on your mobile phone app, the address (36501 Niles Blvd., Fremont) will get you to the right place or near by. Make sure it is taking you to the correct intersection. Directions from 880 North (Oakland): Take exit 23 onto Alvarado Niles Road, Turn left (toward hills) onto Alvarado Niles Road. Road name will become Niles Blvd at some point. Drive about 4 miles until you reach Nursery Avenue. Turn right into park. Directions from 880 South (San Jose): Take exit 21, Decoto Road. Turn right (toward hills) onto Decoto and drive about 2 miles to Alvarado Niles Road. Turn right. Road name will become Niles Blvd at some point. Drive about 2 miles until you reach Nursery Avenue. Turn right. Directions from Dumbarton Bridge (west bay): Cross Dumbarton Bridge. Continue straight (crossing over 880) where it becomes Decoto Road. Drive about 2 miles on Decoto to Alvarado Niles Road. Turn right. Road name will become Niles Blvd at some point. Drive about 2 miles until you reach Nursery Avenue. Turn right. Directions from 680 North (Livermore) or South (San Jose): Take exit 16 onto Mission Blvd. Head north on Mission Blvd. (hills on right). Drive 4.7 miles to Nursery Avenue. Turn left at light drive a short distance straight ahead, cross Niles Blvd, into the park. Note that if you are coming from San Jose, there are two Mission Blvd exits. You want the second exit.