Sideshow python, hobo kitten, and vengeful turkeys
Crazy critters run amok at the Oakland History Center’s diorama exhibit
One of the most famous quotes on the topic of communications is media critic Marshall McLuhan’s theory that “the medium is the message.” There have been entire books dedicated to analyzing this, but it boils down to a simple concept: The format of a transmission, whether it’s a Sanskrit tablet or a TikTok video, will influence the content. Apparently, when the medium is diorama, the message is that Gerald The Turkey is the greatest villain in Oakland history.
69 dioramas were submitted to the Oakland History Center’s upcoming competition, each one based on a local news article from the library’s archives. Given this endless array of possible subjects, perhaps it’s shocking that four separate entries recreate Gerald’s 2020 “reign of terror” throughout Morcom Rose Garden. Or maybe these miniature depictions of a turkey assaulting old ladies and other unfortunate passerby are proof that the psychic wounds inflicted by Gerald have not yet fully healed, that Oakland is still processing his notorious, multi-month rampage.
Either way, Gerald’s overwhelming presence in the diorama exhibition signals the next phase of this saga. Gerald has graduated from infamous viral sensation to mythological status. With these dioramas, the legend of Gerald is now solidified, literally, in the annals of Oakland history. His name will surely be whispered in reverential awe by many generations to come…
Gerald wasn’t the only bloodthirsty bird immortalized in the competition. One diorama was inspired by the 1923 headline “Turkey Attacks Constable After Eating Corn Mash.” Was it Gerald’s great-great-grandfather who ingested this moonshine ingredient before assaulting an officer? Sadly, that will remain an unsolved mystery, but one thing can’t be disputed: Animal stories are the dominant theme of this exhibit. Various dioramas depict drunken seagulls, an escaped bear, a guinea pig derby, and a vagabond cat (based on a 1936 article about a train-hopping “hobo kitten” named Grit.) Although some of these things would have been horrifying to witness in real life, seeing actual events recreated with Legos, Play-Doh, cotton balls, and other tiny knick-knacks is undeniably hilarious.
Earlier this week, I spent about an hour perusing the diorama exhibit (on display until Nov. 29), but I easily could have lingered much longer. I’ve always loved doing research at the History Center, but the space has never felt more alive than it does right now. Sure, it’s exciting to read an old newspaper clipping about escape artist Harry Houdini dangling from the Tribune Tower in a straitjacket, but I gasped when I saw a 3D model of this death-defying stunt. It’s been a long time since I played with toys, but viewing these dioramas brought back that childish joy of overseeing tiny kingdoms…
On October 4th, the Library will host a contest to award prizes to the best dioramas, and I don’t envy the task awaiting judges Dorothy Lazard and Alexis Madrigal. I would never be able to choose winners from so many impressive contenders, which is why I opted to host the trivia portion of the event instead. I haven’t written all the questions yet, but seeing so many creative interpretations of local history has definitely inspired me. No spoilers, but if you want to study up for the trivia contest, the display cases on the top floor of the Oakland Library might be a good place to start…
East Bay Yesterday News
There are still a few tickets left for my history cruise on the Bay happening TODAY at 5pm. Wondering what to expect? A friend from the Oakland Review of Books joined the tour last month and wrote this “Vibe Report” detailing his experience. I tried to warn them about the cormorants!
You might think that a show called “The Mostly Real Estate Podcast” would cover things like home values and building trends. Perhaps it usually does, but not when I’m the guest. Host Declan Spring summarized our interview with this catchy title: “Grifters, Racists, a DeLorean, and a Mountain of LSD.” Clearly, we covered a lot of territory.
The Lake Merritt watershed event that I co-hosted with Rotary Nature Center Friends in July is now up on YouTube. For any aspiring citizen scientists who want to delve even deeper into Lake history and ecology, the Rotary Nature Center Friends just announced an “Urban Estuaries” naturalist course.
Bike East Bay’s annual Biketopia fundraiser will be held at Preservation Park on September 17. I’ll be the special guest at the VIP reception, so if you want to come chat with me about history while supporting a great cause, get your ticket soon.
Follow-Ups…
Since so many of you have personal connections to the topics I cover, I’m always blown away by the feedback I get. I don’t have time to respond to every email or DM, but I promise I read everything! Here are a few fun examples “from the mailbag”…
In response to my new episode about garbage history, Genevieve Isola sent a note that her Italian-American family “got goosebumps” upon hearing stories from the Oakland Scavengers. Genevieve’s father and grandfather were both Scavengers alumni, so she included this photo of the “trashgirl” garbage can tattoo that she got to honor her family’s legacy.
One of the mysteries I encountered while researching this article about local fallout shelters was: What happened to the giant air raid siren at Joaquin Miller Park? Jack Schroll had the answer: “In 2007 I rescued the Civil Defense Air Raid Siren from the top of the Woodminster Amphitheater. I made it run again and I still use it for Burning Man projects. The siren is 12' long and weighs 6000 pounds. I don't have any Playa pictures of it, but I’m getting ready to restore it soon. This is what it will look like…”
Here’s a good reminder from Anna Brown, who I interviewed for the punk history episode, that it’s always good to be cautious when nostalgia starts kicking in: “At the [book release] event in LA, I was saying ‘blah blah, the dawn of an idealistic all ages movement…’ [about the founding of 924 Gilman]. But then Joel Wing told a hilarious story about how painfully boring these meetings were and how they discussed, for hours at one point, how security at shows should wear clown suits. Then, what sizes? How would they be cleaned? Where would they be stored?” Seriously: Imagine walking up to an underground punk show and the venue is being guarded by literal clowns lolol.
More Local History News…
Here are a few local history-related articles that I’ve appreciated recently…
“A mighty redwood of a man has fallen”: Remembering Malcolm Margolin, founder of Heyday Books [Berkeleyside]
Fresh stumps and lost neon: The origin story of “The Laurel” [Oakland Review of Books]
Remembering Anticon and hip-hop’s reckoning with weirdness [KQED]
Can a new developer finally get Oak Knoll off the ground? [The Oaklandside]
Mills College art museum celebrates its centennial [East Bay Express]
Alameda County moves ahead with reparations plan for displaced Russell City residents [KQED]
Oakland school journeys from 1931 to today [Oakland Library blog]
Stones of the Morcom Rose Garden [Oakland Geology]
Reviving roots Down Home in El Cerrito [East Bay magazine]
Tech entrepreneurs abandon plans for elite Oakland club [SF Gate] (I wasn’t excited about an “elite” club taking over this historic building, but hopefully it won’t continue to sit empty forever. So much potential! With the former Bellevue Club property and the massive Scottish Rite Temple poised to change hands as well, there could be major changes coming to the Lake in the near future. Hopefully they benefit some of the longtime residents.)
Lee Hildebrand, drummer and music journalist “plugged in” to East Bay scene, dies at 78 [San Francisco Chronicle] (This obituary was published back in March, but somehow I missed it. I was introduced to Lee by Sugar Pie De Santo (RIP) many years ago and always appreciated his vast knowledge of local music history.)
Upcoming Events
Aug. 27 - Once there was a town: The Port Chicago story
Sept. 6 - San Antonio Neighborhood walking tour
Sept. 20 - Doors Open 2025: 16th Street Station visit
Oct. 4 - Celebrate dioramas!
Oct. 12 - “In the Hights”: Joaquin Miller Park literary arts festival
Finally…
My idea of a perfect Sunday is reading a good book in the sunshine while listening to some chill tunes. It’s the perfect way to indulge in a bit of relaxing escapism before another busy week. If you agree, come check out “Read Listen Chill,” a free event I’m hosting at New Village, an outdoor community gathering space in Oakland's Clinton neighborhood. It’s happening on September 14 from 11am-3pm and I’ll be spinning jazz, downtempo, and other mellow music from my vinyl collection. Click here for more details and to RSVP.
Thanks for reading!
Liam O’Donoghue