Community Corner

History of the Berkeley Veterans Memorial Building

For the Memorial Day holiday, we thought Bekeley readers might be interested in the background of the city's Veterans Memorial Building, a city landmark, at 1931 Center Street.

Since we're observing Memorial Day, we thought Albany Patch readers might enjoy knowing the background and origin of the city's Veterans Memorial Building.

The imposing 85-year-old structure, at 1931 Center St. facing Civic Center/Martin Luther King Park, is one of chief classical buildings defining Berkeley's downtown core. It was designated a city landmark in 1985.

A 1998 Berkeley Historical Plaque offers this description of the building:

"In the early 1920s Alameda County voters approved a special tax to construct buildings that would honor war veterans and provide a meeting place for their organizations. The City of Berkeley contributed the land for this building. Designed in the Classic Moderne style by county architect Henry Meyers, it is an important part of the large and harmonious array of civic facilities around the park in Berkeley’s Civic Center. Display cases in the lobby contain mementos of veterans’ organizations. The building has been the site of many historic events, including one of the first indoor Grateful Dead concerts in 1966."

Its formal dedication ceremonies on Nov. 10-11, 1928, were major events in the city, with speeches by dignitaries, including Lt. Gov. Buron R. Fitts, a Grand Ball and an evening banquet at which the Gettysburg Address was recited by local architect William Wharff, a 92-year-old veteran of the Union Army in the Civil War, according to an essay about the building by Charles Marinovich in the book, Exactly Opposite the Golden Gate: Essays on Berkeley's History 1845-1945.

Marinovich described it as "somewhat austere within" with tile floors providing a Spanish touch and "somewhat severe without" with a facade that commemorates three wars – the Civil, Spanish-American and World War I.

"Isolated in the midst of the City, the Veterans Building remains a showcase of 1930s design," Marinovich wrote.

The Berkeley Historical Plaque Project includes images of postcards, including one from 1928, which also shows period automobiles.

The building houses the Berkeley Historical Society and the Berkeley History Room, open most Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays 1-4 p.m.

Correction: The original version of this article incorrectly reported that the historical plaque and postcards can be found on the Berkeley Historical Society's website. They are located on the Berkeley Historical Plaque Project website. It has been corrected.

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