History of Garber Park

Garber Park was originally part of Judge John Garber's backyard. Judge Garber moved to San Francisco in 1857 and because an famous attorney and jurist. For a time he was a judge on the Nevada Supreme Court, but he returned to California and built his mansion in 1888, on the site which is now the Claremont Hotel. His heirs offered this hillside to the City of Berkeley on the condition that it be maintained as a park in their father's name. In 1952, the City of Berkely deeded the park to the City of Oakland as it was determined the park was mostly within Oakland's city limits.