“Fishing kept us out of trouble”: Memories of the Berkeley waterfront

Berkeley’s waterfront has undergone many transformations. For millennia, the shoreline was dotted with Ohlone village sites, thriving amidst an abundance of fish and fowl. In the decades following the Gold Rush, factories and neighborhoods sprouted up, clogging the former wetlands with human and industrial waste. Over the past century, the waterfront transitioned into a place for recreation and nature, thanks to the creation of a marina, parks, and restoration projects. Today’s episode was inspired by “On the Waterfront: The Other Side of Berkeley,” an exhibition currently on display at the Berkeley Historical Society and Museum. The first segment features stories collected by Camille Antinori as part of the Berkeley Fishing Oral History Project, which gathered memories of local anglers who grew up fishing at the Berkeley Pier. The second segment includes an interview with Berkeley Historical Society co-president Mitchell Fleischer. If you really want to the full experience, listen to this podcast while taking a stroll along Berkeley’s waterfront trails. To see photos and links related to this episode, visit: https://eastbayyesterday.com/episodes/fishing-kept-us-out-of-trouble/ Don’t forget to follow the East Bay Yesterday Substack for updates on events, boat tours, exhibits, and other local history news: https://eastbayyesterday.substack.com/ Donate to keep this show alive: www.patreon.com/c/eastbayyesterday