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Dusk at Berkeley Marina with my cell phone | Short trip to Berkeley Marina | Point Molate Photos | Point Molate Revisited - Pictures from June 2007 | Point Isabel Dog Park 1 | Point Isabel Dog Park 2 | Point Isabel Dog Park scenery - Costco Kindle use March 19 | A Visit to Skywalker Ranch, via Diane and Dan Benoit

Point Molate Revisited - Pictures from June 2007

These are photos from the SECOND VISIT to Pt. Molate, on June 8, 2007 -- it's more a photo report. of what the place is like.  For more artistic versions, please see the other galleries linked to below, made by friends.

    My FIRST visit was in February, when we could not get beyond the closed-off areas.

On this 2nd visit, a number of us visited Pt Molate's restricted areas, including a visit to the Captain's House.  For photos from their galleries, see: Eleanor, Karen, Mary Ann, Margaret, Robin !

* U P D A T E * - APRIL 2011. THE CASINO PROJECT AT POINT MOLATE HAS BEEN REJECTED.
  See SF Chronicle and Oakland Tribune stories.

INFO repeated from the page for First Pt. Molate visit:
Point Molate Beach Park.  Until prohibition closed down its winery in 1919, Winehaven was the largest in the world up to that time.  Pt. Molate was later a Navy fuel depot in WWII, and military operations were closed down in 1995.  Related trip report here


*** ( For FULL SCREEN: PC's, press/toggle F11.  Mac's, maximize screen. ) ***

mImg_0701.jpg
mImg_0701.jpg		 Towers of Jewels
"Towers of Jewels"		 Towers of Jewels, closer up
Towers of Jewels, closer up
mImg_0705rc.jpg
mImg_0705rc.jpg		 Approaching Winehaven
Approaching Winehaven		 Before the war, Winehaven families lived in those homes. After that, naval families.
Before the war, Winehaven families lived in those homes. After that, naval families.
Jeremy and Robin
Jeremy and Robin		 Cabinets for parts that drove Winehaven
Cabinets for parts that drove Winehaven		 Closer up
Closer up
Hideous flash result for comparison - Temporary
Hideous flash result for comparison - Temporary		 Stitched panoramic from next two
Stitched panoramic from next two		 Inside Winehaven.
Inside Winehaven.
The other side
The other side		 Out of service for ages but the tires can be useful.
Out of service for ages but the tires can be useful.		 Stairway next to elevator
Stairway next to elevator
Margaret and Jeremy
Margaret and Jeremy		 Margaret obeying Jeremy :-)
Margaret obeying Jeremy :-)		 Jeremy, resecuring the building (I'm on iso800 by mistake)
Jeremy, resecuring the building (I'm on iso800 by mistake)
The very patient Jeremy. (I was on iso800 by mistake again.)
The very patient Jeremy. (I was on iso800 by mistake again.)		 Back up the hill from Winehaven building
Back up the hill from Winehaven building		 Robin in camera-warrior mode
Robin in camera-warrior mode
Robin scouting the next shot
Robin scouting the next shot		 A bit lusher further down same area
A bit lusher further down same area		 mImg_0753.jpg
mImg_0753.jpg
Winehaven's main winemaking building
Winehaven's main winemaking building		 Willie showing us the old housing area, and #51
Willie showing us the old housing area, and #51		 Like an idyllic Smalltown, USA
Like an idyllic Smalltown, USA
Up by the Captain's House
Up by the Captain's House		 Nice views up there
Nice views up there		 From captain's house, which we were allowed to visit
From captain's house, which we were allowed to visit
Kitchen, on first floor
Kitchen, on first floor		 Dining room
Dining room		 An upstairs bedroom
An upstairs bedroom
One of the bathrooms
One of the bathrooms		 View from windows of a 2nd bedroom
View from windows of a 2nd bedroom		 Eleanor snapping me snapping Robin
Eleanor snapping me snapping Robin
Robin shooting better views in that room
Robin shooting better views in that room		 From one of the windows on that floor
From one of the windows on that floor		 Going back down from 2nd floor
Going back down from 2nd floor
The other bathroom
The other bathroom		 Lest we forget it's a sort of museum
Lest we forget it's a sort of museum		 Back down to the living room
Back down to the living room
Living room (blurred)
Living room (blurred)		 From living room, view of enclosed porch
From living room, view of enclosed porch		 Enclosed porch
Enclosed porch
From the porch
From the porch		 From the porch 2
From the porch 2		 Backs of homes down the bend, awaiting goat-mowers
Backs of homes down the bend, awaiting goat-mowers
Once alive with sounds from playing on the swings
Once alive with sounds from playing on the swings		 Karen exploring the unused beach
Karen exploring the unused beach		 Checking out the San Rafael bridge
Checking out the San Rafael bridge
Mount Tamalpais
Mount Tamalpais		 Mt. Tamalpais and Eleanor
Mt. Tamalpais and Eleanor		 Margaret at work. Try larger version here.
Margaret at work. Try larger version here.
The gang, on way to view East Brother Island
The gang, on way to view East Brother Island		 Four, Take 2
Four, Take 2		 Woodsy scene with odd-galaxy-shaped tree
Woodsy scene with odd-galaxy-shaped tree
Ready for delivery
Ready for delivery		 Experimenting with #51
Experimenting with #51		 Porch area included
Porch area included
Jeremy and Willie called on by others
Jeremy and Willie called on by others		 Another restricted area
Another restricted area		 Eleanor scouts while Mary Ann enjoys the houses again.
Eleanor scouts while Mary Ann enjoys the houses again.
Gang 3
Gang 3		 Gang 3 closer up
Gang 3 closer up		 Gang 4
Gang 4
Cousin Eleanor
Cousin Eleanor		 East Brother Island and cove area
East Brother Island and cove area		 Click to get larger version
Click to get larger version
East Brother Island in June
East Brother Island in June		 East Brother Island Lighthouse
East Brother Island Lighthouse		 Robin getting a last shot
Robin getting a last shot
I liked the color and quiet movement
I liked the color and quiet movement

comment | share
Andrys Basten05-Aug-2010 08:48
Cary, it was fun to see your pictures after clicking on your name! Thanks.
cary05-Aug-2010 07:13
I was 8 when I lived in Pt Molate. I have had dreams about it since. MAGNIFICENT PLACE. I posted a pic of me and some kids, my neighbors, the Owens, my sister, Maggie, and someone' s dog. Till this day, I'm adog magnet! Ha!

Cary Blue, Bakersfield, CA (Last place my father was stationed, go figure)
Andrys Basten17-May-2010 23:22
Kristen,
Thanks for that wonderful bit of history there! Great images and ghost sounds of a now unused
beautiful space. Its future hasn't been determined yet. The casino folks continue to fight on to make
one there but there is a lot of resistance to that idea. I still want to put up some images that a family
was thoughtful enough to send me from that time.
kristen 17-May-2010 15:25
wow! the captain's house is gorgeous inside!!! the stained wood paneling and floors... the bathroom... it amazes me these houses are just empty. why won't they be rented out or something?
my point molate experiences were of sunset parties on sunday. every sunday many friends would get together from noon til sunset to dance to music played on a soundsystem by djs. it grew to become like a huuuuuge family gathering/reunion every sunday there. i have fond memories of those sundays in one of the parks. i recently went there on a sunday w/ a friend for a picnic. that location is fenced off. but i had never explored the rest of the area and became fascinated with the building i have just learned from this site was once a winery, and the empty houses and the history of this place. wow. thanks for the pix and history lessons everyone. :)
Guest 24-Jan-2010 05:52
Andrys, thank you for having this website. Even though I was only 11 years old at the time we lived there (1953-1954),it brings back so many wonderful memories. I agree with Andrea, it was a place in time that can never be replaced or duplicated.

Shirley, San Jose, CA
Andrys Basten06-Apr-2009 09:53
Judy,
Unfortunately, the last time I heard, they were moving ahead. I hope there will be so
many delays put up that they'll not do it. I haven't looked though to see about the
schedule...
Judy Long 06-Apr-2009 02:57
I am wondering if the casino is any closer to happening? My heart breaks to think of the houses being torn down. Thank you.
Andrys Basten20-Aug-2008 10:02
Andrea, thanks for posting. i will be adding some photos soon. graciously offered by a
couple of your neighbors who have pictures from when the homes and swings were enjoyed.

The casino plan has, so far, been thwarted! Fingers crossed.
Andrea Richard 19-Aug-2008 18:24
I lived here at Pt. Molate while my husband was in the Navy during the late 60's and working at the Oakland Naval facility. I LOVED it at Pt. Molate. It was a place in time that can never be replaced or duplicated in my memory. We enjoyed a wonderful
1 1/2 years there and I still think fondly of our time there. I have since returned to look at it twice and feel remorse that it is neglected. I work for OC Parks now and was at a meeting with the City of Richmond earlier this year in which they stated their plans were to demolish the area and build a casino. I told them they are losing a gold mine with the waterfront location and historic value of the homes. They should preserve it and rent it out such as the state has done with the Crystal Cove cottages. We here in OC are in the process of preserving the Irvine Family Ranch. It would be a shame to lose this historical site to another casino.

Andrea Richard
Real Property Agent III
County of Orange, CA
OC Parks/Lease Management
(949) 923-3754
andrea.richard@rdmd.ocgov.com
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