America’s entry into WWII brought drastic changes to the City of Vallejo. Temporary defense housing projects sprang up almost overnight as people from nearly every state in the Union came seeking jobs at the Mare Island Navy Yard. The City's population exploded from approximately 30,000 residents in 1939 to nearly 90,000 in 1945. Wartime housing projects were often built of prefabricated sections and used innovative new building materials and techniques. Several well-known architects were involved in Vallejo's wartime housing boom, including William Wurster, who later became dean of the University of California Architecture School at Berkeley.
By far the largest of Vallejo's defense housing projects was Chabot Terrace, located north of present day Highway 37 and east of Broadway. By late 1944, nearly 11,000 people were living in this project. Other wartime housing projects in Vallejo included Federal Terrace, Roosevelt Terrace, Guadalcanal Village, Carquinez Heights, Floyd Terrace, Hillside Dormitories, Northside Dormitories, Amador Apartments, Solano Apartments and Victory Apartments. Nearly all of these were torn down soon after the war ended.
In 1945, a report by the City of Vallejo declared that the city had "undergone one of the most radical changes of any community in America in the past four years. Nowhere else has the impact of the war, with all of its resultant confusion, congestion, and expansion been more direct." Many families who lived in Vallejo's temporary defense housing projects later built or bought their own homes in the community. Others returned to their home states once the war had ended.
Since I grew up in wartime housing and I would like to see housing photos such as: Floyd Terrace Projects, Chabot Terrace and any other wartime housing to allow me to reflect back to my younger days.
ReplyDeleteI too was raised in Floyd Terrace and when I see reference to some of these older developments, I would love to have some pictures to view and refresh my memory!
ReplyDeleteI lived as a child in the Carquinez Heights during the WWII
DeleteI grew up in Floyd Terrace and went to Cooper Elementary School
ReplyDeleteWhen did you go to Cooper school. My husband and I went there. He also lived in Floyd Terrace.
DeleteWhat years did you go to Cooper school? My husband and also went there. He lived in Floyd Terrace.
DeleteI went there 1958 to 1965. My name was Brenda Curry at the time.
DeleteMy address was 141 East Lane, Apt 691
DeleteWalton's we I live at 181 East Lane in Vallejo Floyd terrace Cooper School Vallejo Senior high
DeleteI lived in 181 East Lane #803
DeleteI grew up on Holly st and witness the re construction of Floyd terrace I played on the Heavy machine equipment when the workers got off and me and my friends played in the model homes on Tuolumne street lol we all had 1 good old days
DeleteI grew up in federal terrace in 1942 to 1956 would like to see pics thanks lance d.
ReplyDeleteI lived at 110 Gardner St in Rosevelt Terrace
DeleteWe lived at 103 Gardner St.! Does anyone have any pics of the outside/inside of the housing? I would love to show my grandkids and am having trouble finding anything. When we lived there, we were so young, and I didn't document things like I should have! I can't even find the street address when googling now!
DeleteLived in Floyd Terrace 1944 to 1949, 939 Jersey St. Attended Highland School. One of my teachers was Mrs Dellahussey. Have two pictures of classmates during that time frame.Father worked on Mare Island on Ship clean up crew. He also worked at the Army Surplus store on Georgia St. a few stores down from Sears and Roebuck. Enjoyed going to the Harmon Theatre on Saturdays.
ReplyDeleteOne of my early memories (I was born in March 1948) is when we lived in Chabot Terrace (I seem to recall it was called Chabot Heights) when I was younger than 4 -- single floor housing. We later moved to what I knew as Federal Terrace which was a multi floor housing (cannot recall if you would call it a duplex or fourplex -- my memory is not providing me with a good enough picture of that unit -- and I attended kindergarden in a nearby school to the housing project. I seem to remember that my teachers name was Mrs Hickenbottom or something similar to that. I also would like to see photos posted that show the housing in more detail. We later moved to 'Rancho Del Mar' between Vallejo and Napa. My father worked for the Vallejo Times Herald and my mother worked as a waitress at the Barrell Inn.
ReplyDeleteJames
next to the barrel house the mini amusement park Pumpkin Center for kids,now stars back house and shell gas-marketing corp.for da new kids on the ole block
DeleteDoes anyone remember the street name "Siskiyou" in Chabot Terrace? We lived at 327 Siskiyou Street Chabot Terrace Vallejo, CA when I was born [1948]. Google Earth can't seem to find it. I'm guessing the street was renamed, but to what?
ReplyDeleteFound out why there is no longer a "Siskiyou" street name in Chabot Terrace - this is a name that existed when the government housing complex was active... The whole complex was sold at auction in 1955, which means the area was re-developed and all the existing streets were re-configured and renamed... Ah, progress...!
Deletewould like to discuss Chabot Terrace with you and 325 Sisklyou your neighbors in 1953. I do not know how all this blogging works would rather do it my email sjburroughs!2yahoo.com Shirley
Deletethe email is really sjburroughs1@yahoo.com Shirley
DeleteI lived at 417 Siskiyou before moving to 420 Olympic St. About 1946.
DeleteWe lived at 337 Siskiyou St in 1950
Deletewe lived at 338 Olympic between McKinley and Alaska Streets.
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DeleteI lived in the Victory Apartments 1943-1946 do not know the street for sure, maybe Coral? It was within walking distance for my Mom to take the Ferry over to Mare Island. She worked in the Canteen's. My Dad also worked there and took the Ferry (at a different time) he was a pipe-fitter. I went 2nd grade at Carquinez Heights as it was an all day school for working Mom's. Got out at 5:00 PM. Went to third grade at Highland Elementary. Fun times for us children. Each apartment building had in back of it a 6 foot high enclosure out of wood. Wooden floor too. Made a great place to play all sorts of games and even have plays. My friend next door Donna, and I would dress up in old curtains and try to re-enact the movie we had just seen that Saturday at the Victory Theater.Lot of musicals during that time. Great memories.
DeleteI'm seeking a 1943-45 street map (photo copy) of Chabot Terrace, that hopefully would also include the country roads that formed the perimeter of that WWII housing project. I would appreciate any contact re: my search. Thanks, L.W.
ReplyDeleteHere's a link to my FB page showing a 1940s postcard of Chabot Terrace.
ReplyDeletehttps://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=1225366397479415&id=319722608043803
Would like to get the copy of the post card will try if am reading everything right above. Thank you
Deleteunable to pull this up, could you email a copy to me? sjburroughs1@yahoo.com Thank you Shirley
DeleteI was born in 1952, and my family lived in Chabot Terrace until I was 2, when we moved to Hapa. My dad was a discharged Navy vet working at Mare Island. He was a laborer at Mare Island before the war broke out, and got into the apprenticeship program after the war. I have some memories of living there, even though I was pretty young, and the memories are a bit hazy.
ReplyDeleteSorry for the typo..........that should have read Napa.
ReplyDeleteDoes anyone know if the Chabot Terrace had the nick name of "Shabby Acres" during WWII
ReplyDeleteCan any one from Chabot tell me who I am ??? I lived at 102 Lowe St.
DeleteMy family lived in Chabot Acres during 1940-1944 - but all I can find is Chabot Terrace. Your Shabby Acres sounds like it.
DeleteMy family lived in Roosevelt Terrace Naval housing in the 70's and from what I recall it was referred to as Garbage Gardens.
DeleteDitto the name "Garbage Gardens". Was there in late 60's and again in '77.
DeleteIt was still referred to as "Garbage Gardens" in the late 80's and the 90's up until Mare Island closed in ...I think 1995
DeleteYes, it did. Some called it that. Actually, it was great housing for folks who came at government's request to work in defense projects (Mare Island, etc,) during WWII.
Deleteit was called sha-boo only latter day nuckle head jacka-naps used the garbage reference like yes ta days hobo is now called the homeless
DeleteHere is a 1942 aerial photograph of the North Vallejo area.
ReplyDeletehttps://drive.google.com/open?id=0B0zqFbLnP16wRzVyWm1nQmIwVWs
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DeleteI lived in Carquinez Heights and Chabot Terrace from 1951 until 1955, attending Kindergarten in the Carguinez Heights neighborhood. We moved to Redding, CA, my birthplace, mid-third grade. I attended the Seventh-day Adventist church school from 1st until 3rd grade, taking the city bus with a transfer to school. These neighborhoods were fairly diverse. Would love to see photos.
ReplyDeleteI do remember our address in Chabot Terrace . . . 322 Alaska Street. Anyone else?
ReplyDelete118 Alaska, Paul Martin
DeleteNavy family, lived in Roosevelt Terrace in 1963 and 64. Returned later for a brief stay waiting housing on Mare Island in about 1969, 1970 upon husband's return from Vietnam.
ReplyDeleteKathy, did you happen to live on Grant St. in Carquinez Heights?
ReplyDeleteLived at 253 Olympic St., Chabot Terrace, Vallejo, CA from 1945 until 1953.
ReplyDeleteAttended Olympic Elementary School from third grade until Sixth grade and then attended Vallejo Jr. High, Hogan Jr. High and Vallejo High School. Howard
Anyone live in the 100 block of Langley Street in Chabot Terrace around 1950?
ReplyDeleteMy family bought 112 Langley Street in 1955.
DeleteJust finished remodeling the structure which was moved Lake County then.
We did...Last name Hill, I remember the Carlson's and the Jim and Deenie Geiger. I remember the buildings were a medium to dark brown...
DeleteWe lived in Federal Terrace from 1940 to 1947 when both parents were laid off at Mare Island. Moved to San Jose in 1947. Relatives still lived there and so visited Vallejo often.
ReplyDeleteWe lived at 179 Langley. Our family name was Putney. Later moved to Rancho del Mar in south end of Napa County. Someone on our street kept two "guard" raccoons chained to a tree in their front yard. We were terrified of them.There was a Japanese-American family who lived on Langley. They'd been interned during the war and were treated with suspicion and hostility. I remember being 5 y.o. and being angry at them (from listening to adults) but having no idea why.
DeleteI lived in federal terrace 9 lyon street 1942 (born) until 1951 we moved to to Annette street Went to St Vincent thru
Delete6th grade-hogan 7th-9th Vallejo high
I lived in the Victory Apartments in Vallejo that the street that ran west went right to the ferry to Mare Island Ship Yard. Both my Mama and Daddy worked there. He from 1942 to 1946, she from 1943 to 1946. I came out in 1943 and went to school in Carquinez Heights a school that working parents used as one went before 7am and got out at 5pm. The janitor to the school rode the same public bus as my Mom and I and offered to see that I got to school and back okay. The Victory Theatre was just a short ways up the street and my friend and I went every Saturday to the matinee. It was like a baby sitter for the working Mom's you went at noon and saw a newsreel, cartoons, then a 15 minute serial film, a break or intermission and then a double feature with another intermission and always a clip of Bugs Bunny selling War Bonds. It was over around 6pm and you went home and had supper. Lots of fun and scary times at that movie. The serials were full length movies broke up into 15 minute segments, if you wanted to see how it ended you had to go every Saturday or be left hanging. Kind of like TV soaps later on. My Daddy went to Guam to work in 1946. Did two contracts there for the government. Later in school year '48--'49 lived on Ohio Street and went to Bay Terrace School. One had to pass a guard gate to Mare Island on the way to school. Lots of great memories of those years.
ReplyDeleteJackie, I was 6 when the war started, my family lived in Victory apartments & I went to Carquinez Hts school (a quanset hut that still exists) in 1942. There was a Barage ballon based next to it, manned by US army crew.. I also went to McKinley school for a short while.
DeleteIn 1943 or 44 we moved to 34 McNair st, Federal Terrace & lived there until late 1946 finishing the 3rd thru 6th grade at Federal Terrace school. My Dad worked on the yard for the duration of the war, after which parents bought a house on Alhambra st in Beverly hills area.
During the war I hung out at the Recreation Center on Mc Dougal st. next to the air raid siren tower & firehouse. Soon after the war was over Knights airport became active & I spent a lot of time at the airport.
How interesting .. so cool to meet folks that went through kind of the same thing during those years. I was a happy kid at the Victory Apartments. There was always plenty to do to amuse oneself. Later after my Dad was home from Guam my parents separated and my Mama married the brother of one of her Canteen friends. Turned out he had worked at Mare Island too, but before we were there.
DeleteI recall that we called it Chabot Acres as well but apparently its official name was Chabot Terrace. We arrived there in 1944 having driven across the country from Pittsburgh, PA in a 1942 Buick. We lived there until 1948 when we moved to a home in San Rafael. I remember the old quarry where we would play and the church on the hill that my Mom said were holy rollers. My Dad and I would fish for striped bass in the sloughs alongside highway 37. Thanks for the blog and the pictures. Brought back a lot of memories.
ReplyDeleteWe lived at 179 Langley. Our family name was Putney. Later moved to Rancho del Mar in south end of Napa County. Someone on our street kept two "guard" racoons chained to a tree in their front yard. We were terrified of them.There was a Japanese-American family who lived on Langley. They'd been interned during the war and were treated with suspicion and hostility. I remember being 5 y.o. and being angry at them (from listening to adults) but having no idea why.
ReplyDeleteI was born 1949 and lived at 222 Pike Street, Chabot Terrace. Later we moved to Floyd Terrace, 161 Williams Street.
ReplyDeleteI also was partially raised in Floyd Terrace. My mom Florence Jackson lived at 110 West Lane Apt# 500 along with 8 siblings. Many fond memories of the area
ReplyDeleteoh yes forgot to enter my name Bruce Hurst, brucewhurst@gmail.com Florence Jackson son
ReplyDeleteI remember going to Federal Terrace Elementary school in 1977(?) - 1979. I believe our address was 254 Cunningham Street. My dad was in the Navy. I believe we lived in Navy housing in a 2 story house duplex style house. I can't remember how many houses were on our side. We had a lot of friends and I have such fond memories of that time. Does anyone have any pictures?
ReplyDeleteRonald Huddleston - I went to the school built around 1954 in Chabot. My brother and I visited my Dad from Tulsa, Oklahoma for one year. I played with Essex and Edgar Cook, Jeannie Williams and her brothers, and Earsell McBee, he played with the Minnesota Vikings. It was a wonderful year.
ReplyDeleteRonald Huddleston - My brother and I, Tony Huddleston, visited our father for one year in 1954 in Chabot. We went to went to the new school. I played beginning trumpet. Mr. Begouski was the teacher, I think it's his name he was wonderful.
ReplyDeleteI played with Edgar & Essex Cook. Earsell McBee, he later played with the Minnesota vikings, and I had a big crush on Jeannie Williams.
I lived in floyd terrace in 1960. Father stationed at Travis AFB, then off to europe.
ReplyDeleteI lived in Floyd Terrace in the 60's. Father was stationed at Travis.
DeleteI lived in Chabot Heights about 1951. What I remember most are the wooden sidewalks and ditches. Ten cent Friday and Saturday movies at the community center. The units were heated with oil stoves. Near the grocery store was a fuel oil tank. For a quarter you could turn the handle so many times for a gallon of oil.
ReplyDeleteFloyd Terrace was home to some of the baddest folks in the Land! They used to call me Caveman back in the early 60's while attending Flosden elementary school. Fond memories
ReplyDeleteHaynes brothers
ReplyDeleteI lived in Chabot Terrace 1950-1952 at 317 Baker Avenue. Photo album has a few pictures of my brother, mother, and me taken at that time. The confusing thing is that Mother labeled the photos Curtis Terrace. Was there such a place? Another of the wartime housing projects? Please reply here or to sharonjhalligan@gmail.com .Thanks.
ReplyDeleteWe still own one of those houses,after auction 2 were moved by an olive barron named Mussco to Loch Lomand in Lake county and set up,they are 24 x24 foot,my parents owned one and my grandparents had the one next door,i would post a pick if site would let me.The address is 10753 Sycamore Loch Lomand Ca,you can see both houses on google street view as they sit today.
ReplyDeleteI see from the 1950 census that my parents Walter and Marjorie Lund lived at 500 Corcoran in Chabot Terrace, as newly married couple aged 19 and 21. I guess kids could just rent a house there in that era.
ReplyDeleteAnyone interested in researching their address should visit John F Kennedy Library on Santa Clara Street and look at the old City of Vallejo Phone Directories.
ReplyDeleteWe lived in chabot acres in 1944 on ranier street
ReplyDeleteMy family lived in Chabot Acres on McKinley St. maybe. My older brother attended the elementary school but I was too young. A white bus came through regularly, it was stocked with basic grocery items and sundries. We could walk to the north end of the development and watch race cars round the track through knotholes in the fence where Newells mobile home park is now. Ditch water was called "Polio Water" because people were worried about polio then. There was more fog in those days and the wind blew cold in the winter and even in the summer oftentimes. The houses were duplexes. Everyone had hard luck stories. My mom took us to the park at Blue Rock Springs. There were turtles and peacocks, still are. My grandparents lived on Mare Island with a view of the Carquinez Bridge.
ReplyDeleteI remember my grandmother’s address at 216 Alaska Street. We lived on Hilo Street
ReplyDeletemy father was involved with building the
submarines. My mother and my Aunt Glenda were air raid wardens knocking on doors telling people to pull down the blinds. The quickly build homes while not much to look at from outside were spacious. My grandmother as I remember lived in her kitchen with a well organized pantry where she stored many of her canned goods. That period was the beginning of modern life in America.
Alva Lee Phillips aka Chris Harris - chrisharrispr.com