Chochenyo Park (Alameda, California)

Chochenyo Park, formerly known as Jackson Park and Alameda Park,[1] is a small municipal park in Alameda, California. It is located on Park Avenue, south of Encinal Avenue, one block from the Park Street business district.

In July 2020, the Recreation and Parks Commission voted to rename Jackson Park and remove the signage honoring Andrew Jackson, the park's namesake. Chochenyo Park was chosen and made official in January 2021.

Name

Chochenyo refers to a division of the Ohlone tribe, who were the original inhabitants of Alameda island.[2]

History

In 1867, the Alameda Park Tract was subdivided as a residential area for the rich. The center of Park Avenue included a 100-foot-wide and 1,200-foot-long oval park.[3] In 1894, after a multiyear effort to condemn the properties of absentee owners, the city gained title to land in the park. The park was established in 1895.[4] Originally named as Alameda Park, it was renamed Jackson Park in 1909 for President Andrew Jackson.[5]

Rename Jackson Park

In 2018, Alameda residents started a petition to rename Jackson Park due to Andrew Jackson's treatment of African and Native American peoples.[6] The City of Alameda Recreation and Park Commission did not act on the request to rename the park.[7]

In September 2020, after the police murder of George Floyd, the Commission and City Council unanimously voted to rename the park.[1]

Amenities

The park is a "passive park." There are no play structures, fields, or courts. It has benches, including the Clark Memorial Bench, and the bandstand; it is a tree-lined park.

Clark Memorial Bench

The park is the subject of local folklore. At one end of the park is a large concrete bench with a plaque ascribed to it: "In Memory of My Dumb Friends." Although many believe the bench is a reference to the singer Jim Morrison, known to hang out and smoke when he lived in Alameda, the bench was a gift from Isabelle Clark in 1920, in honor of her husband.[8]

Bandstand

The bandstand was originally constructed in 1890. Residents replaced the bench in the early 2000s.

See also

• List of name changes due to the George Floyd protests

References

1. "Timeline". Rename Jackson Park. June 29, 2020. Archived from the original on October 31, 2022.
2. "Alameda Changes Jackson Park To Chochenyo Park, Named After Language Of Ohlone Tribe". CBS News. January 20, 2021. Archived from the original on April 8, 2023. Retrieved January 27, 2021.
3. "History of place formerly known as Jackson Park". Alameda Sun. August 25, 2020. Retrieved September 30, 2020.
4. Casey, Laura (March 14, 2013). "Alameda's parks are its pride and joy". East Bay Times. Archived from the original on September 23, 2022.
5. Evanosky, Dennis; Jensen, Karin K. (October 30, 2023). "What's in a Name: Chochenyo Park". Alameda Post. Archived from the original on December 27, 2023. Retrieved May 18, 2024.
6. "Petition to rename Jackson Park". Rename Jackson Park (a campaign request). September 30, 2020. Archived from the original on December 1, 2023. Retrieved September 30, 2020.
7. Do, Lauren (April 18, 2018). "Marchin' on the Trail of Tears". Blogging Bayport Alameda (a post). Archived from the original on October 31, 2022. Retrieved June 14, 2020.
8. "Beloved Clark Bench Brought Back to Life". Alameda Sun. October 25, 2016. Retrieved June 14, 2020.

37°45′40″N 122°14′38″W