August 10, 2025 | Walking Tour, Lantern Unveiling Draw Crowds

Friends and neighbors:

Saturday, Aug. 9, was a fun and fulfilling day for our organization and a few hundred members of the Berkeley community.

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First, FOFW led a walking tour of the Northbrae neighborhood where the Fountain at The Circle and Fountain Walk are its landmark centerpiece. It was our first public event since the beginning of the pandemic. Nearly 40 people joined the walk, which covered 1.5 miles and touched on various aspects of the area’s history, from the continuing presence of the Ohlone tribe to the development of Northbrae more than a century ago to the current debate over the need for higher-density housing.

At mid-day, FOFW helped sponsor another event: the unveiling of newly re-created bronze lanterns that now top the large stone pillars at the intersection of Hopkins Street and The Alameda.

About 150 people turned out to see blacksmith Jerry Coe uncover the solar-powered lanterns, replicas of the original lanterns designed by architect John Galen Howard that disappeared over the course of the past century. FOFW board member Charlie Wilson and project initiator Darrell Owens both addressed the crowd. You can find more about the lantern project here.

We hope to be able to organize another walking tour in the near future. Meantime, here are links to some of the materials that tour participants received: Northbrae history and tour area; sights along the route.

— Board of Directors, Friends of the Fountain and Walk