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Oak tree Farm
The Cohen Bray House is the oldest surviving house on the original 200 acres owned by Watson Augustus Bray in this part of the Fruitvale neighborhood. The area has witnessed the growth and loss of these grand houses through time.
click on each photo or map for more info
1878 map of Bray and Cohen home locations
1878 map shows the southeast end of Alameda before San Antonio Creek was dredged through the Cohen property to become an island. The thick red line is between Oakland and Alameda.
The 200 acres of Bray properties are shown above that.
The 200 acres of Bray properties are shown above that.
1885 map of the Oak Tree Farm property
Oak Tree Farm boundries with current street names. the red star is the W.A. Bray Homestead. This lettered map was created when Bray had to sell all 200 acres he had accrued because two employees embezzled from his business
Colorized drawings of the Bray Estate
Beautiful house and grounds, with trees, lawn and a carriage going west down 29th Ave.
Grand estates in the Fruitvale neighborhood before it was incorporated into the City of Oakland in 1909.
Three houses with arrows showing where they were located. The Harub Estate, the Bray Estate and Captain Cumming's house in 1878 .
1885 Bray homestead property map
Map showing the garden with the heart where the Cohen Bray House would be built in 1882-1884.
Oak Tree Farm- Bray Homestead
Photograph of the Bray Estate built in 1858. Tall trees line the driveway and there is a large fountain in front of the house.
Description of Oak Tree Farm Estate
This describes the Oak Tree Farm Estate and where the residence and buildings were situated.
Bray's OakTree farmstead buildings
Drawing shows the developed property around the Bray Estate, including the residence, orchards, barns and sheds. The Cohen Bray House is located where the asparagus patch used to be. Current street names are in red.
Julia Moses Bray
Julia Moses Bray, mother of Emma Bray Cohen.
Watson Augustus Bray
Watson Augustus Bray
Merchant and husband of Julia Moses Bray, father of Emma Bray Cohen
Merchant and husband of Julia Moses Bray, father of Emma Bray Cohen
Augustus and Edward Bray
Emma Bray's identical twin brothers. Born at Oak Tree Farm
Julia and Mary Bray, three years old
Identical twins Julia and Mary Bray. Mary died shortly after this photo.
Gravestone of Mary Bray
Mary died at three years old of a childhood disease. Headstone in Mountain View Cemetery.
Photo of Julia Bray
Julia Bray's photo is located in the dining room at the Cohen Bray House.
Emma, Gus, Ed, Julia and Howard
Bray siblings at the foot of the grand staircase in the Estate of Oak Tree Farm.
Mills Seminary photo
Emma Bray graduated from Mills Seminary in 1879 from the Music Department. Her sister Julia also graduated from there.
W.A. Bray was on the Board of Mills Seminary.
W.A. Bray was on the Board of Mills Seminary.
Emma Bray through the years
Emma as a socialite before her marriage.
Her wedding picture.
In her favorite wicker chair in her 80s and earlier in her 70s.
Her wedding picture.
In her favorite wicker chair in her 80s and earlier in her 70s.
Headstone for the Bray Family
Bray Headstone in the Mountain View Cemetery in Oakland.
Photo of the front of the Bray house and fountain
Photo taken in 1925 before it was divided into the lots you see today across the street from the Cohen Bray House.
1925 map with streets recognized today
property #11 is the Cohen Bray property location. The Bray property across the street divided into many parcels.
Julia Moses Bray with her youngest granddaughter Emelita.jpeg
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