OUR HISTORY PRECEDES US...

Prepared by Richard Brandi and Woody LaBounty of the Western Neighborhoods Project, January 2010 LEARN MORE

The OMI is comprised of three unique smaller neighbor­hoods: Ocean View, Merced Heights, and Ingleside/Ingle­side Terraces. (Ingleside and Ingleside Terraces were once two separate neighborhoods, but are now treated as one neighborhood.)

The origin of each neighborhood is distinct and varied by time, social class, ethnicity, land use, and economic activity. Historically, each neighbor­hood developed separately.

Ocean View began to develop during the 1860s and saw mostly agricultural uses during the 19th century.

Merced Heights emerged as an island of African-American home ownership after World War II, uphill from earlier residential parks and apartment complexes that banned ownership or occupation by people of color.

Ingleside’s birth depended heavily on gambling and racing institutions in the late 19th century. Its growth as a working-class neighborhood only came after the end of those businesses. Ingleside Terraces developed as a “high-class residen­tial park” in the early 20th century with a master plan of curving thoroughfares and residential restrictions.