by Cynthia Vrilakas Simons (Author)

Cherry festivals, Holy Ghost festas, oyster pirates, tractors, squatters, Portuguese--the many threads of San Leandro's past have woven a rich historical tapestry underlying the modern city of San Leandro. These 15 square miles between San Francisco Bay and the East Bay hills have been an Ohlone village, a Spanish rancho, a small farm town, the Portuguese capital of the West, an industrial center, and a major metropolitan suburb as a succession of new people has transformed the area.