A Day at the 16th St. Train Station
Walking into the 16th Street Train Station in Oakland, I had no idea what was waiting in the main hall. I mean, I’ve seen photos, but those don’t do this remarkable site any justice. As soon as I got through the baggage wing and walked through the dark corridor to the main doors, my stomach dropped, and I felt the tears welling up. I still, to this day, can’t seem to find the words for that feeling I get walking into such a beauty of a structure. Transcendence? A touch of the sublime? Aesthetic rapture? I’m not sure, but with every capture all I could do was let out a heavy sigh. Being in the station was a full on body experience.
And the best part of it all, was that I was given the privilege to explore it on my own, thanks to The Oakland Heritage Alliance (OHA). In partnership with Open Doors California, OHA opened up the station to the public on September 20th for the rare opportunity to look inside the 113-year old building. This was in continuation of a multi-decade effort to raise awareness toward OHA’s promotion of restoration against demolition by neglect. To learn more about OHA’s work to preserve the station and find out how you can support the group, all info can be found on their site here.
