With the weather warming up, I thought now would be a great time for a deep dive into Lake Merritt (not literally!). First, this episode will explore the wild side of this body of water (which is technically a tidal estuary) with Constance Taylor, a naturalist with California Center for Natural History. Then, I’ll interview Children’s Fairyland director C.J. Hirschfield about the enchanting amusement park that’s been entertaining families on the shores of Lake Merritt since 1950. Listen now to hear about the origin of the lake’s geodesic dome, the real story behind Walt Disney’s “inspiration,” and much more. 

If you enjoy the episode, please support East Bay Yesterday: https://www.patreon.com/eastbayyesterday

To see photos related to this episode: https://eastbayyesterday.com/

To learn more about California Center for Natural History: https://calnature.org/

To learn more about Children’s Fairyland: https://fairyland.org/

EBY Q&A: Exploring Lake Merritt and Children’s Fairyland

East Bay history podcast that gathers, shares & celebrate stories from Oakland, Berkeley, Richmond and other towns throughout Alameda and Contra Costa Counties.