THRAEMOOR NEIGHBORHOOD HISTORY

How did our neighborhood come to be?

During the late 19th and early 20th centuries, a ridge about a mile north of Bear Creek was home to a mix of farmland, a cluster of summer cabins, and the summer residence of the famous Molly Brown.

For much of the 19th and 20th centuries, Dr. DeWitt lived in the first major house built in the area, known locally as "the Mansion." He farmed the surrounding land, including what is now Lakewood Estates to the south, before eventually selling it.

The next significant residents were the Chappells, who named their estate "Thrae," a name that would later inspire the neighborhood's current name. They eventually sold their home to the Harvey family, who played a role in developing Harvey Park.

In the early 1960s, resident Pete Harrington sold 90 acres to a group of neighbors from the private road section of the community. They partnered with a company to develop the property extending east to Sheridan, naming the area "Thraemoor," derived from a Gaelic word meaning "house on a sunny hill."

Originally, Thraemoor was planned as a neighborhood of single-story, single-family homes stretching westward from Sheridan to Gray Court. A few years later, zoning changes permitted two-story homes in certain locations.

In 1972, the Thraemoor Homeowners Association was formed to address issues of mutual interest. This period saw the addition of the central island and curved stone decorative walls at the main entrance off Sheridan. The group also negotiated with the Alameda Water and Sanitation District to secure irrigation for the neighborhood.

Today, the Thraemoor Board of Directors, composed of elected volunteers serving one-year terms, is responsible for developing and maintaining policies that affect the residents of Thraemoor.