Quick El Cerrito History Test: Can You Pass?

How many questions can you answer in the "El Cerrito Historical Society’s July 4th 2011 Celebration Quiz," which was distributed at the city's July 4th festival? We'll publish the answers tomorrow, July 12.

 1. What were some of El Cerrito’s first farming businesses in the 1830’s and before?

□ Raising frogs         □ Raising cattle   

□ Growing wheat      □  Fishing  

2. The site of the current El Cerrito Plaza was a former what? Check all that apply.

□ Dog racing track             □ Speakeasy

□ Early Adobe and Rancho  □ Casino       

□ Ostrich racing                 □ Restaurant

□ Trailer park                     □ Drive in movie theater

3. When was the ground broken for the first El Cerrito Plaza?

□ 1925               □ 1943              □1958                 

4. What did the fourteenth Chief Justice of the United States Earl Warren have to do with El Cerrito history?

□ Wife was born in El Cerrito

□ Kicked off his 1946 gubernatorial campaign in El Cerrito’s Veterans’ Hall

□ Closed illegal gambling operations in El Cerrito

5. What was El Cerrito’s largest employer from the 1940’s to the 1960’s at the current DMV offices on Manila?

□ TEPCO      □ School district      □ Horse track

6.  The Chung Mei home for Chinese boys at 1800 Elm was in operation from when to when?

□ 1935 -1954     □ 1885-1903      □ 1920-1934

7.  When was the first Fairmont Elementary School opened?

□ 1917                □ 1903              □ 1923

8.  How many square miles is El Cerrito?

□ 5.1                   □ 7.2                 □ 3.9

9.  How many center line miles of streets are there in El Cerrito?

□ 57                    □ 68                  □ 82

 10.  When was the El Cerrito Historical Society founded?

□ 1919                □ 1957                □ 1974

11.  Are you a Historical Society member?

□ Yes!       □ No    Membership form on the table

Editor's Note: The Historical Society can be reached at elcerritohistoricalsociety@yahoo.com, or P.O. Box 304, El Cerrito, CA 94530. Its web page is www.elcerritowire.com/history.