Letters From Students Re Shellmound Development

8/16/2019 Letters From Students Re Shellmound Development

1/33

Berkeley City Council1900 Addison St.Berkeley, C 94 704Mayor Tom Bates

Dear Mayor Tom Bates,

Please don t do construction on top of the parking lot.t is on top of a shell mound which is a Native American

burial site. The people who checked said there was noremains, but that was the people who were doingconstruction on the parking lot. After that, people foundremains of Native Americans nearby. That is why I thinkyou should not do construction on the shellmound.

Sincerely,Owen Caldwell


2/33

Berkeley City Council1900 Addison St.

Berkeley CA 94704

Mayor Tom Bates

Dear Mayor Tom Bates

We need to preserve our culture by not doing construction over the human

remains. t is a part of our culture and we cannot forget our past. We have to beproud of our past we cannot cover it up. Imagine i he people three-hundred years

in the future get rid of our body s to build a hotel or a bowling alley or anything

like that. That would not be fair; that would be unfair. We are being unfair. We

discovered something new about our past and we are not going to throw it away.

Sincerely

Clementine Leonard


3/33

Berkeley City Cmmcil.

1900 Addison St.

Berkeley, CA 94704

Mayor Tom ates

Dear 1\iayor Tom Ba,tes,

1\Iy nan11 e is Alice Scovel, and I go to Thousan(lOaks Elementary in Berkeley.

At school 've rea.d an article about S p e r ~ e r strying to builtl another pa.rking lot, and ·while they werenllaking a new parking lot they fom1d bu.rnan remains ofOblones. \Ve also hear(l tha.t S 1 ~ e n g e r swants to keepbuilding the pa:rking lot.

I am ' Titing to you to not let Sponger's keepbuilding the parking lot because the shell IlllOlmds thatthey folmd are ve:ry :hnpo:rtant. N e uRay never seesom.ething like this ever again. \Ve need to Jl:rese:rve ourculture. I arn asking you to not let Sponger's keepbuilding that parlring lot.

Sincerely,

Alice Scovel


4/33


5/33

Landmarks Preservation Commission

Sally Zarrowitz, LPC Secretary

Land Use Planning Division

2120 Milvia Street

Berkeley CA 94 704

Dear Sally Zarrowitz,You need to stop people from building on this special ground. These burial

grounds are part of where we came from, they re part of our culture. We should

appreciate and cherish this place, not build some mall on top of it. Ok, imagine if

England destroyed Westminster Abbey because they wanted to build mall over it.

Or this, Italy destroying the Pantheon because they wanted to build a fewrestaurants, or maybe a clothing store. REALLY I think you should stop

building on this ground because it s part of where we ve come from.

Sincerely,

Juniper


6/33

Landmarks Preservation CommissionSally Zarrowits, LPC SecretaryLand Use Planning Division2120 Milvia Street

BerkeleyC

94 704

Dear Sally Zarrowits,I think that for you to let them keep building on remains of people

from hundreds of years ago is selfish. Just imagine, would you plow downa cemetery plot? No, I didn't think so. This is practically the same thing. Iunderstand they were already working on this, but you have foundremains of people What if in the future other people were working onsomething nd they found your body remains? Would you want them tokeep working? I know I wouldn't. We have to remember these people, it'snot fair to our community. I'm sure many people around Berkeley wouldlove to come and remember these people. So with that, I think that youshould stop letting these workers build on top of this sacred burial ground.(It's just not the best idea).

Sincerely,Jordan


7/33

Landmarks Preservation Commision

Sally Zarnowitz LPC Sec

Land Use Planning Division

2120 Milvia StreetBerkeley, C 94 707

Around the topic ofthe native american remains found near "Spenger's", I think you

should put the construction to a halt until it is given the "Okay'' from native americans

it may concern. I also think you should stop the construction because both of them are

historical sites. Spenger's has been around for more than one hundred years and this

burial site has been there for thousandsof

years. We should leave i t the way it is rightnow and preserve both. So don't bulldoze Spenger's, and don't destroy the

shellmound. I also still havn't tried Spenger's Fish Grotto

Sincerely,Leon Freitas


8/33

Berkeley City CouncilSally Samowitz. LPC SecretaryLand Use Planning Division2120 Milvia Street

Berkeley, C 94 704

Dear Berkeley City Council,

I think that you shouldn t destroy the shell mound tobuild something over it And please don t destroy theshell mound because it is part of our history and theOhlone made it And it is a sacred burial ground thatshouldn t be disturbed.

Sincerely,Angel


9/33

Berkeley City Council19 Addison St,Berkeley, C 947 4Mayor Tom Bates

Please don t build a parking lot over the native american shell mound. Youwouldn t see someone building a parking lot over a graveyard. They deserve to rest inpeace. Also i you haven t dug them these last thousand years, I suggest you not digthem up now.

Maybe i you don t agree with me you could have a vote amongst yourselves. tis important that those bodies stay where they are. Please consider my letter .

Sincerely,Maia K


10/33

BERKELEY CITY C o u N C I L

1 9 0 0 ADDISON S T

BERKELEY C A 9 7 4

MAYoR T o M BATES

DEAR MAYoR T o M BATEs,

MAY 4TH 2016

M Y NAME IS CoRALIE HALL AND Go TO T H o u s A N D OAKs ELEMENTARY ScHOOL. Y o u

PROBABLY HEARD ABOUT A SHELLMOUND NEAR SPENGER S RESTAURANT. T H E BODIES OF

0 H L O N E PEOPLE WERE FOUND, BURIED IN THE LAND WHERE THEY WERE DIGGING FOR A NEW

PARKING LOT AND HOTEL FOR SPENGER S. A f T E R THIS W S FOUND T H E WORKERS DIDN T WANT

TO STOP DIGGING.

Wo U L D YOU LIKE YOUR GRAVEYARD TO BE DUG UP AND BUILT ON TOP OF? N E I T H E R

WOULD THE 0 H L O N E . S o WHY ARE WE GOING TO DO THAT TO THEM? A SHELLMOUND IS A

SACRED BURIAL PLACE AND WE WANT TO PLOW THROUGH IT WITH JACKHAMMERS AND CEMENT?

THINK YOU SHOULD NOT BUILD ON TOP OF IT.

DIGGING IT UP WOULD BE KILLING THE ANCESTORS OF THE OHLONES.

SINCERELY,

CoRALIE HALL

AGE 10 , FIFTH GRADE


11/33

Berkeley City Council1900 Addison St.Berkeley C 94704Mayor Tom Bates

Dear Tom Bates

Imagine one of your close friend has ust passed away and youdecided to bury him or her at burial grounds. Thousands of years laterSome random strangers decide to dig up your friends grave and todisturb their ourney through time and space.would you like yourjourney to be stopped?

Near Spanglers parking lot construction workers have foundhuman remains from a native american shell mound. Should theykeep digging? I don t think so. t s amazing that they found somethingso old and sacred. We should make something special from it.

I think that we should cover all bodys up again and leave them asthey are. Since i t would be cruel to disturb someone resting in peace.

Sincerely

Miriam


12/33

Landmarks Preservation Commiss ionSally Zarnowitz, LPC SecretaryLand Use Planning Division2120 Milvia StreetBerkeley, C 947 7

Dear Sally Zarnowitz,I think that this Shellmound is an important part of Native American History. t should not

be destroyed, but rather preserved as a proud reminder of our local history. f people think that itdoesn t matter, that what do we care, that we should tell them that if they destroy this shellmound, then they are destroying their history, and the last remains of the people buried there.Thank you.

Sincerely,Max


13/33

Berkeley City Council1900 Addison WayBerkeley, CA 94 704Mayor Tom Bates

Dear Tom Bates,

You are reading this letter because a very important issue has come up. Ohloneshell mounds and a burial site were found on Fourth Street by Spenger's. These werefound in a parking lot.

We need to conserve history, and save these shell mounds. Construction workersdiscovered the shell mounds , and they want to destroy them to continue their work.Burial sites and shell mounds help everyone learn about the Native Americans that lived

in this area.What you could do, is you could make the area into a park, so people could look atthe shell mounds without touching them. There could be a learning center where peoplecould learn about the Ohlone.

Please consider doing something about this important issue, and make sure thatthe shell mounds and burial site are not destroyed.

Thank youSincerely,

Elie


14/33

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15/33

Berkeley ibJ Cmmci1900 tlddiMmSt.Berkeley Ctl9lf7 lfM UJM Tom 1Jale4

Dear Mayor o m Bates,

There has l?een controversy over the new redevelopment

project ever since they .{:ound shellmound n the site, and I m w r i t i n ~

this to tell you to not .{:urther dest roy the shellmound.

You should not des t roy i t l?ecaw::;e it s essentially just l ? u l l d o z i n ~~ r a v e y a r dand nol?ody wants that. A l t h o u ~ h ,we should not des t roy

s p e n ~ e r s ,i ts ~ o o drestraunt .

Sincerely,

Ezra


16/33

13erlteWJ CityCmutcil1900 ilddi m St13erlteWJ Ci19lf70lfMCUJM Tom 13ate J

Dear Mayor o m B a t e ~

There h a ~l?een c o n t r o v e r ~ yover the new redevelopment

projec t ever ~ i n c ethey .(:ound ~ h e l l m o u n dn the ~ i t e ,and I m w r i t i n ~t h i ~to tell you to not . :urther d e ~ t r o ythe ~ h e l l m o u n d .

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~ r a v e y a r dand nol?ody

w a n t ~that.

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Sincerely,

Ezra


17/33

Berkeley City Council1900 Addison St,Berkeley, CA 94 704Mayor Tom Bates

Dear Mayor Tom Bates

Thank you for all that you have done but, I have an inquiry about one of your latestactions.

As you know, a shellmound is a burial places for the dead Native Americans. That meansthat people who loved and cared about others are buried there to rest in peace. But, if the shellmound is dug up then they will not be able to any longer and further still, all the traces of them willbe gone. Their descendants will no longer have their ancestors that were buried there in theirsacred burial place. t is true that they had not even known that their ancestors had been buried

there, but now that they do know that, it will probably be much harder for them to see thethousand year old bodies being dug up in their own area

I have some suggestions of how to go about this. Perhaps, you could have a vote amongthe Native Americans or Ohlone, and see what they would like. Also, perhaps, you could make itinto a park to be visited so that everyone will become less naive to the fact that there were onceNative Americans living here would help people for future generations to understand what ourhistory is and to respect it.

I am grateful for your reading this letter and listening to my concerns. Please understand

why I have addressed you and make a decision that you will never regret, nor anyone else in thefuture.

Sincerely,Emily


18/33

Berke ley C i t y Counc i l1 9 0 0 A d d i s o n S t .Berkeley C A 9 4 7 0 4M a y o r- To m Bates

D e a r M a y o r To m Bates

M a y 5 2 0 1 6

M y name is Van na Higueros a n d g o t o T h o u s a n d OaksElemen ta ry S c h o o l a n d o u r c la s s has read a b o u t t h e humanremains o n F o u r th S t r e e t and a b o u t h o w t he re is a p lan t obui ld a huge f lve s t o r y a p a r t m e n t bui ld ing o n t o p o P t h eremains o P t h e anc ien t Ohlone t r ibes . Wo u l d y o u w a n t t obui ld o n t o p o P o u r anc ien t h i s t o r y ? Please preserve t hese

t h e remains a n d p u t t h e m in a m u s e u m where t h e y belong.

Sincere ly

Yanina Lauryn i ~ u e r o s


19/33

Berkeley City Council

1900 Addison St

Mayor Tom Bates

May 4 4 2016

Dear Tom Bates

In class we are learning that over near Spenger s and the Shell

mounds they have been building a parking lot. People were saying before

they started building, that they should check for native american remains.

The people who checked for bones, said there was no bones, whatsoever. So

they started construct ion. Later people found remains of Natives. So what

we want to do is stop building the parking lot and use the found remains for

science resources. Leave the rest because it s a scared to natives and we

will keep on building and eventual ly this will all be lost.

Sincerely,

Harrison Germick


20/33

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21/33

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22/33

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23/33


24/33

Dear Mayor Bates,

Berkeley City Council1900 Addison St.

Berkeley, C 94 704Mayor Tom Bates

As you may know, in the parking lot across from Spenger's, the construction workers havefound a large shellmound and human remains (bones). Some people think that we should justdestroy the shellmound, but I along with the students in my class think that we shouldn't destroy theshellmound. We need to preserve these things so that we can study them, and people should beable to see this shellmound to learn about the Native American's lives. Before they discoveredthese things, the construction workers were going to build a mall where the parking lot is. Now, theyhave stopped all work on this parking lot.

Do you want some history to be built over? The construction workers will pour cement overthe shellmound and bones, and in a few years, we'll be shopping at a mall down by Spenger's,say ing, Did you know that there was a shellmound under here a few years ago? It's actually stillthere, but it is covered in cement. I wish it hadn't been covered up.

So, after alii have said, will you help to preserve the remains of Native Americans and theirshells? Will you help to save our history? Will you save the shellmound and bones for science andlearning? If you save these things, then in a few years, instead of standing in a mall, we could bestanding in front of a huge shellmound, and next to it there could be a case with ancient bones in it.There could be classes walking around it on field trips. Don't you want students to be able to learnmore about our city's past?

I hope this letter has helped you with your decision on what to do with these historical items. Iunderstand if you have to make a decision that doesn't agree with this letter.

Sincerely,Isabelle Hudson

Age 11


25/33


1900 Addison street

Berkeley , CA 94 704

Mayor Tom Bates

Dear Mr. Bates,

May 2nd, 2016

I 'm sure a t some point you've been notified of the big shellmound discovered near

Spenger's seafood restaurant. The Ancient burial grounds were discovered while digging for

a parking lot/hotel across from the popular seafood hot spot. When the shellmound was

found, the architects dismissed i t , and wanted to continue digging. This would have

completely destroyed the shellmound.

Andy Galvan, a local Native Ohlone said A shellmound is not only a sacred burial

ground, but also a habi ta t ion site." Digging th is place up would be severing the last ties

tha t the people who were buried there had to earth. "Meanwhile, the construction is being

suspended, ' city spokesperson, Matthai Chakko said, while i t continues outside the area of

the shellmound' . I believe tha t you should put a stop to this. Think about i t .

How would y u feel if the graveyard y ur ancestors were buried in was going to be

torn up? t would feel l ike they were being disrespected. And to th ink tha t they want to do

i t jus t for a big parking lo t or hotel tha t would give Spenger's more business This is not

okay. We are disturbing the last place tha t these people will rest, and are trying to destroy

i t for our own sake. The sad th ing is tha t f his si tuation was opposite, the Ohlone people

would probably not t ry to do this to us.

The Native American culture has always been based on nature and respect to all

things. Our culture has been mostly about earning money,and other things. But is this

more important tha t people jus t l ike us, who want a peaceful place for the i r ancestors to

rest? This is something you need to save, and everyone needs to pitch in.

Thank you,

Ana Westland-Hurwitz

Age 11, fifth grade


26/33


27/33

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28/33

Berkeley City Council1900 Addison St,Berkeley, C 94704Mayor Tom Bates

Dear Mayor Tom Bates,

Thank you for all that you have done but, I have an inquiry about one of your latestactions.

As you know, a shellmound is a burial places for the dead Native Americans. That meansthat people who loved and cared about others are buried there to rest in peace. But, if the shellmound is dug up then they will not be able to any longer and further still, all the traces of them willbe gone. Their descendants will no longer have their ancestors that were buried there in theirsacred burial place. It is true that they had not even known that their ancestors had been buried

there, but now that they do know that, it will probably be much harder for them to see thethousand year old bodies being dug up in their own area

I have some suggestions of how to go about this. Perhaps, you could have a vote amongthe Native Americans or Ohlone, and see what they would like. Also, perhaps, you could make itinto a park to be visited so that everyone will become less naive to the fact that there were onceNative Americans living here would help people for future generations to understand what ourhistory is and to respect it

I am grateful for your reading this letter and listening to my concerns. Please understand

why I have addressed you and make a decision that you will never regret, nor anyone else in thefuture.

Sincerely,Emily


29/33

Berkeley City Council1900 Addison St.Berkeley, CA 9 ~ 1 ~

Hayor Tom Bates

Dear Hayor Tom Bates,

We deeply need to preserve our culture. We need to cherish the people whowere here before us. Ifwe were the Native Americans and the Native Americans were us they wouldsave, cherish, preserve, andtreasure the discovery of humans from over four hundred years ago. We need to forget the things that wewant to do and do the things that we need to do. We want to keep building. We nee to keep the shellmoundsafe and protected. Do you understand that this is a insanely old artifacts?? We need to keep it preservedand as perfect and maybe even more perfect than when we found it Think about it like this. WouldItalydestroy the colosseum? For a maU.? NoWhy should we destroy his or a maU.?? We should not Thankyoufor reading my letter.

Sincerely,

~ K ~ S r n d l


30/33


1900 Addison t

Berkeley CA 94704

Mayor Tom Bates

Dear Mr Mayor

y Name is Heulwen Davies. I m a s tudent a t ThousandOaks Elementary .I am writing this le t te r to tell you about

the shell mounds t ha t were found by construct ion workersat the parking lot for Spenger s. I t s not right for ushumabeings to build a parking lot over our history wemight not see this ever again.Is Spengers really worthi t?Spenger s is a good res taurant but is not worth ourhistory.

Sincerely,

Heulwen Davies


31/33

CJ3erkg{eyCity Counci{

1900 jlddison St.

CJ3erkg{ey,CJL94704

:Mayor CJ omCJ3ates

(])ear :Mayor CJ omCJ3ates,

:May 3, 2 16

I think_that you shou{djust {eave the she{{mounda{one and orget

a6out whatever 6ui{ding was going to go there:(CJ hat is aWS TOCRICJl£ SI'TP. rr his is a{{we have {ejt of he Oh{one.If ou want to 6ui{d something there, CBui{da PJf_(R1( Or you cou{d

move the she{{moundif hat s possi6{e

Sincere{y,

Plise


32/33

Landmarks Preservation CommisionSally Zarnowitz, LPC Secretary

Land Use Planning Division2120 Milvia StreetBerkeley, CA 94 7045 "3-ICO

Dear L a n d m a r k ~P r e ~ e r v a t i o n C o m m i ~ i o n

I think that you ~ h o u l dj u ~ tleave the r e m a i n ~where they are.

The S h e l l - m o u n d ~~ h o u l d~ t a ywhere they are l ? e c a u ~ ethey re h i ~ t o r y

That place 12_ HISTORICAL SITE

1 {: you want to do a n y t h i n ~, j u ~ tmake park round the ~ i t eor,~ 9 leave But .. t h a t ' ~the limit. You ~ h o u l d n ' tmove the ~ h e l lm o u n d ~

o t h e r w i ~ ethere will, l?e no h i ~ t o r y .No one will ever rememl?er aboutthe ~ h e l lmound. Then there will never be Shell mound h i ~ t o r yin

berkeley.

So i.{: you want to build a n y t h i n ~ ,then you ~ h o u l dbuild PARk,round it . But t h a t ~ ,Mt m Limit.

Sincerely,

katelyn


33/33

Dear Landmarks Preservation Commision

Landmarks Preservation CommisionSally Zamowitz, LPC Secretary

Land Use Planning Division2120 Milvia Street

Berkeley CA, 94704

I am writing to inform you o my opinion about construction digging on fourth street. I think that thereshould be no more digging for construction on fourth street. There seems to be a shellmmmd which is asacred burial site as well as a habitation site. his is important because shell mounds are rare and wedon t want to be building on history as more people come to this world. Again I believe that thereshould be no more construction digging because there may be a shellmound.

Sincere]yJulian

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Letters From Students Re Shellmound Development

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