— Darwin BondGraham

Was the Hells Angels founded in Oakland? What’s with those “monsters” lurking in Lake Merritt? Was there really a town of Brooklyn where the San Antonio neighborhood is today? And did MC Hammer actually buy a helicopter for the Oakland police? The Town’s history is cluttered with weird tales. Some are only myth, but some are true. Discerning fact from fiction is harder than you think, however, even with the internet. Fortunately, Oakland has several local lore experts who can clear the fog of history. Liam O’Donoghue, the producer of the East Bay Yesterday podcast, is hosting a fact-finding mission of sorts with Oakland librarians Dorothy Lazard and Kathleen DiGiovanni to untangle Oakland’s myths and legends. Asked about what might be up for discussion, O’Donoghue said, “I don’t want to give away too much, but I’m looking forward to digging into local lore on topics ranging from things that were allegedly invented in Oakland to unusual landmarks (such as that random windmill on Telegraph Ave.) to Oakland’s possible influence on pop culture icons like Star Wars and Disneyland.”