Once called the West End School and attended by famed author Jack London, today’s Longfellow School took its current name on Aug. 12, 1895.

The date coincided with the dedication of a magnificent new school building (right) at Pacific Avenue and Fifth Street. The leading local newspaper of the time, the Encinal, described the building as “a credit to the intelligence of our people” and “securing plenty of light and air.” 

The building was replaced with more modern facilities in 1942 that are still in use today as part of Alameda’s public school district.