I’ve been walking around downtown Palo Alto in the mornings for about 20 years. You would think by now I’d have seen everything.
Apparently not!
The other day, I walked past this brick building and noticed a little plaque on the wall:
“Decker Oaks Building — Renovated 1984.”
Of course, I had to stop and take a picture. Then my curiosity kicked in again: What is Decker Oaks? And what’s the story behind this building?
I did a little digging and discovered that the building actually dates back to 1925. So when it was renovated in 1984 by Dennis A. Levett and Roxy Rapp, it was already almost 60 years old.
And here’s something longtime Palo Alto residents might remember: Letter Perfect, the stationery and invitation store, was located here at 384 University Avenue for many years.
What I still haven’t figured out is my favorite part of the story:
Why is it called “Decker Oaks”?
Maybe someone who has lived in Palo Alto longer than I have knows the answer.
That’s what I love about my morning walks. I can walk down the same street hundreds of times, and then one morning I notice one little thing I’ve never noticed before.
There is always another Palo Alto story hiding in plain sight.
And now I’m curious—does anyone remember Decker Oaks or know where the name came from?
