| West Berkeley Shellmound | |
|---|---|
| Location | three blocks bounded by University Avenue, Hearst Avenue, I-880 and Fourth Street, Berkeley, California, U.S. |
| Coordinates | 37°52′04″N 122°18′06″W / 37.8679°N 122.3018°W |
| Founded | ca. 3700 B.C.E., Chochenyo people |
| Designated | February 7, 2000 |
| Reference no. | 228[1] |
The West Berkeley Shellmound, in West Berkeley, California, sits at the site of the earliest known habitation in the San Francisco Bay Area, a village of the Ohlone people on the banks of Strawberry Creek. The shellmound, or midden, was used for both burials and ceremonial purposes, and was a repository for shells, ritual objects, and ceremonial items. It is listed as a Berkeley Landmark. Part of the site was paved in the twentieth century and for many years was a restaurant parking lot. In the 21st century, the lot was acquired by a developer, but development plans were stalled by the City of Berkeley and local Native American activists. In 2024 an agreement was reached for the land to be returned to the Ohlone, facilitated by a gift to the Sogorea Te' Land Trust, which will pay the majority of the acquisition cost, with the city paying the remainder. An artificial mound covered with vegetation and housing an educational and memorial center is planned.