California Memorial Stadium
National Register of Historic Places

California Memorial Stadium

Berkeley, Alameda County, California
Listed
November 27, 2006
Type
Structure
Period
Civil War
Ref No.
06001086

About this property

California Memorial Stadium (also known simply and commonly as Memorial Stadium or CMS) is an outdoor college football stadium located on the campus of the University of California, Berkeley. It is the home field for the California Golden Bears of the Atlantic Coast Conference. Opened in 1923, the venue currently seats around 63,000 for football; its playing field runs northwest to southeast at an approximate elevation of 410 feet (125 m) above sea level. It has been named one of the top college football stadiums by various publications, and it was listed on the U.S. National Register of Historic Places on November 27, 2006. Memorial Stadium was funded from public contributions, as a memorial to Californians who lost their lives in World War I (1917–18). The chair of the architectural committee was John Galen Howard, the university's chief architect, and his influence is evident in the stadium's neoclassical motif. In addition to its unique architecture, the stadium's position at the foot of the Berkeley Hills provides top row spectators with panoramic views of San Francisco Bay and west side viewers with views of the Berkeley Hills and Strawberry Canyon. This has earned it a reputation as one of the most scenic venues in college football. Traditionally, during all football games and especially during the Big Game against Stanford, the hill overlooking the eastern side of Memorial Stadium attracts spectators hoping to watch a game for free, earning the nickname "Tightwad Hill".

Location

Berkeley, Alameda County, California
37.87129, -122.25152

Categories

ARCHITECTUREENGINEERING
National Register nomination ›
Sources

Property data from the National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service (public domain).

Description adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

Unlimited access

Everything a full report reveals about California Memorial Stadium

This page lists California Memorial Stadium. A full Aubrey report for an address near it pulls together this listing alongside battlefield records, land patents, and every other historical record within a chosen radius:

Overview
An interactive map of the location with historic sites, battles and Native heritage plotted, and its full story era by era.
The Land
The historic sites and place names around the location, and how this land was settled and used.
Geology
The bedrock beneath the site, its age and rock type, reaching back millions of years.
LiDAR Terrain
Laser-scanned terrain that reveals earthworks and old features hidden in the landscape.
Conflict & War
The battles, raids and skirmishes fought near here, across every era of American conflict.
The Civil War
The Civil War on this ground, 1861 to 1865: who held it, and the battles, camps and regiments nearby.
The Soldiers
The men who marched from here in the Civil War, named and traced where the record allows.
Native Heritage
The Native nations who held this land, mapped across time from before European contact to today.
Settlement
Who claimed and held this ground, from Indigenous homelands through the colonial powers to the United States.
The Community
How the town grew, who came, and what kind of place it became, traced through the census record.
Rivers & Rail
The rivers, canals and railroads that connected this place between 1830 and 1911.
Notable People
The people born, buried or genuinely tied to this exact place, with their stories.
Historical Maps
Historic maps of the location layered over how it looks today.
Finds & Access
Museum objects tied to the area, and the laws on searching, collecting and access here.
Literature
The old books, county histories and archives that mention this place, quoted with their sources.
Spotlight
A deep dive into the most remarkable, lesser-known history of the place, traced back to the record.
Points of Interest
The most significant historic sites and landmarks near the location, and why they matter.
Timeline
The whole story of the location told era by era, from first peoples to the present day.
First month just $5.99, then $11.99 a month. Unlimited locations, cancel anytime.

Every location is different. Not every section appears for every place, only what the historical record actually holds turns up in a report.

Start your California Memorial Stadium report
Or see a real report first

Nearby Historic Sites

Cowell Memorial Hospital
Industrial
0.1 mi
Bowles Hall
Industrial
0.1 mi
Girton Hall
Industrial
0.2 mi
Thorsen, William R., House
Industrial
0.2 mi
Havens, Weston, House
Industrial
0.2 mi

Questions about this property

When was California Memorial Stadium listed on the National Register?

California Memorial Stadium was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on November 27, 2006.

What type of historic resource is California Memorial Stadium?

California Memorial Stadium is classified as a structure in the National Register of Historic Places.

What is the period of significance for California Memorial Stadium?

The period of significance for California Memorial Stadium is recorded as the civil_war era.

Can I research the history near California Memorial Stadium?

Yes. Aubrey Research reports search National Register listings, battlefield records, land patents, and other primary historical sources within any radius of a US address. A report for an address near California Memorial Stadium will include this listing and all other historical records in the area.

More in Alameda County

Historic places, battles, and census history across Alameda County.

Explore AlamedaCounty ›

More historic places in California

Browse all historic places in California.

View Californiahistoric sites ›

Conflict records

Explore 19,000+ military engagements across American history.

Browse US conflicts ›

California history

Colonial settlement, territorial period, and statehood narrative.

Californiahistory ›

Research the history near this site

An Aubrey US report for an address near California Memorial Stadium will include this listing alongside battlefield records and other historical sources within your chosen radius.

Research your locationView a free sample report