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There’s a fire station in the East Bay, on Meekland Avenue, with a mosaic depicting big homes in a pastoral landscape. It evokes a time long ago when this area, the stretch of the East Bay flats sandwiched between San Leandro and Hayward, was known for its orchards. A local artist named David Burke created the mosaic.
When the artist’s friend, Sam Hopkins, learned about the project at the Cherryland Fire Station, he remembered slogging through traffic on the 238 connector between I-580 and I-880 and seeing somewhat mystifying signs that said “entering Cherryland” and “entering Ashland.” He thought to himself, “Where’s Cherryland?” When Hopkins finally stopped by to see his friend’s work at the single-engine fire station, he noticed something. “It says Alameda County Fire Department,” he said…