Carlos Bee: The Man Behind the Park
photo by Linda Sandsmark
Carlos Bee Park in Castro Valley is named after a local politician who passed away 50 years ago.
Fifty years ago, our energetic local congressman, Carlos Bee, passed away at 57. A park in Castro Valley on Grove Way honors his memory, though he also made his mark in Hayward. Students at California State University, East Bay (formerly Cal State Hayward) will recognize Carlos Bee Boulevard as one of the main roads to the university.
Carlos Bee began his career as a high school teacher in Hayward before being elected Mayor of Hayward from 1952-54. Rising quickly in politics, he was elected to the California Assembly in 1954 and sworn in in 1955.
In 1957, Bee authored a bill to establish a California State College at Hayward—a new idea at the time. The new college opened its doors to some 300 students in 1959. (Back then, it was known as the State College for Alameda County.) A dorm there, Carlos Bee Hall, was named after him.
Carlos Bee went on to become Speaker Pro Tempore of the California State Assembly for many years. Unfortunately, a few weeks after winning re-election in November 1974, he suddenly passed away in Texas.
A 1975 article in the Hayward Daily Review stated that Hayward Area Recreation and Parks District (HARD) Director Douglas Morrisson proposed naming a parcel of parkland after Bee. The park, at 1905 Grove Way, opened officially in 1980.
The Carlos Bee Park property was once the estate of a local builder named Earl N. Warren, Jr. (This man does not appear to be related to former California Governor/Chief Justice Earl Warren, for whom another park is named off Crow Canyon Road.)
Carlos Bee’s daughter, Carla Bee, who lives in Chico, said she hadn’t been aware that a park here was named after her father. However, she knew about Carlos Bee Boulevard and the dorm.
“I had no idea the park was there,” she says. “I came back to Hayward for a funeral in 2016 and saw it for the first time then. I was aware that a long time ago, Castro Valley was in my father’s Assembly district, so I’m glad there’s that acknowledgment. It’s a very nice park, and when I went there, I encountered people who said they love it.”
Carla Bee says that the Bee family has a long history in politics.
“A lot of our ancestors were politicians going way back. There’s a letter from George Washington in the family archives. My father was born in Berkeley, but much of his family was from Texas. His father had been a representative there, and there’s even a city called Beeville, Texas.”
Carlos Bee Park has a playground, creek, restrooms, picnic tables, barbecues, and a sheltered area. Parking is somewhat limited. The picnic area may be reserved through HARD at (510) 881-6700.
This is a series of articles by the Castro Valley Forum to spotlight our region's rich history. If you have a suggestion for a story, send us a message. https://mycvforum.com/contact-us