Hiller Highlands - Oakland

Oakland Hills that would later become Hiller Highlands (1935)

Hiller Highlands was begun as a project by inventor Stanley Hiller, Sr. who wanted to demonstrate that single channel underground utilities could be effective. In an attempt to gain the interest of P. G.& E. in his invention, in the 1950s Hiller divided his hillside property into 27 lots with underground utilities. P. G. & E. refused to connect utilities to the lots so Hiller was unable to sell them until 1963.

Hiller Highlands developer Stanley Hiller, Sr.

Stanley Hiller's mansion remains and is now the main building for the private Bentley School lower and middle school campus located just west of the Hiller Highlands development.

The Hiller Highlands Homes Association was incorporated in 1960 with the first 28 houses. With the addition of more homes, the Hiller Highlands One Association through Hiller Highlands Six Association were added in 1966, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1977, and 1981.

The entire Hiller Highlands neighborhood was destroyed by the Oakland Firestorm of 1991 in a matter of minutes, and the neighborhood was somewhat reshaped when the townhomes were rebuilt after the fire.

View up Hiller Drive after 1991 Firestorm2015 view up Hiller Drive (from Grand View Drive)