Acme Ambulance - Oakland

from 1967 directory ¹

Acme Ambulance was a long-time ambulance company, headquartered at 3242 Grove St. (now MLK Jr. Way). It was founded by Charles L. Reardon in 1923. ^1,7 It was around in Oakland until at least the late 1980s.

c.1918, Charles Reardon worked for White Coupe Ambulance at 1562 Franklin. There was a different Acme Ambulance Co. next door at 1560 Franklin at that time. No connection has been found between that Acme and this Acme, but it's probably where Reardon got the idea for the name. By the 1919 directory White Coupe and Acme had both moved to 3479 Piedmont Ave.

1918 directory ad ⁹

The 1924 and 1928 directories list Reardon as an "auto operator" with a business at 461 - 34th St., on the north side of Pill Hill. ⁸

In 1930, it was at 3870 Grove, where Reardon lived with his sister Teresa, and another ambulance attendant, Francis I. Guye. Some time between 1930 and 1935, Teresa Reardon married Francis Guye.

The company was at 3242 from at least 1935, when it was run by Reardon and and his then brother-in-law Guye. ⁵ In 1959, Charles Reardon and his sister Teresa Reardon (Guye) formally took over from Francis Guye who died in 1958. ³ Reardon and the Guyes share a grave at Holy Sepulchre Cemetery in Hayward. ⁶

In 1966, Henry B. Gooch took over from Teresa Guye who died in 1965. ⁴ c.1967 it was owned by Gooch and managed by Bruce Robinson. They also owned and managed Western Ambulance from the same address, and an ad also mentions Berkeley Ambulance. ¹

By 1974 the companies had been combined into Acme Western Ambulance. ²

1967 directory ad