Oakland History
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Oakland, named by Horace W. Carpentier, was named for the oak trees lining its grassy coastal plain. Oakland was officially founded in 1852. In the immediate years prior to Oakland being officially founded, it was farmland leased to a man by the name of Moses Chase. Moses Chase developed this farm land and in doing so, founded the city of Clinton, California. (Clinton was later named Brooklyn). In 1851 that Horace W. Carpentier moved to Clinton and started a ferry service that extended across the San Francisco Bay from, (now named Brooklyn), and the city of San Francisco. Travel between the two points became more prevalent especially as Gold Rush Fever was overtaking California. Carpentier, seeing the success of his ferry service acquired the town site to the west of Brooklyn and named it Oakland. Brooklyn and Oakland were separated by a small river, which was bridged in 1853. In 1872 the two were united becoming the present day city of Oakland.
Oakland has a documented history that extends back 150 years, however the land was occupied long before Horace W. Carpentier ever started his ferry service or attained an official town site in 1852.
Native Americans have lived in the region for over 5,000 years.
The Spanish visited the area in the 1770’s and came to settle about 50 years later.
Asians, African Americans, and those of Eastern Europe came with the Gold Rush and put down their own roots.
Californian Indians had inhabited the land for 5,000 years, however it was in 1848 that California was recklessly invaded by successive waves of explorers, immigrants, would—be colonizers, including Spanish missionaries, Mexican and Californian rancheros, Russian hunters, and American trappers, traders, and farmers. It soon became difficult to know who was a Californian, however it was not difficult to know why they were there – Gold.
Each came to California hoping to change their lives, and just as important, their fortunes. It was on January 24, 1848 that James Marshall, hired by John Sutter to build a sawmill at a place the Maidu Indians called Coloma, spotted something shiny. He picked up several pieces and wondered if it was possible that it could really be gold. He smashed the shiny nuggets between two rocks watching them flatten rather than shatter. It was this small discovery that drastically changed California.
Word of the discovery spread quickly. Those already living in California were able to make fortunes in the matter of a few weeks. Gold nuggets were plentiful for the taking. California Indian Cultures did not place a higher value on gold than any other element of nature and therefore did not capitalize on the value of this precious resource.
Gold fever ran through the colonizers like an epidemic. News spread to other parts of the country and world more slowly. Letters and wild rumors eventually made their way back to the eastern United States and Europe, while trading ships carried word to Hawaii, China, Mexico, and Chile. When 220 ounces of gold were carried back to Washington D.C., President Polk confirmed the extraordinary rumors to Congress in December 1848 and the world quickly responded. Those that came from the eastern United states, Canada or Mexico chose to come by land. Many suffered as they crossed the continent came by foot. Others coming from around the world came by sea. As California flooded with people from around the world, the easy surface gold was quickly taken. Suddenly the streams were crowded, and the competition became stiff. Tensions, conflicts and discrimination/racism intensified.
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California found fortune in other ways than mining for Gold.
As numbers increased so did the growing need for goods and services.
Businesses sprang up over night, providing immigrants with housing, food,
transportation, banking services, mining equipment, and clothing just to name
the basics.
Downtown Oakland 1906 Looking toward downtown Oakland in the heart of the town of Brooklyn in 1906. Several of the buildings still stand, including the former home of Olander's Saloon, the second building on the left side of the street. This street was earlier known as Washington Street. |
As California grew in diversity
questions of who was considered a citizen were raised.
Although the Constitution was a bilingual document, the rights of
Californios, and most other people of color in California were severely
challenged. California’s native
people were among those who had no rights at all and were the target of many
discriminatory laws and acts of violence.
Diversity in Schools The Brooklyn Colored School in 1870. The school served the children from the town of Brooklyn, located east of Lake Merritt, and Oakland from 1867 to 1871. Schools in Brooklyn and Oakland were integrated in 1872. |
As the populations grew, so did its need for society and culture. Entertainment of many kinds emerged. Musicians traveled to mining camps. Canvas theaters were erected, and larger halls and grand theaters opened in the cities. The Parkway Theater Still a great, thriving
independent theater offering pizza, beer, wine and other great foods
served while the movie is playing. Furnished with couches, end tables and
comfy chairs, plus some great Egyptian Revival decor in the main theater. |
The Transcontinental Railroad The transcontinental railroad arrived in Oakland in 1869. To accommodate tired passengers, the area near the station at 7th Street and Broadway grew into Oakland's first shopping district. Washington Street just around the corner from the station, included both hotels and shopping. Oakland's fourth City Hall presides over the street in this 1888 photo. |
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In
1906 Oakland opened its first harbor.
Life Along the Bay An early 20th century building boom stretched from downtown to Lake Merritt and beyond. The flavor of the lake changed from rural to urban with the exodus from the Peninsula caused by the Great San Francisco Earthquake and Fire in 1906. |
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Spanning the Bay In 1836 a bridge 8.25
miles long was erected spanning from the Oakland bay area to San Francisco.
Military and naval installations were built in the 1940’s; together
with the construction of the bridge, expansion and industrial growth have
continued to the present day. |
Since the influx of people into California that the
gold rush brought, other worldwide rushes to California have occurred
involving agriculture, oil, real estate, motion pictures, military industry, and
computers. California has became
the nation’s industrial, agricultural, and population leader.
Created for Political Science 350: Group and Minority Politics @ University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire
Email our Professor: Rodd Freitag
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