History of Oakland

Oakland has a varied history, from the Huchiun Tribe to Spanish explorers and there have been a number of booms and depressions since it was officially founded in 1852.

Early history

The earliest known communities in the Oakland area were the Huchiun tribe, who lived around Lake Merritt and Temescal Creek. In the late 18th century all of California was claimed by Spanish explorers, for the king of Spain. In the area that is today downtown Oakland, there was a large wood of oak trees, the origins of the citys name. By the mid 19th century the area was opened up for settlement by American settlers, loggers, and fur-traders, and on May 4th 1852 the California state legislature incorporated the town of Oakland.

Boom years

The late 19th and early 20th century saw great development in Oakland, with Oakland becoming a major railway hub, the Port of Oakland being established and the construction of cable cars all during the late 1800s. The early 20th century saw a population explosion in 1906, due to fire and earthquakes in San Francisco, and by 1920 Oakland ship building and the automobile industry had taken off, with Chevrolet, among others, opening a plant. The 1920s saw an economic boom throughout California, and Oakland continued to expand and develop.

Post war depression

During WWII the Oakland area saw continued prosperity with many war-related industries based in the area, and a large number of labourers, many of whom were African Americans, were attracted to Oakland. Good times were short-lived, however, and soon after the war the shipbuilding and automobile industries all but disappeared, and many of the citys wealthy residents moved out. The result was that by the late 1960s a once prosperous city was experiencing increasing poverty. Crime rates in the city increased, the citys government recruited white policeman from the deep South and racial tensions in the city grew.

Modern Oakland

During the 1980s and 1990s Oakland was a centre for rap music with a number of significant artists coming from the city, and in other music genres Green Day and En Vogue also came from Oakland. The earthquake in the greater San Francisco area in 1989 caused serious damage to some buildings in Oakland, and this was followed by a long period of adjustments to buildings to ensure they can better withstand earthquakes.

Oakland suffered further misery with a large fire in the Oakland Hills in 1991, with damage estimated at a staggering $1.5billion. Oakland today continues to have its ups and downs economically, but recent development plans hope to change that insecurity.