Vicente Peralta received the area that is Oakland today. A large park in town keeps the Peralta name alive. In 1852, Horace W. Carpentier bought the land and named the settlement Oakland because of the large number of oak trees that grew there. Two years later, Carpentier made what many thought was an unfair deal. He bought the entire Oakland waterfront in exchange for agreeing to build three wharves and a schoolhouse. This led to the so-called battle of the waterfront," which ended in 1910, when Carpentier's descendants agreed to give up their ownership in exchange for long-term leases.

Its location on the bay makes Oakland a natural center of transportation. Shipbuilding and shipping, of lumber in particular, were two early industries. Several developments led to Oakland's growth. In 1852, a ferry line connected Oakland to San Francisco. In 1869, Oakland became the last stop of the first transcontinental railroad. Early in 1906, the San Francisco earthquake and fire drove thousands of people across the bay to Oakland. Many of them settled in the Oakland area. Today, the city has shipyards, chemical plants, glassworks, and food-processing factories. In May 2002, Forbes magazine judged Oakland the eighth-best place in the nation for business.

One of Oakland's unusual attractions is Lake Merritt, one of the largest saltwater lakes in the United States. It is located in the center of the city and includes beautiful parklands. The Lake Merritt Wild Duck Refuge was the nation's first official wildlife refuge. Other Oakland attractions include the Oakland Museum of California, the Western Aerospace Museum, the Museum of Children's Art, and the Oakland Zoo.

 

Oakland also has a symphony orchestra, a ballet company, a youth orchestra, and various institutions of higher learning. Sports fans follow the city's major-league baseball club, the Oakland Athletes; the Golden State Warriors of the National Basketball Association; and the Oakland Raiders of the National Football

Jack London Square is named for the late author who lived in Oakland. Located along the waterfront, it includes restaurants, shops, and entertainment. Tourists can visit the home of Joaquin Miller, the so-called "poet of the Sierras." Miller claimed he could not write without the sound of rain on the roof, so he had pipes installed to sprinkle water on the roof whenever he needed inspiration.

Oakland is located on the east side of San Francisco Bay. Once known only as a bedroom community of San Francisco, Oakland is today a major industrial center and port. It is the eighth-largest city in California, with a 2000 census population of 399,484.

In 1820, Luis Maria Peralta received a land grant from Spain for the entire East Bay area44,000 acres (17,800 hectares). He called his property Rancho San Antonio. It became one of the most important cattle ranches in the area. In 1842, Peralta divided the property among his four sons.

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