History of Oakland, California

Founded in 1852, Oakland is one of the most populous metropolitan area in the US. A major port on the western coast of the United States, Oakland houses different industries including the corporate giants like 'Clorox' and 'Kaiser Permanente'. Oakland was declared as the most diverse city in terms of various ethnic populations, along with Long Beach, California. Around 150 languages are spoken in the Oakland metropolitan area, which has the population of 397,067. The city is just eight miles away from San Francisco.

Early History of Oakland
The original inhabitants of the region were the tribal people known as Huchiun; they belonged to the Ohlone linguistic group. The Huchiun people are known to have populated the region around the Temescal Creek and Lake Meritt. Temescal Creek was an important source of water for these tribes.

The Spanish people conquered the region in 1772. A huge mass of land of 44,880 acres, 'Rancho San Antonio' was granted to Don Luis Maria Peralta by California's governor, Mr. Pablo Vincente de Sola. Peralta had served the Spanish army as a sergeant.

As per the Treaty of Guadalupe, Hidalgo, the Mexican government gave 525,000 square miles land to the US government in the year 1848. In return, the United States paid the Mexican government with $15 million.

Development
The Oakland region moved on to a fast track of development with the construction of railroads. The 'Oakland Long Wharf' proved to be instrumental in the rapid progress of Oakland. It also served as a terminal for the Transcontinental Railroad. Servicing facilities and yards for the railways developed in western Oakland. Latter half of the 19th century witnessed development in the field of cable cars and horsecars. The streetcar or tram service was started for the first time in the year 1891. The first streetcar ran between Oakland and Berkeley.

The Economic boom of 1920s saw a large number of industries setting up their plants in Oakland. Discovery of oil fields in Los Angeles further encouraged industrial growth in this region. General Motors established their 'Chevrolet' automobile plant in 1916.

The World War II
During the World War II, industries that manufactured war-related equipment moved to Oakland. A firm called 'Kaiser Shipyards' manufactured medical system for those who worked in shipyards. The canning industry too witnessed a tremendous amount of growth raising its market value to $100 million in the year 1943.

Oakland Post World War II
The industrial development which took place rapidly before and during the World war II, however, slowed down later on. The city was not able to sustain the huge number of people who had migrated before the war. Wealthy industrialists moved out of the city in search of new locations for their firms. In the 1960s, the city of Oakland produced renowned music bands like 'Graham Central Station' and the 'Sly & the Family Stone'.

In today's Oakland, efforts are being taken for the redevelopment of downtown area. Mr. Jerry Brown, after starting his term as a mayor of Oakland in 1999, worked in the area of providing affordable houses for poor Oaklanders. Being the sixth most populated city in USA, Oakland is also known as a major hub city.