Timeline of Oakland, California facts for kids

Oakland is a vibrant city in California with a rich history! This timeline will take you on a journey through the most important moments in Oakland's past, from when it was first established to recent times. You'll learn about how the city grew, important buildings that were built, and big events that shaped Oakland into the place it is today.

The 19th Century in Oakland

• 1852 – Oakland officially became a town!
• 1854 – Horace Carpentier was elected as Oakland's first mayor.
• 1855 – The Lyceum, a place for learning and discussions, was founded.
• 1860 – The population of Oakland was 1,543 people.
• 1863 – Heald's Business College, a school for business skills, was started.
• 1864 – The Vander Naillen School of Practical Engineering, a school for engineers, was established.
• 1866 – A Police Court was set up to handle legal matters.
• 1868
  • The Oakland Evening Transcript newspaper began printing the news.
  • The University of California and the Oakland Library Association were created.
  • The Oakland Long Wharf, a long pier for ships, was bought by the Central Pacific Railroad.
• 1869
  • A railway system started operating in Oakland.
  • The Lake Merritt Wild-Fowl Sanctuary, a safe place for birds, and the Oakland Fire Department were established.
  • The Oakland Long Wharf became the very end of the First transcontinental railroad, connecting the East and West coasts by train!
• 1871 – Mills Seminary, a school for women, moved to Oakland.
• 1872
  • The town of Brooklyn became a part of Oakland.
  • The Theosophical Society Library was founded.
• 1873 – The University of California moved to Berkeley.
• 1875 – The Oakland Daily Evening Tribune newspaper began publication.
• 1878 – The Oakland Free Library opened its doors, offering books to everyone.
• 1880 – The population grew to 34,456 people.
• 1884 – The Horton School was established.
• 1899 – The Oakland Conservatory of Music, a school for music, was founded.
• 1900 – The population reached 66,960 people.

The 20th Century in Oakland

• 1904 – Pacific Technical College was established.
• 1906 – On April 18, a huge earthquake hit San Francisco, and many people moved to Oakland for safety.
• 1907 – The California School of Arts and Crafts was founded.
• 1909
  • Samuel Merritt College was founded.
  • Moore & Scott Iron Works, a company that built ships, started its business.
• 1910
  • The Oakland Public Museum and the YMCA opened.
  • The population grew to 150,174 people.
• 1912 – The Oakland School Women's Club and Children's Hospital were founded.
• 1913 – The Oakland Yacht Club was established.
• 1914
  • Oakland Technical High School was established.
  • The Oakland City Hall and the Civic Auditorium were built.
• 1917 – Joaquin Miller Park, a beautiful park, was established.
• 1920 – The population reached 216,261 people.
• 1922 – The Snow Museum of Natural History opened.
• 1923 – The Tribune Tower, a famous building, was completed.
• 1924 – The Granada Theater opened.
• 1927
  • Oakland Airport began operating, allowing planes to take off and land.
  • The Port of Oakland, a major shipping port, opened.
• 1928
  • Clorox Chemical Company started its business.
  • The Posey Tube, an underwater tunnel for traffic, was built.
• 1931 – The Paramount Theatre, a grand movie palace, was built.
• 1933 – The Oakland Symphony began performing.
• 1936
  • The San Francisco–Oakland Bay Bridge, connecting Oakland to San Francisco, opened.
  • The Alameda County Courthouse was built.
  • The Alameda County Botanical and Zoological Society was established, leading to the Oakland Zoo.
• 1937 – The Caldecott Tunnel, a tunnel through the hills, opened.
• 1940 – The population reached 302,163 people.
• 1944 – The Oakland Army Base became active.
• 1946 – The 1946 Oakland General Strike took place, where many workers stopped working to ask for better conditions. It lasted from December 3 to December 5.
• 1954 – Oakland Junior College was established.
• 1961 – The Coliseum Drive-In movie theater opened.
• 1966
  • In October, the Black Panther Party was established.
  • The Oakland Coliseum, a large sports arena, opened.
• 1968 – The Athletics baseball team moved to Oakland.
• 1969 – The Oakland Museum opened, showcasing art, history, and natural science.
• 1970 – The regional Metropolitan Transportation Commission was established to plan transportation.
• 1972 – Three BART (Bay Area Rapid Transit) stations opened: 12th Street Oakland City Center station, 19th Street Oakland station, and MacArthur station.
• 1973 – The Rockridge station for BART opened.
• 1974 – The West Oakland station for BART opened.
• 1977 – Lionel Wilson became the first African American mayor of Oakland.
• 1985 – The Alameda County Community Food Bank was established to help feed people in need.
• 1988 – The Oakland East Bay Symphony was established.
• 1989 – On October 17, the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake shook the area.
• 1990 – The population reached 372,242 people.
• 1991 – On October 20, a large firestorm occurred in the Oakland hills.
• 1998 – The city's website went online, making information about Oakland available on the internet.
• 1999 – Jerry Brown became mayor of Oakland.

The 21st Century in Oakland

• 2002 – The Taoist Center opened.
• 2003
  • On April 7, an anti-war protest took place at the Port of Oakland.
  • The Women of Color Resource Center made Oakland its main office.
  • Urban Habitat, an organization focused on environmental justice, also made Oakland its main office.
• 2004 – Middle Harbor Shoreline Park was beautifully landscaped.
• 2007
  • The East Bay Meditation Center opened.
  • Ron Dellums became mayor.
• 2008 – The Cathedral of Christ the Light, a modern church, was dedicated.
• 2009
  • Oakland Local, a community news publication, began.
• 2010
  • Ace Monster Toys, a "makerspace" for creative projects, was founded.
  • The city's population was 390,724 people. The larger metro area population was 4,335,391.
• 2011
  • On October 10, the Occupy Oakland protests began, where people gathered to express concerns about economic issues.
  • Jean Quan became mayor.
  • Sudoroom, a community space for technology and art, was established.
• 2012
  • Oakland Wiki, a collaborative online encyclopedia about Oakland, began publication.
• 2014 – Oakland Police Beat, a publication about local police news, began.
• 2016
  • A major fire occurred in a warehouse.