Alameda, Calif

Alameda ( ; ; Spanish for " tree-lined path") is a city in Alameda County, California, United States, located in the East Bay region of the Bay Area. The city is built on an informal archipelago in San Francisco Bay, consisting of Alameda Island, Bay Farm Island and Coast Guard Island, along with other smaller islands. As of the 2020 census, the city's population was 78,280.

History

Ohlone era

Alameda originally occupied a peninsula connected to Oakland. The area was low-lying and marshy, while higher ground was part of one of the largest coastal oak forests in the world. A local band of the Ohlone tribe inhabited the region for more than 3,000 years. They were present at the time of the arrival of the Spanish in the late 18th century. The Ohlone created numerous oyster shell mounds across the peninsula, some as large as 14 feet tall.

Spanish and Mexican eras

Spanish colonists called the area ''Encinal'', meaning "forest of evergreen oak". What is now Alameda, and much of the East Bay was included in the vast Rancho San Antonio granted to Don Luis María Peralta by the Spanish king who claimed California. The grant was later confirmed by the Republic of Mexico after its independence in 1821 from Spain. Over time, the place became known as Bolsa de Encinal or Encinal de San Antonio.

Early California era

The city of Alameda was founded on June 6, 1853, following the Mexican–American War of 1848 and the subsequent acquisition of California by the U.S.

The name ''Alameda'' is Spanish for "grove of poplar trees" or "tree-lined avenue" and was chosen in 1853 as city's official name by popular vote.

At the time, Alameda comprised three small settlements:

* Alameda — a village at Encinal and High streets
* Hibbardsville — located at the North Shore ferry and shipping terminal, and
* Woodstock — on the west near the ferry piers of the South Pacific Coast and the Central Pacific Railroads. Eventually, the Central Pacific's ferry pier became the Alameda Mole.

The borders of Alameda were expanded to include the entire island in 1872, incorporating Woodstock into Alameda.

In his autobiography, writer Mark Twain described Alameda as "The Garden of California."

The first post office opened in 1854. The first school, Schermerhorn School, was opened a year later in 1855 (eventually renamed as Lincoln School). The San Francisco and Alameda Railroad opened the Encinal station in 1864. The early formation of the Park Street Historic Commercial District (or downtown) was centered near the train lines. With Encinal's own post office opened in 1876, was renamed West End in 1877, and closed in 1891.

On September 6, 1869, the Alameda Terminal made history; it was the site of the arrival of the first train via the First transcontinental railroad to reach the shores of San Francisco Bay, marking the first coast to coast transcontinental railroad in North America.

The Croll Building, on the corner of Webster Street and Central Avenue, was the site of Croll's Gardens and Hotel, used as training quarters for some of the most popular fighters in boxing from 1883 to 1914. Jack Johnson and several other champions all stayed and trained here.

The need for expanded shipping facilities and increased flow of current through the estuary led to the dredging of a tidal canal through the marshland between Oakland and Alameda. Construction started in 1874, but it was not completed until 1902, resulting in Alameda becoming an island.

Modern era

In 1917, a private entertainment park called Neptune Beach was built in the area now known as Crab Cove, which became a major recreation destination in the 1920s and 1930s. It was sometimes referred to as the "Coney Island of the West". The popsicle was first sold to the public at Neptune Beach in 1923. The park closed down in 1939.

The Alameda Works Shipyard was one of the largest and best-equipped shipyards in the country. Together with other industrial facilities, it became part of the defense industry buildup before and during World War II, which attracted many migrants from other parts of the United States for the high-paying jobs. In the 1950s, Alameda's industrial and shipbuilding industries thrived along the Alameda Estuary.

In the early 21st century, the Port of Oakland, across the estuary, has become one of the largest ports on the West Coast. Its operators use shipping technologies originally experimented within Alameda. As of April 2006, Alameda is a "Coast Guard City", one of six then designated in the country (as of 2025, it is one of 34).

In addition to the regular trains running to the Alameda Mole, Alameda was also served by local steam commuter lines of the Southern Pacific (initially, the Central Pacific). Alameda was the site of the Southern Pacific's West Alameda Shops, where all the electric trains were maintained and repaired. These were later adapted as the East Bay Electric Lines. The trains ran to both the Oakland Mole and the Alameda Mole.

In the 1930s Pan American Airways established a seaplane port along with the fill that led to the Alameda Mole, the original home base for the China Clipper flying boat. In 1929, the University of California established the San Francisco Airdrome located near the current Webster Street tube as a public airport. The Bay Airdrome had its gala christening party in 1930. The Airdrome was closed in 1941 when its air traffic interfered with the newly built Naval Air Station Alameda (NAS Alameda).

In the late 1950s, the Utah Construction Company began a landfill beyond the ''Old Sea Wall'' and created '' South Shore''.

On February 7, 1973, a USN Vought A-7E Corsair II fighter jet on a routine training mission from Lemoore Naval Air Station suddenly caught fire above the San Francisco Bay, crashing into the Tahoe Apartments in Alameda. Eleven people including the pilot died in the crash and fire.

Geography

Alameda's nickname is "The Island". Today, the city consists of three major sections:

* Alameda Island – The main original section created by dredging a channel between Oakland to the north, with the former Naval Air Station Alameda (NAS Alameda) at the west end of Alameda Island, South Shore along the southern side of Alameda Island,
* Bay Farm Island – Part of the mainland proper, and attached to Oakland.
* Coast Guard Island – A small island between Alameda Island and Oakland, home of Integrated Support Command Alameda.

The area of the former NAS is now known as "Alameda Point." The South Shore area is separated from the main part of Alameda Island by a lagoon; the north shore of the lagoon is located approximately where the original south shore of the island was. Alameda Point, Bay Farm Island, and South Shore are largely built on bay fill.

Not all of Alameda Island is part of the City of Alameda; a small portion of a dump site west of the former runway at Alameda Naval Air Station extends far enough into San Francisco Bay that it is over the county line and therefore part of the City and County of San Francisco. Ballena Isle, an even smaller island, is also part of Alameda.

Climate

This region experiences warm (but not hot), dry summers, and cool (but not cold), wet winters. According to the Köppen climate classification system, Alameda has a warm-summer Mediterranean climate, abbreviated "Csb" on climate maps. Annual precipitation is about , all rain (snow is extremely rare at sea level in the San Francisco Bay Area).

Hazards

The low-lying island has seen sea-level and groundwater level rise threaten its infrastructure and people not just through flooding events, but through the increased liquefaction risk from more saturated soils. The locations of increasing groundwater-induced risks and flooding risks may be most precise in private insurance company maps.

Demographics

2020

The 2020 United States census reported that Alameda had a population of 78,280. The population density was . The racial makeup of Alameda was 43.6% White, 5.9% African American, 0.6% Native American, 32.5% Asian, 0.5% Pacific Islander, 4.1% from other races, and 12.9% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 12.1% of the population.

The census reported that 98.0% of the population lived in households, 0.8% lived in non-institutionalized group quarters, and 1.2% were institutionalized.

There were 30,980 households, out of which 30.2% included children under the age of 18, 47.7% were married-couple households, 6.6% were cohabiting couple households, 28.7% had a female householder with no partner present, and 17.0% had a male householder with no partner present. 28.3% of households were one person, and 11.2% were one person aged 65 or older. The average household size was 2.48. There were 19,640 families (63.4% of all households).

The age distribution was 19.9% under the age of 18, 6.7% aged 18 to 24, 28.4% aged 25 to 44, 27.4% aged 45 to 64, and 17.5% who were 65years of age or older. The median age was 41.4years. For every 100 females, there were 91.2 males.

There were 33,009 housing units at an average density of , of which 30,980 (93.9%) were occupied. Of these, 48.3% were owner-occupied, and 51.7% were occupied by renters.

In 2023, the US Census Bureau estimated that 25.4% of the population were foreign-born. Of all people aged 5 or older, 65.4% spoke only English at home, 6.7% spoke Spanish, 6.6% spoke other Indo-European languages, 20.1% spoke Asian or Pacific Islander languages, and 1.2% spoke other languages. Of those aged 25 or older, 93.4% were high school graduates and 60.3% had a bachelor's degree.

The median household income in 2023 was $132,015, and the per capita income was $72,245. About 4.8% of families and 6.9% of the population were below the poverty line.

2010

The 2010 United States census reported that Alameda had a population of 73,812. (2015 census estimates place the population at 78,630)

The population density was . The racial makeup of Alameda was 37,460 (50.8%) White, 23,058 (31.2%) Asian, 4,759 (6.4%) African American, 426 (0.6%) Native American, 381 (0.5%) Pacific Islander, 2,463 (3.3%) from other races, and 5,265 (7.1%) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 8,092 persons (11.0%).

The Census reported that 72,316 people (98.0% of the population) lived in households, 857 (1.2%) lived in non-institutionalized group quarters, and 639 (0.9%) were institutionalized.

There were 30,123 households, out of which 9,144 (30.4%) had children under the age of 18 living in them, 13,440 (44.6%) were opposite-sex married couples living together, 3,623 (12.0%) had a female householder with no husband present, 1,228 (4.1%) had a male householder with no wife present. There were 1,681 (5.6%) unmarried opposite-sex partnerships, and 459 (1.5%) same-sex married couples or same-sex partnerships. 9,347 households (31.0%) were made up of individuals, and 2,874 (9.5%) had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.40. There were 18,291 families (60.7% of all households); the average family size was 3.06.

The age distribution of the population shows 15,304 people (20.7%) under the age of 18, 5,489 people (7.4%) aged 18 to 24, 21,000 people (28.5%) aged 25 to 44, 22,044 people (29.9%) aged 45 to 64, and 9,975 people (13.5%) who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40.7 years. For every 100 females, there were 91.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 88.5 males.

Per capita annual income (in 2013 dollars) in 2009–2013 was $41,340 per the US Census. Median household income in 2009–2013 was $74,606 per the US Census.

There were 32,351 housing units at an average density of , of which 30,123 were occupied, of which 14,488 (48.1%) were owner-occupied, and 15,635 (51.9%) were occupied by renters. The homeowner vacancy rate was 1.1%; the rental vacancy rate was 5.7%. 37,042 people (50.2% of the population) lived in owner-occupied housing units and 35,274 people (47.8%) lived in rental housing units.

There is a large Filipino community; and also a major Portuguese community, from which Tom Hanks' mother came and where Lyndsy Fonseca was raised for some time. Alameda also has a historic Japanese American community and had a small Japanese business district on a portion of Park Street before World War II, when the city's Japanese population was interned. A Japanese Buddhist church is one of the few remaining buildings left of Alameda's pre-war Japanese American community.

Economy

;Top employers
According to the city's 2020 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report, the top employers in the city are:

Naval Air Station Alameda (NAS), decommissioned in 1997, was turned over to the City of Alameda for civilian development, today known as Alameda Point.

A cluster of artisan distilleries, wineries, breweries and tasting rooms along Monarch Street at Alameda Point is now referred to by the City of Alameda as "Spirits Alley". Admiral Maltings also sits in this area, supplying craft brewers and whisky producers, and is the first craft malting house in California.

Arts and culture

Arts

Photo-realist Robert Bechtle has painted numerous Alameda subjects, including ''Alameda Gran Torino'', which was acquired by SFMOMA in 1974 and remains one of Bechtle's most famous works.

Theaters

The landmark Alameda Theatre is an Art Deco movie theatre designed by architect Timothy L. Pflueger and opened up in 1932. The city restored and expand it to include a theater multiplex. The public opening was May 21, 2008.

The Altarena Playhouse, which performs comedies, dramas, and musicals, was founded in 1938 and is the longest continuously operating community theater in the San Francisco Bay Area.

Radium is a planned performing arts complex at the former naval air station and has seasonal shows in an outdoor theater.

Festivals

The Fourth of July parade is advertised as the longest in the United States. It features homemade floats, classic cars, motorized living room furniture, fire-breathing dragons, and marching bands.

There are multiple major events when streets in Alameda's historic downtown district are closed to vehicular traffic. Park Street Art and Wine Faire is the biggest and takes place the last weekend of every July with more than 200 artists and vendors. Seasonal events like the spring and winter markets, as well as themed rum, whiskey and hot cocoa strolls are spread out through the year.

The annual Sand Castle and Sculpture Contest takes place in June at the Robert Crown Memorial State Beach, attracting hundreds of participants. The first contest was held in 1967.

Alameda Point Antiques Faire is held on the first Sunday of every month at the former Naval Air Station runways. It is the largest antiques and collectibles show in Northern California, attracting upwards of 10,000 visitors and featuring 800 dealer booths. The faire specializes in items 20 years or older, including furniture, decorations, clothing, jewelry, art, pottery, books, and collectibles.

Museums

* Alameda Museum – includes exhibits about the history and culture the city with old dioramas, model ships, toys, Native American culture, and Neptune Beach.
* Alameda Naval Air Museum – is focused on the history of Naval Air Station Alameda and aviation.
* California Historical Radio Society Museum – set in a 125 year old telephone building, the museum covers electronic communication with artifacts from the late 1800s on display.
* Pacific Pinball Museum – an interactive museum/arcade with a chronological and historical selection of rare and early pinball games including a rotating set of more than 100 playable pinball machines ranging in era from the 1940s to present day located on Webster Street.
* USS Hornet Museum – a museum ship of the aircraft carrier . It has been moored at the former Naval Air Station as since 1998.

Government

Alameda is a charter city governed by a five-member City Council, including the Mayor, who are all elected at large. The city operates under a council-manager system defined by the City Charter, with a professional City Manager overseeing daily administration. The City Manager is responsible for city operations, budget administration, and implementing council policies, distinguishing Alameda from strong-mayor systems often in bigger cities. The City Attorney and City Clerk report directly to the council.

The budget for the city is greater than $310 million a year as of the 2023-25 biannual budgets planning cycle. The City Treasurer and City Auditor are independently elected. Residents appointed by the Mayor and City Council serve on a range of boards and commissions overseeing major components of the city (for example recreation and parks, library, transportation and planning).

Alameda's government is responsible for a range of municipal services, including public safety, transportation, parks, and land use planning. Rare to a city of its size, it operates its own city-wide electricity utility, Alameda Municipal Power, which has 100% clean electricity and as much as a 48% savings over comparable PG&E rates.

Alameda Free Library

There are three library locations: the Main Library in downtown Alameda, the Bay Farm Island Library and the West End Library. Beyond books, services at the library include events and author talks, computer labs, home delivery of books, as well as e-book, streaming digital media, and audio book catalogs. Historical resources of Alameda's past include local newspaper and magazine archives, high school yearbooks, books by local authors and maps.

In 2000 voters authorized a bond measure to construct a new main library to replace the city's Carnegie Library, damaged during the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake. The city also received state funds for the new main library and opened the doors to the new facility in November 2006.

Education

Public primary and secondary education in Alameda is the responsibility of the Alameda Unified School District (AUSD), which is legally separate from the City of Alameda government (as is common throughout California). More than 9,000 students are enrolled in the AUSD system across nine elementary, four middle, four high schools. The California Department of Education School Dashboard reports student performance is "green" and above state standards for English, math and college/career preparation.

The College of Alameda, a two-year community college is part of the Peralta Community College District. The city has numerous private primary schools, and one private high school, St. Joseph Notre Dame High School, a Catholic school.

Media

The community is currently served by a non-profit online news outlet called th
Alameda Post
Additionally, a weekly newspaper section of the East Bay Times, the Alameda Journal, is published by the Bay Area News Group, based in Walnut Creek, CA.

Alameda's first newspaper, the ''Encinal'', appeared in the 1860s. Following the ''Encinal'', several other papers appeared along geographic lines, and the ''Daily Argus'' eventually rose to prominence. Around 1900, the ''Daily Argus'' began to fade in importance and east and west papers ''The Times'' and ''The Star'' combined to take the leading role as the '' Alameda Times-Star'' in the 1930s. The ''Times-Star'' was sold to the Alameda Newspaper Group in the 1970s. In 1997, the Hills Newspaper chain was bought by Knight Ridder. Between 2001 and 2023, the ''Alameda Sun'' ran a local weekly print newspaper.

Transportation

Alameda is well connected to the region via road, ferries and nearby rail and air connections.

Vehicle access to Alameda Island is via three bridges from Oakland ( Park Street, Fruitvale Avenue, and High Street Bridges), as well as the two one-way Posey and Webster Street Tubes leading into Oakland's Chinatown. Alameda and Bay Farm Islands are connected via the Bay Farm Island Bridge, and the Bay Farm Island Bicycle Bridge (the only pedestrian/bicycle-only drawbridge in the United States).

California State Route 61 runs down city streets from the Posey and Webster Street Tubes, across the Bay Farm Island Bridge, and south to the Oakland Airport. The island is just minutes off Interstate 880 in Oakland. The speed limit for the city is 25 mph (40 km/h) on almost every road.

Transportation options include:
* Bus – AC Transit connects the island to Oakland and Berkeley, and express service to downtown San Francisco's Salesforce Transit Center.
* Ferry – San Francisco Bay Ferry connects Alameda with San Francisco across four routes; three on the main island's west end Alameda Main St./Oakland Ferry, Alameda Seaplane Lagoon Ferry, Alameda/South San Francisco and from Bay Farm Island via the Alameda Harbor Bay Ferry routes.
* Water Shuttle – The Oakland Alameda Water Shuttle is pedestrian/bike boat that connects Alameda Landing and Oakland's Jack London Square runs five days a week for free.
* BART and Rail – The closest BART stations are Lake Merritt and 12th Street, near the exit to the Posey Tube, and Fruitvale, near the Fruitvale Bridge. BART's long-term plans for a second tunnel include Alameda as a candidate for the first stop on a new East Bay line. The closest Amtrak rail station is Oakland-Jack London Square.
* Air – Oakland International Airport abuts the eastern border of Alameda's Bay Farm Island, and includes passenger, freight and private aircraft flights.

Notable buildings

* Alameda City Hall; NRHP-listed With
* Alameda High School; NRHP-listed
* Croll Building; NRHP-listed and a California Historical Landmark
* Masonic Temple and Lodge; NRHP-listed, and part of the Park Street Historic Commercial District
* Park Street Historic Commercial District; NRHP-listed and a California Historical Landmark

Notable people

* Norman Allinger, an American organic and computational chemist and Distinguished Research Professor Emeritus was born in Alameda.
* Albert Arents, a mining engineer who helped develop mineral resources of the Rocky Mountains.
* John Baker, MLB catcher for San Diego Padres and Chicago Cubs, was born in Alameda.
* Clinton Ballou (1923–2021), biochemist, died in Alameda.
* Hester A. Benedict (1838–1921), president, Pacific Coast Women's Press Association
* Mike Brisiel, an offensive guard for Oakland Raiders.
* Virginia Lee Burton, Caldecott-winning children's author and illustrator.
* Harold Camping, television and radio personality, president and general manager of Family Stations, Inc.
* Phyllis Diller, television comedian, attended Sunday school at First Presbyterian, married and lived in Alameda at the start of her comedy career in San Francisco in the 1950s.
* General James Doolittle, who received the Medal of Honor for his bombing of Japan during World War II; Doolittle was born in Alameda in 1896.
* Garrett Eckbo, landscape architect who lived in Alameda as a child, later forming the Bay Area firm of Eckbo, Royston, Williams with Robert Royston and Edward Williams.
* Leif Erickson, actor, born in Alameda in 1911.
* Larry Eustachy, college basketball coach, born in Alameda.
* Debbi Fields, founder of Mrs. Fields Cookies, attended Alameda High School, where she was a cheerleader.
* Albert Ghiorso, nuclear scientist, co-discoverer of 12 chemical elements on the periodic table; in Guinness Book of World Records for Most Elements Discovered.
* Brad Gillis, guitarist with Night Ranger, a San Francisco rock band formed in the 1980s.
* Katharine Graham, the late publisher of ''The Washington Post'', lived in Alameda as a child, according to ''Personal History'', her autobiography.
* Tim Hardaway Jr., a professional basketball player, was born in Alameda.
* Horace Heidt, bandleader and radio personality, born in Alameda on May 21, 1901.
* Emily Heller, comedian
* Marielle Heller, actress and director
* Bruce Henderson, author, grew up in Alameda, according to his book ''Hero Found: The Greatest POW Escape of the Vietnam War''.
* Benjamin Jealous, former President of the NAACP, lived in Alameda.
* Joseph R. Knowland, congressman and Alameda native, was editor and publisher of the ''Oakland Tribune''.
* William Fife Knowland, U.S. Senator, was student body president at Alameda High School.
* Robert L. Lippert, theater chain owner and film producer, was an Alameda native.
* Paul Mantz, air racer and Hollywood stunt pilot, was born in Alameda in 1903.
* Louis A. McCall Sr., drummer and musician known as the co-founder of Con Funk Shun.
* Margaret McNamara, founder of Reading is Fundamental, and wife of Robert McNamara, grew up in Alameda.
* George P. Miller, a congressman from 1945 to 1973.
* Jack Mingo, author
* Hugo Wilhelm Arthur Nahl, designer of the Seal of California.
* Don Perata, former President Pro Tempore of California State Senate, lives in Alameda; once taught at Saint Joseph Notre Dame High, Encinal High, and Alameda High, among other Alameda schools.
* Emily Browne Powell (1847–1938), writer; president, Pacific Coast Women's Press Association
* Carl Ravazza, bandleader, born in Alameda, 1910.
* Bill Rigney, Major League Baseball player and manager, was born in Alameda.
* Dutch Ruether, pitcher for 1927 New York Yankees, was born in Alameda.
*Jane Sibbett, actress and comedian, grew up in Alameda.
* Operatic mezzo-soprano Frederica Von Stade has lived in Alameda since 1992.
* Sharon Tate, actress, resident in early to late-1960s.
* Charles Lee Tilden, for whom Tilden Regional Park is named, was a longtime resident of Alameda; Tilden Way at the southeast end of the city is named for him.
* Baseball Hall of Famer Willie Stargell, MLB player Tommy Harper, MLB player Curtell Howard Motton, 2003 National League Rookie of the Year Dontrelle Willis, 2007 National League Most Valuable Player Jimmy Rollins, NBA player J.R. Rider, and NFL players Melvin Carver and Junior Tautalatasi all attended Encinal High School.
* Jason Kidd (NBA player and coach) and Joe Nelson (MLB pitcher) attended St. Joseph Notre Dame High School in Alameda.
* MLB players Ray French, Johnny Vergez, Andy Carey, Bill Serena, Erik Schullstrom, Dick Bartell, Duffy Lewis, Chris Speier, and Bryan Woo all attended Alameda High School.
* Many people from naval families, including celebrities such as Ann Curry, Brigette Lundy-Paine, Tom Hanks, and Jim Morrison of The Doors, have lived in Alameda.

Sister cities

The city has four active and formal sister city relations as well as inactive ones.
* Dumaguete, Philippines (2015)
* Jiangyin, China (2008)
* Varazze, Italy (2019)
* Yeongdong-gun, South Korea (2017)

Friendship city

* Wuxi, China
** A Friendship city since 2004, because the diplomacy organization Sister Cities International does not recognize the relationship.

Inactive cities

* Arita, Japan
* Lidingö, Sweden
** Initiated in 1959 as part of President Eisenhower's people-to-people-movement, whose purpose was to develop better understanding among people from different countries after World War II. Both Alameda and Lidingö are islands with a bridge connecting them to a big city.

See also

* Alameda Island
* Bay Farm Island
* Coast Guard Island
* List of islands of California
* List of ships built in Alameda, California

References

Further reading

* Merlin, Imelda
''Alameda: a Geographical History''
Illus. with photos. Alameda: Friends of the Alameda Free Library, (1977).

External links

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1854 establishments in California
Cities in Alameda County, California
Cities in the San Francisco Bay Area
Incorporated cities and towns in California
Populated places established in 1854
Populated coastal places in California