Oakland Point, Oakland, California
Encyclopedia
Oakland Point, in Oakland, California
, USA, was the name of a small promontory on the eastern shore of San Francisco Bay located in the vicinity of what is now the Port of Oakland
shipping terminal. Oakland Point was previously known as Gibbon's Point, named for an early American settler who constructed a small wharf there. The wharf and adjacent properties were acquired by the Central Pacific Railroad which subsequently constructed its own massive terminus for the Transcontinental Railroad
, the Oakland Long Wharf
. This wharf in turn was later acquired and re-engineered as the Oakland Mole of the Southern Pacific Railroad
. In addition to the wharf, the Central Pacific had a huge rail yard in the area which also later became one of the main rail yards of the Southern Pacific. Today, the same rail yard is operated by the Union Pacific Railroad
.
The neighborhood near Oakland Point was initially known by the same name, although its identity was soon merged with the rest of West Oakland, the name by which it was known from the early 20th century onward. It was a thriving socially and ethnically mixed neighborhood from the late 19th century through the 1930s. Starting about the time of World War II and up to the present, the area became predominantly African American. African American men who worked as porters on the railroad had long lived in the area together with other ethnic groups, most of whom held other jobs with the railroad. World War II saw thousands of African Americans move into the Bay Area from the southern U.S. to work in the many local war industries, and many of them chose to live in the established community of African American railroad workers in West Oakland.
The name "Oakland Point" has been recently revived as part of the effort to re-develop West Oakland. It has been adopted by a community group calling itself the "Prescott-Oakland Point Neighborhood Association". Part of the redevelopment of the area includes, appropriately, the partial restoration of the historic 16th Street Station
. The station will however, not be put to any railroad use, but will become the centerpiece of a housing development known as "Central Station".
Oakland, California
Oakland is a major West Coast port city on San Francisco Bay in the U.S. state of California. It is the eighth-largest city in the state with a 2010 population of 390,724...
, USA, was the name of a small promontory on the eastern shore of San Francisco Bay located in the vicinity of what is now the Port of Oakland
Port of Oakland
The Port of Oakland was the first major port on the Pacific Coast of the United States to build terminals for container ships. It is now the fifth busiest container port in the United States, behind Long Beach, Los Angeles, Newark, and Savannah...
shipping terminal. Oakland Point was previously known as Gibbon's Point, named for an early American settler who constructed a small wharf there. The wharf and adjacent properties were acquired by the Central Pacific Railroad which subsequently constructed its own massive terminus for the Transcontinental Railroad
Transcontinental railroad
A transcontinental railroad is a contiguous network of railroad trackage that crosses a continental land mass with terminals at different oceans or continental borders. Such networks can be via the tracks of either a single railroad, or over those owned or controlled by multiple railway companies...
, the Oakland Long Wharf
Oakland Long Wharf
The Oakland Long Wharf, later known as the Oakland Pier or the SP Mole was a massive railroad wharf and ferry pier in Oakland, California. It was located at the foot of Seventh Street....
. This wharf in turn was later acquired and re-engineered as the Oakland Mole of the Southern Pacific Railroad
Southern Pacific Railroad
The Southern Pacific Transportation Company , earlier Southern Pacific Railroad and Southern Pacific Company, and usually simply called the Southern Pacific or Espee, was an American railroad....
. In addition to the wharf, the Central Pacific had a huge rail yard in the area which also later became one of the main rail yards of the Southern Pacific. Today, the same rail yard is operated by the Union Pacific Railroad
Union Pacific Railroad
The Union Pacific Railroad , headquartered in Omaha, Nebraska, is the largest railroad network in the United States. James R. Young is president, CEO and Chairman....
.
The neighborhood near Oakland Point was initially known by the same name, although its identity was soon merged with the rest of West Oakland, the name by which it was known from the early 20th century onward. It was a thriving socially and ethnically mixed neighborhood from the late 19th century through the 1930s. Starting about the time of World War II and up to the present, the area became predominantly African American. African American men who worked as porters on the railroad had long lived in the area together with other ethnic groups, most of whom held other jobs with the railroad. World War II saw thousands of African Americans move into the Bay Area from the southern U.S. to work in the many local war industries, and many of them chose to live in the established community of African American railroad workers in West Oakland.
The name "Oakland Point" has been recently revived as part of the effort to re-develop West Oakland. It has been adopted by a community group calling itself the "Prescott-Oakland Point Neighborhood Association". Part of the redevelopment of the area includes, appropriately, the partial restoration of the historic 16th Street Station
16th Street Station
The 16th Street Station is one of three original train stations that served Oakland, California at the start of the 20th century. The building was designed by architect Jarvis Hunt who was a preeminent train station architect at that time and the facility opened in 1912...
. The station will however, not be put to any railroad use, but will become the centerpiece of a housing development known as "Central Station".