Oakland

Oakland is the seat of Alameda County, just east of San Francisco over the Oakland-San Francisco Bay Bridge, (Toll). Oakland lies between Berkeley and Hayward along Interstate 580 and I-880, on the San Francisco Bay.

Following the Mexican War of 1846-48, when the victorious United States took over California, the Oakland settlement became an entry port and supply depot for prospectors headed to recently discovered gold fields. The city's new status as the transcontinental railroad's western terminus put it on the map after 1869. Oakland’s Mountain View Cemetery at the upper end of Piedmont Ave. is a beautiful drive-thru park open to the public and free.

Today, Oakland is a major industrial hub and West Coast port. Oakland, Berkley and Emeryville enjoy the most temperate climate due to the fog that rolls in through the Golden Gate during summer nights. The fog serves to moderate the summer heat before it burns off by noon. On most summer days, there is a 30 degree afternoon temperature difference between the Oakland area and the suburban communities just minutes away on the other side of the East Bay Hills.

The city is among the country's most ethnically diverse communities. While small, a vibrant China Town thrives in the downtown area. The African American Museum and Library preserves the history of blacks living in California and elsewhere in the West. Oakland's Lakeside Park surrounds Lake Merritt, the country s largest urban saltwater body.

There is also an Oakland, Maryland.

Oakland is part of the Oakland, California metro area.