The county first was settled by the
Ohlone Indians. In 1772, Spanish explorers
Lt. Pedro Fages and Father Juan
Crespi led the first expedition into the
area, which resulted in the founding of
Mission San Jose in 1797.
In 1853, with a population of 3,000, the county was formed from portions of Santa Clara and Contra Costa counties. The first county seat was in Alvarado, now a district of Union City.
Oakland, the largest city in the county, was founded in 1850 and incorporated in 1854. It boasts the Bay Area’s largest Chinatown. The city has flourished as a shipping hub with its con-tainer port and easy access to rail lines.
Its population has risen from 150,174 in 1910 to more than 1.4 million today. Diverse and vibrant Berkeley, with the University of California’s campus, dominate the northern end of the county.
With a climate perfect for grape growing, the more rural Livermore Valley boasts more than a dozen wineries. The cities of Livermore and Pleasanton, incorporated in the 1800s, still retain much of their rustic charm.
Just outside Livermore are Lawrence Livermore and Sandia national laboratories, employing more than 10,000 scientists, engineers and support staff.
Closer to the Bay, the cities of Fremont, Newark and Union City — like the Livermore Valley — continue to attract suburban dwellers. From 1980 to 2000, that area’s population rose from 234,371 to 323,250.
Hayward, one of the older suburbs in the area, boasts a broad mix of housing and a spectacular view of the Bay from California State University, East Bay, atop the hills. San Leandro, combines well-kept older neighborhoods with a bustling marina.
Just over the estuary from Oakland, Alameda, known for its accessible western shoreline, offers old-world charm with 100-year-old Victorian homes, tree-lined streets and a charming downtown.