Cemeteries in Oakland (City)

Oakland, California, the seat of Alameda County, was officially incorporated in 1852. The area was originally inhabited by the Ohlone people before falling under Spanish and then Mexican control. Known as part of Rancho San Antonio, it was granted to Luís María Peralta in 1820. After California became a U.S. state in 1850, the region attracted settlers, particularly European Americans and immigrants from Germany, Italy, and Portugal.

The city’s name derives from the vast oak forests that once covered the area. Oakland rapidly developed as a transportation and industrial hub, especially after becoming the western terminus for the Transcontinental Railroad in 1869. In the 20th century, African Americans from the South arrived in large numbers during the Great Migration, contributing to the city’s cultural and political legacy. Cemeteries such as Mountain View Cemetery and Evergreen Cemetery have long served Oakland’s diverse and historically significant population.