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As
a town, Oakland didn’t regain control of its waterfront until
after 1906, when Western Pacific asked the town for a transport
terminal near the waterfront. When Oakland granted the terminal,
Southern Pacific sought an injunction in federal court, which ended
with the court’s clarification that the city, rather than
Carpentier’s partnership with Central Pacific, was the waterfront’s
rightful owner. Now under the guidance of the city, the port had
grown to become accessible to the largest of merchant vessels by
1920. The Posey Tube was constructed to replace the
navigation-impeding Webster Street drawbridge. Fresh fruit was now
brought in by rail, processed in local canneries and exported by
rail and ship. Oakland became and still is a leading exporter of
canned and dried fruits.
During W.W.I, estuary shipyards
like Bethlehem’s Alameda Plant and Moore & Scott Ironworks
bustled with prosperity- each employing some 12,000 people, and each
completing some 12 steel freighters each year. In the 1920s, the
Panama Canal opened new trade routes, and increased cargo shipment.
Larger steamships evolved, requiring larger berths. The Port of
Oakland was established in 1927 within the city government to meet
evolving demands of the shipping trade. It was now possible for
perishable goods, like Golden Glow Beer, which was brewed in
Oakland, to be distributed nationally. As W.W.II hit, the Port of
Oakland became
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the nation’s busiest military
port, its shipyards producing hundreds of new cargo ships, troop
transports, and ocean-going tugs. After the war, most shipyards
closed, and much of the port’s energy moved to waterfront tourism
and airport expansion, a trend that lasted through the 1960s.
When container shipping was
introduced in the early 1960’s, the Port evolved to resemble what
you see today. The rows of immense cranes are something you would
only see at a major container port. Dock-side cranes are more than
125 feet tall, can lift 100,000 pounds of cargo between ship and
shore, and are backed by rail-mounted stacking cranes that move
containers to storage. Ever-expanding, the Port of Oakland now has
10 container terminals with 30 cranes, and covers 600 acres. Though
the Port controls another 15 miles of waterfront, the Webster Street
and Posey tubes prevent deep draft ships from going beyond the
Charles P. Howard Terminal, so the shipping side of the Port ends at
Jack London Square. Handling 98% of Bay’s
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container cargo shipping, the
Port of Oakland has gone from gold rush start-up to western terminus
of transcontinental railroad and 5th largest intermodal port in the
nation. The Port of Oakland offers Harbor Tours to the public
(510)627-1188.
Apart from the Port of Oakland,
the first thing you’ll notice about the estuary from the ferry is
Jack London Square, a popular gathering place for waterfront dining,
strolling and shopping. The square hosts a farmers market Sunday
mornings, and often has outdoor concerts. Trust you instincts in
navigating the maze of shops and restaurants here: some are seafood
driven formal dining opportunities; many are familiar chains, and
you really can’t go wrong. For a quick bite, try the cafe at
Barnes and Noble or the deli at Jack’s Bistro. Yoshi’s, a
Japanese restaurant by day, as well as a regional jazz Mecca with
live music every night. Heinhold’s First and Last Chance Saloon
provides your link to the past along this part of the waterfront.
Jack London hung out here, even borrowed tuition money from the bar
tender. Heinhold’s is still-a 100 years and counting-a full
service bar. The adjacent Jack London’s cabin was transported here
from the Yukon by
port officials in 1970 to
accompany the saloon in entertaining visitors, and there are plaques
revealing the history of Jack London’s Oakland waterfront. (The
London’s left their mark all over Oakland. Check out the Literary
Guide to the Bay Area, City Lights Books, San Francisco to learn
more.)
CONTINUE
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Sand
Castle contest at Crown Beach-
(510)521-6887
Pro Arts East Bay Open Studios,
www.proartsgallery.org
Port of Oakland Harbor Tours hotline-(610)627-1188,
www.portofoakland.com
Jack London Square summer concert
series-(510)208-4646
Fruitvale Walking Tour The
Oakland Heritage Alliance-(510)763-9218)
Black Panther Legacy Tours-(510)986-0660,
www.blackpanthertours.com
Oakland Walking Tours Program-
free walking tours of the downtown areas: Chinatown, Jack London
Waterfront, or Old Oakland Historic District. Wednesdays and
Saturdays May through October-(510) 238-3234, www.oaklandnet.com
Jack London Square
Events hotline-(510)814-6000
Waterfront Plaza Hotel-Ten
Washington St.-(510)836-3800
Jack London Inn
-444 Embarcadero- (510)444-2032
Dockside Boat and Bed-419
Water St.-(510)444-5858
Best Western Inn
at the Square-Broadway & 3rd-(510)452-4565
Potomac Visitor Center-540
Water St.-(510)627-1215
California Canoe and Kayak-409
Water St.-(510)893-7833
Heinold’s First and Last Chance
Saloon-Jack London
Square-(510)839-6761
Barnes and Noble-Foot
of Broadway-(510272-0120
Jack’s Bistro-Foot
of Broadway-(510)444-7171
Scott’s-2 Broadway-(510)444-3456
Kincaid’s Bayhouse-1
Franklin-(510)835-8600
Il Pescadore-57
Jack London Square- (510)465-2188
Embarcadero/Art Studios
Pro Arts Gallery
-461 Ninth St.-(888)625-6873, www.proartsgallery.org
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