See Also

Berkeley, California

Berkeley is a city on the east shore of San Francisco Bay San Francisco Bay

The San Francisco Bay is a shallow, productive estuary [i] through which water draining approximately fo ... 

 in northern California California

California is a state [i] spanning the southern half of the west coast [i] ... 

, in the United States United States

The United States of America, also known as the United States, the U.S., the U.S.A., a... 

. Its neighbors to the south are the cities of Oakland, California Oakland, California

Oakland, founded in 1852 [i], is an American [i] city on the eastern shore [i] ... 

 and Emeryville, California Emeryville, California

Emeryville is a small city located in Alameda County, California [i], in the United States [i]. ... 

. To the north is the city of Albany Albany, California

Albany is a city in Alameda County [i], California [i], United States [i]. ... 

 and the unincorporated Kensington Kensington, California

Kensington is an unincorporated community [i] and census-designated place [i] located in the East Bay, p ... 

. The eastern city limits coincide with the county line which generally follows the ridgeline of the Berkeley Hills. Berkeley is located in northern Alameda County Alameda County, California

Alameda County is a county [i] in the U.S. state [i] of California [i]. ... 

. Berkeley is the site of the University of California, Berkeley University of California, Berkeley

The University of California, Berkeley is the oldest and flagship campus of the ten-campus University of California [i] ... 

, the flagship campus of the University of California University of California

The University of California is a public university [i] system in the state [i] of California [i] ... 

, and the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory

The Ernest Orlando Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory , formerly the Berkeley Radiation Laboratory... 

, Lawrence Hall of Science Lawrence Hall of Science

The Lawrence Hall of Science is a public science center, run by the University of California, Berkeley [i] ... 

, Space Sciences Laboratory, and Mathematical Sciences Research Institute,

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Timeline

1961   Discovery of the chemical elements: Element 103, Lawrencium, is first synthesized (Berkeley, California).



Encyclopedia

Berkeley is a city on the east shore of San Francisco Bay San Francisco Bay

The San Francisco Bay is a shallow, productive estuary [i] through which water draining approximately fo ... 

 in northern California California

California is a state [i] spanning the southern half of the west coast [i] ... 

, in the United States United States

The United States of America, also known as the United States, the U.S., the U.S.A., a... 

. Its neighbors to the south are the cities of Oakland, California Oakland, California

Oakland, founded in 1852 [i], is an American [i] city on the eastern shore [i] ... 

 and Emeryville, California Emeryville, California

Emeryville is a small city located in Alameda County, California [i], in the United States [i]. ... 

. To the north is the city of Albany Albany, California

Albany is a city in Alameda County [i], California [i], United States [i]. ... 

 and the unincorporated Kensington Kensington, California

Kensington is an unincorporated community [i] and census-designated place [i] located in the East Bay, p ... 

. The eastern city limits coincide with the county line which generally follows the ridgeline of the Berkeley Hills. Berkeley is located in northern Alameda County Alameda County, California

Alameda County is a county [i] in the U.S. state [i] of California [i]. ... 

.

Berkeley is the site of the University of California, Berkeley University of California, Berkeley

The University of California, Berkeley is the oldest and flagship campus of the ten-campus University of California [i] ... 

, the flagship campus of the University of California University of California

The University of California is a public university [i] system in the state [i] of California [i] ... 

, and the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory

The Ernest Orlando Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory , formerly the Berkeley Radiation Laboratory... 

, Lawrence Hall of Science Lawrence Hall of Science

The Lawrence Hall of Science is a public science center, run by the University of California, Berkeley [i] ... 

, Space Sciences Laboratory, and Mathematical Sciences Research Institute, which are on the campus grounds.

History

The site of today's City of Berkeley was the territory of the Chochen/Huichin band of the Ohlone Ohlone

The Ohlone are an ethnic group [i] of Native American [i] people w ... 

 people when the first Europeans arrived. Remnants of their existence in the area include pits in various rock formations which were used to grind acorns from native oak Oak

The term oak can be used as part of the common name of any of several hundred species of tree [i]s and shrub [i] ... 

 trees, and a shellmound now mostly leveled and covered up along the shoreline of San Francisco Bay San Francisco Bay

The San Francisco Bay is a shallow, productive estuary [i] through which water draining approximately fo ... 

 at the mouth of Strawberry Creek. Other artifacts were discovered in the 1950s in the downtown area Downtown Berkeley, California

Downtown Berkeley is the central district of the city of Berkeley, California [i], centered around the i ... 

 during the remodeling of a commercial building, near the upper course of the same Strawberry Creek.

The first people of European ancestry arrived with the De Anza Expedition Juan Bautista de Anza

[i] explorer for the [[Spanish Empire]... 

 of 1776, which is today noted by signage on U.S. Interstate 80 Interstate 80

Interstate 80 is the second-longest Interstate Highway [i] in the United States [i]. ... 

 which runs along the San Francisco Bay shoreline of Berkeley. The De Anza Expedition resulted in the establishment of the Spanish Presidio of San Francisco Presidio of San Francisco

The Presidio of San Francisco is a park on the northern tip of the San Francisco Peninsula [i] in the City and County of San Francisco [i] ... 

 at the entrance to San Francisco Bay which is due west of Berkeley. Among the soldiers serving at the Presidio was one Luís Peralta. For his services to the King of Spain Spanish monarchy

The Spanish Monarchy is the parliamentary monarchy [i] of Spain [i].... 

, he was granted a vast extent of land on the east shore of San Francisco Bay for a ranch, including that portion which now comprises the City of Berkeley.

Luis Peralta named his holding "Rancho San Antonio". The primary activity of the ranch was the raising of cattle for meat and hides, but hunting and farming were also pursued. Eventually, he gave portions of his ranch to each of his four sons. Most of the portion that is now Berkeley was the domain of his son Domingo, the rest being held by his son Vicente. No artifact survives of the ranches of Domingo or Vicente, although their names have been preserved in the naming of Berkeley streets . However, the legal title to all land in the City of Berkeley remains based on the original Peralta land grant.

The Peraltas' Rancho San Antonio continued after Alta California passed from Spanish to Mexican sovereignty as a result of the Mexican War of Independence Mexican War of Independence

The Mexican War of Independence, which started on September 16, 1810, was Mexico's [i] struggle f ... 

. However, the advent of U.S. sovereignty as a result of the Mexican War Mexican–American War

The MexicanAmerican War was a military conflict fought between the United States [i] and ... 

, and especially, the Gold Rush Gold rush

A gold rush is a period of feverish migration of workers into the area of a dramatic discovery of commer... 

, saw the Peralta's lands quickly encroached on by squatter Squatting

Squatting is the act of occupying an abandoned or unoccupied space or building [i] that the squatter' ... 

s and diminished by dubious legal proceedings. The lands of the brothers Domingo and Vicente were quickly reduced to reservations close to their respective ranch homes. The rest of the land was surveyed and parceled out to various American claimants.

Politically, the area that became Berkeley was initially part of a vast Contra Costa County Contra Costa County, California

Contra Costa County is a suburban county [i] in the San Francisco Bay Area [i] ... 

, but shortly, Alameda County was created by division of Contra Costa County.

The area of Berkeley was at this period mostly a mix of open land, farms and ranches, with a small though busy wharf by the Bay. It was not yet "Berkeley", but merely the northern part of the "Oakland Township" subdivision of Alameda County.

In 1866, the private College of California located in the city of Oakland sought out a new site. They picked a location north of Oakland along the foot of the Contra Costa Hills astride Strawberry Creek, and at about an elevation of 500 feet above the Bay, commanding a fantastic view of the Bay Area and the Pacific Ocean through the Golden Gate.

According to the Centennial Record of the University of California, "In 1866…at Founders' Rock Founders' Rock

[i]... 

, a group of College of California men were watching two ships standing out to sea through the Golden Gate Golden Gate

The Golden Gate is the strait [i] connecting the San Francisco Bay [i] to the Pacific Ocean [i]. ... 

. One of them, Frederick Billings, was reminded of the lines of Bishop Berkeley George Berkeley

George Berkeley , also known as Bishop Berkeley, was an influential Irish [i] philosopher [i] ... 

, 'westward the course of empire takes its way,' and suggested that the town and college site be named for the eighteenth-century British philosopher and poet."

The College of California's "College Homestead Association" planned to raise funds for their new campus by selling off parcels of land adjacent to it. To this end, they laid out a plat and street grid which became the basis of Berkeley's modern street plan. Their plans fell far short of their desires, and collaboration was then begun with the State of California, culminating in 1868 with the creation of the public University of California University of California

The University of California is a public university [i] system in the state [i] of California [i] ... 

.

As construction began on the new site, more residences began to be constructed in the vicinity of the new campus. At the same time, a settlement of residences, saloons, and various industries had also been growing up around the wharf on the bayshore called "Ocean View". A horsecar Horsecar

A horsecar was an animal-powered streetcar.
... 

 line was constructed out from Temescal Temescal, Oakland, California

Temescal is one of the oldest neighborhood [i]s in the northern section of Oakland, California [i]. ... 

 in Oakland along what is today's Telegraph Avenue Telegraph Avenue

Telegraph Avenue is a street which begins, at its southernmost point, in the midst of the historic downt... 

 to the University campus.

By the 1870s the Transcontinental Railroad had reached its terminus in Oakland. In 1876, a branch line of the Central Pacific Railroad Central Pacific Railroad

The Central Pacific Railroad, was the California-to-Utah portion of the First Transcontinental Railroad [i] ... 

, the Berkeley Branch Railroad, was laid from Oakland into what is now downtown Berkeley Downtown Berkeley, California

Downtown Berkeley is the central district of the city of Berkeley, California [i], centered around the i ... 

. That same year, the main line of the transcontinental railroad into Oakland was re-routed, putting the right-of-way along the bayshore through Ocean View.

In 1878, the people of Ocean View and the area around the University campus, together with the local farmers incorporated themselves as the Town of Berkeley. The first elected trustees of the Town were the slate of Dennis Kearney Dennis Kearney

Dennis Kearney was a California [i] political leader in the late 19th century [i], known for his nativist [i] ... 

's Workingman's Party who were particularly favored in the working class area of the former Ocean View, now called "West Berkeley". The area near the University became known as "East Berkeley".

The modern age came quickly to Berkeley, no doubt due to the influence of the University. Electric light Electric light

Most of the industrialized world is lit by electric lights, which are used both at night and to provide ad... 

s were in use by 1888. The telephone Telephone

The telephone or phone is a telecommunication [i]s device which is used to transmit [i] ... 

 had already come to town. Electric streetcar Tram

A tram, tramcar, trolley, or streetcar, is a railborne [i], lighter than ... 

s soon replaced the horsecar Horsecar

A horsecar was an animal-powered streetcar.
... 

. A silent film of one of these early streetcars in Berkeley can be seen at the Library of Congress Library of Congress

The Library of Congress is the de facto [i] national library [i] of the United States [i] and the re ... 

 website:

Berkeley's slow growth ended abruptly with the Great San Francisco Earthquake of 1906 1906 San Francisco earthquake

The San Francisco earthquake of 1906 was a major earthquake [i] that struck San Francisco [i] ... 

. The town and other parts of the East Bay somehow managed to escape even moderate damage from the massive temblor, and hundreds if not thousands of refugees flowed across the Bay. In 1909, the citizens of Berkeley adopted a new charter, and the Town of Berkeley became the City of Berkeley. Rapid growth continued right up to the Crash of 1929 Wall Street Crash of 1929

The Wall Street Crash of 1929, also called the Great Crash or the Crash of '29, was the stock-market crash [i] ... 

. The Great Depression Great Depression

The Great Depression was a worldwide economic downturn [i] which started in 1929 and lasting ... 

 hit Berkeley hard, but not as hard as many other places in the U.S. thanks in part to the University.

The next big growth occurred with the advent of World War II World War II

World War II, or the Second World War, was a worldwide [i] conflict [i] fought betwe ... 

 when large numbers of people moved into the Bay Area to work in the many war industries, such as the immense Kaiser Shipyards in nearby Richmond Richmond, California

Richmond is a city in western Contra Costa County [i], California [i], United States [i] ... 

. One who moved out, but played a big role in the outcome of the War was U.C. Professor and Berkeley resident J. Robert Oppenheimer Robert Oppenheimer

J. Robert Oppenheimer was an American [i] theoretical physicist [i], ... 

.

The postwar years saw moderate growth of the City, but events on the U.C. campus began to build up to the recognizable activism of the sixties. In the 1950s, McCarthyism McCarthyism

McCarthyism is the term describing a period of intense anti-Communist [i] suspicion in the United States [i] ... 

 induced the University to demand a loyalty oath from its professors, many of whom refused to sign any such oath on the principle of freedom of thought. In 1960, a U.S. House committee came to San Francisco to investigate the influence of communists in the Bay Area. Their inquisition was met by protesters, including many from the University. Meanwhile, a number of U.C. students became active in support of the Civil Rights Movement Civil rights movement

Historically, the civil rights movement was a concentrated period of time around the world of approximat... 

. Finally, the University in 1964 provoked a massive student protest by banning the distribution of political literature on campus. This protest became known as the Free Speech Movement. As the Vietnam War Vietnam War

The Vietnam War was a conflict in which the Democratic Republic of Vietnam [i] and its al ... 

 rapidly escalated in the ensuing years, so did student activism
at the University.

Perhaps the crowning event of the Berkeley Sixties scene was the conflict over a parcel of University property south of the contiguous campus site which came to be called "People's Park People's Park (Berkeley)

People's Park in Berkeley, California [i], USA [i] is a park off Telegraph Avenue [i], bou ... 

".



The battle over the disposition of People's Park resulted in a month-long occupation of Berkeley by the National Guard United States National Guard

The United States National Guard is a component of the United States Army [i] and the United States Air ... 

 on orders of then-Governor Ronald Reagan Ronald Reagan

Ronald Wilson Reagan was the 40th President [i] of the United States [i] ... 

. In the end, the park remained undeveloped, and remains so today. A spin-off "People's Park Annex" was established at the same time by activist citizens of Berkeley on a strip of land above the Bay Area Rapid Transit Bay Area Rapid Transit

The San Francisco Bay Area Rapid Transit District is a public [i] rapid-transit [i] ... 

 subway construction along Hearst Avenue northwest of the U.C. campus. The land had also been intended for development, but was peacefully turned over to the City and is now Ohlone Park.

The era of large public protest in Berkeley waned considerably with the end of the Vietnam War in 1974. But activist politics continue. One person who rose in prominence during the late sixties and into the seventies was Ron Dellums Ron Dellums

Ronald Vernie Dellums, U.S. Democratic Party [i] politician, is the mayor... 

, nephew of C.L. Dellums C. L. Dellums

C.L. Dellums was one of the organizers and leaders of the Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters [i].
... 

, an African American labor leader. He first served on the Berkeley City Council, and later became a Congressman for the district which includes Berkeley. He was elected as Mayor of Oakland in 2006.

The 1970s saw a decline in the population of Berkeley, partly due to an exodus to the suburbs. Some moved because of the rising cost of living throughout the Bay Area, and others because of the decline and disappearance of many industries in West Berkeley.

The period from the 1980s right up to the present has been marked by a continuation of rising costs, particularly with respect to housing, especially since the mid-1990s. In 2005–2006, sales of homes appear to finally be slowing, but the price of an average home is still among the highest in the nation.

In 2006, Cody's, the city's leading independent book store, closed its flagship store on Telegraph Avenue after 43 years. Conditions on Telegraph Avenue, where Cody's and other independent bookstores once thrived, have deteriorated. This situation has many identifiable causes, including sharply-escalating commercial rents, over-dependence on the student population for business, and the negative effects of Internet businesses on local retailers.

Although many think of the 1960s as the heyday of liberalism in Berkeley, it remains one of the most overwhelmingly liberal cities in the United States, with its 2004 presidential vote going more than 90% for John Kerry versus only 6.7% for George W. Bush .

Population by decade:
  • 1890 — 5,101
  • 1900 — 13,214
  • 1910 — 40,434
  • 1920 — 56,036
  • 1930 — 82,109
  • 1940 — 85,547
  • 1950 — 113,805
  • 1960 — 111,268
  • 1970 — 116,716
  • 1980 — 103,328
  • 1990 — 102,724
  • 2000 — 102,743

Geography

Berkeley is located at .

According to the United States Census Bureau United States Census Bureau

The United States Census Bureau is a part of the United States Department of Commerce [i]. ... 

, the city has a total area of 17.7 mi² . 10.5 mi² of it is land and 7.2 mi² of it is water. most of it the adjoining San Francisco Bay San Francisco Bay

The San Francisco Bay is a shallow, productive estuary [i] through which water draining approximately fo ... 

.

Berkeley borders the cities of Albany, Oakland, and Emeryville and unincorporated Contra Costa County including Kensington as well as San Francisco Bay.

Geology


Most of Berkeley lies on a rolling sedimentary plain, rising gently from sea level to the base of the Berkeley Hills. From there, the land rises dramatically. The highest peak along the ridgeline above Berkeley is Grizzly Peak, elevation 1,754 feet . A number of small creeks run from the hills to the Bay through Berkeley: Codornices, Schoolhouse, Marin and Strawberry are the principal streams. Most of these are largely culverted once they reach the plain west of the hills.

The Berkeley Hills are part of the Pacific Coast Ranges, and run in a northwest-southeast alignment. In Berkeley, the hills consist mainly of a soft, crumbly rock with outcroppings of harder material of old volcanic origin. Some of these rhyolite Rhyolite

This page is about a volcanic rock.... 

 formations can be seen in several city parks and in the yards of a number of private residences. One such park is Indian Rock Park Indian Rock Park

Indian Rock Park is a public park in the city of Berkeley, California [i]. ... 

 in the northeastern part of Berkeley near the Arlington/Marin Circle.

Berkeley is traversed by the Hayward Fault Hayward Fault Zone

The Hayward Fault Zone is a geologic fault [i] capable of generating significantly destructive earthquake [i] ... 

, a major branch of the San Andreas Fault San Andreas Fault

[i] that runs a length of roughly 800 [[mile]... 

 to the west. No large earthquake has occurred on the Hayward Fault near Berkeley in historic times , but seismologists warn about the geologic record of large temblors several times in the deeper past, and their current assessment is that a quake of 6.5 or greater is imminent, sometime within the next 30 years.

In 1868, a large earthquake did occur on the southern segment of the Hayward Fault in the vicinity of today's city of Hayward Hayward, California

For other places with the same name, see Hayward [i].
... 

 . This quake destroyed the county seat of Alameda County then located in San Leandro San Leandro, California

[i], [[United States]... 

 and it was subsequently moved to Oakland. It was strongly felt in San Francisco, causing major damage, and waking up one Samuel Clemens . It was regarded as the "Great San Francisco Quake" prior to 1906. The quake produced a furrow in the ground along the faultline in Berkeley, across the grounds of the new School for the Blind which was noted by one early University of California professor. Although no significant damage was reported to what few buildings then existed in Berkeley, the 1868 quake did destroy the vulnerable adobe home of Domingo Peralta in north Berkeley.

Today, the Hayward Fault can be seen "creeping" at various locations in Berkeley, although since it cuts across the base of the hills, this creep is typically concealed by and confused with slide activity. Some of this slide activity however is itself the result of the Hayward Fault's slow movement. Springs and sharp perpendicular jogs of streams are another sign of the fault's location and movement.

One notorious segment of the Hayward Fault runs lengthwise right down the middle of Memorial Stadium at the mouth of Strawberry Canyon on the campus of the University of California. show the movement of the fault through the stadium.


Climate

Berkeley has a Mediterranean climate Mediterranean climate

A Mediterranean [i] climate [i] is one that resembles those of the lands bordering the Mediterranean Sea [i]... 

, with dry summers and wet winters as is typical in the Mediterranean region, but with a cool modification in summer thanks to upwelling ocean currents along the California coast.

Winter is punctuated with rainstorms of varying ferocity and duration, but also produces stretches of bright sunny days and clear cold nights. It does not normally snow, though occasionally the hilltops get a dusting. Spring and fall are transitional and intermediate, with some rainfall and variable temperature. Summer typically brings night and morning fog Fog

Fog is a cloud [i] in contact with the ground. ... 

, followed by sunny, warm days. The warmest and driest months are typically June through September, with the highest temperatures occurring in September. Mid-summer is often a bit cooler due to the sea breezes and fog which are normally most strongly developed then.

In the late spring and early fall, strong offshore winds of sinking air typically develop, bringing heat and dryness to the area. In the spring, this is not usually a problem as vegetation is still moist from winter rains, but extreme dryness prevails by the fall, creating a danger of wildfires. In September 1923 a major fire swept through the neighborhoods north of the University campus, stopping just short of downtown. . On October 20 1991, gusty hot winds fanned a conflagration along the Berkeley-Oakland border, killing 25 people and injuring 150, as well as destroying 2,449 single-family dwellings and 437 apartment and condominium units.

Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
Avg high temp. °F 56
59
61
64
67
70
70
71
72
70
62
57
Avg low temp. °F 44
46
47
49
51
54
55
56
56
53
48
43
Rainfall in. 5.1
4.8
4.1
1.6
0.6
0.1
0.1
0.1
0.4
1.4
3.6
3.5
colspan="14" style="text-align:center;"|Table 1: Berkeley Climate Data

Demographics



As of the census Census

A census is the process of obtaining information about every member of a population [i] . ... 

 of 2000, there were 102,743 people, 44,955 households, and 18,656 families residing in the city. The population density Population density

Population density is a measurement of population [i] per unit area or unit volume. ... 

 was 3,792.5/km² , one of the highest in California. There were 46,875 housing units at an average density of 1,730.3/km² . The racial makeup of the city was 59.17% White Race

The term race distinguishes one population [i] of an animal species from another of the same species. ... 

, 16.39% Asian Race

The term race distinguishes one population [i] of an animal species from another of the same species. ... 

, 13.63% Black Race

The term race distinguishes one population [i] of an animal species from another of the same species. ... 

 or African American Race

The term race distinguishes one population [i] of an animal species from another of the same species. ... 

, 0.45% Native American Race

The term race distinguishes one population [i] of an animal species from another of the same species. ... 

, 0.14% Pacific Islander Race

The term race distinguishes one population [i] of an animal species from another of the same species. ... 

, 4.64% from other races Race

The term race distinguishes one population [i] of an animal species from another of the same species. ... 

, and 5.57% from two or more races. 9.73% of the population were Hispanic Race

The term race distinguishes one population [i] of an animal species from another of the same species. ... 

 or Latino Race

The term race distinguishes one population [i] of an animal species from another of the same species. ... 

 of any race.

There were 44,955 households out of which 17.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 28.9% were married couples living together, 9.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 58.5% were non-families. 38.1% of all households were made up of individuals and 7.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.16 and the average family size was 2.84.

In the city the population was spread out with 14.1% under the age of 18, 21.6% from 18 to 24, 31.8% from 25 to 44, 22.3% from 45 to 64, and 10.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 32 years. For every 100 females there were 96.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 95.1 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $44,485, and the median income for a family was $70,434. Males had a median income of $50,789 versus $40,623 for females. The per capita income for the city was $30,477. About 8.3% of families and 20.0% of the population were below the poverty line Poverty threshold

The poverty threshold, or poverty line, is the level of income [i] below which one cannot afford t... 

, including 13.4% of those under age 18 and 7.9% of those age 65 or over.

Transportation

Berkeley is served by Amtrak Amtrak

Amtrak is the brand name [i] of the United States [i]' intercity [i] passenger train [i] system created ... 

 , AC Transit AC Transit

AC Transit is a regional bus [i] agency serving parts of Alameda County [i] a ... 

, BART Bay Area Rapid Transit

The San Francisco Bay Area Rapid Transit District is a public [i] rapid-transit [i] ... 

  and bus shuttles operated by major employers including UC Berkeley University of California, Berkeley

The University of California, Berkeley is the oldest and flagship campus of the ten-campus University of California [i] ... 

 and Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory

The Ernest Orlando Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory , formerly the Berkeley Radiation Laboratory... 

. The only major freeway is an approximately two-mile long stretch of the Interstate 80 Interstate 80

Interstate 80 is the second-longest Interstate Highway [i] in the United States [i]. ... 

/Interstate 580 Interstate 580

Interstate 580 is the designation for several Interstate Highway [i]s in the United States [i], all of w ... 

 overlap, running along the bay shoreline. Each day there is an influx of thousands of cars into the city by commuting UC faculty, staff and students, making parking for more than a few hours an expensive proposition.

Berkeley has one of the highest rates of bicycle Bicycle

A bicycle, or bike, can be defined generally as a pedal-driven [i] human-powered vehicle [i]... 

 and pedestrian commuting in the nation. Berkeley is the safest city of its size in California for pedestrians and cyclists, considering the number of injuries per pedestrian and cyclist, rather than per capita.

Berkeley has modified its original grid roadway structure through use of diverters and barriers, moving most traffic out of neighborhoods and onto arterial streets . Berkeley maintains a separate grid of arterial streets for bicycles, called Bicycle Boulevards, with bike lanes and lower amounts of car traffic than the major streets to which they often run parallel.

Berkeley hosts a car sharing network run by . Rather than owning their own cars, members share a group of cars parked nearby. Online reservation systems keep track of hours and charges. Several "pods" exist throughout the city, in several downtown locations and at the Ashby BART station in South Berkeley.

Berkeley has had recurring problems with parking meter Parking meter

A parking meter is a device used to collect money in exchange for the right to park a vehicle [i] in a p ... 

s. In 1999, over 2,400 Berkeley meters were jammed, smashed, or sawed apart. Starting in 2005 and continuing into 2006, Berkeley began to phase out mechanical meters in favor of more centralized electronic meters.

Transportation past

The first commuter service to San Francisco was provided by the Central Pacific's Berkeley Branch Railroad, a standard gauge steam railroad which connected in Emeryville with trains to the Oakland ferry pier from downtown Berkeley starting in 1876. This line was extended from Shattuck and University to Vine Street in 1878. Eventually, the Berkeley trains ran directly to the Oakland Pier. In the 1880s, Southern Pacific Southern Pacific Railroad

The Southern Pacific Railroad was an American [i] railroad [i]. ... 

 assumed operations of the Berkeley Branch. In 1911, Southern Pacific electrified this line and the several others it constructed in Berkeley, creating its East Bay Electric Lines division. The huge and heavy cars specially built for these lines came to be called the "Big Red Trains". The Shattuck line was extended and connected with two other Berkeley lines at Solano and Colusa . It was at this time that the Northbrae Tunnel and the Rose Street Undercrossing were constructed, both of which still exist . The last Red Trains ran in July, 1941.

The first electric rail service in Berkeley was provided by several small streetcar Tram

A tram, tramcar, trolley, or streetcar, is a railborne [i], lighter than ... 

 companies starting in the late 1800s. Most of these were eventually bought up by the Key System Key System

The Key System was a privately-owned company which provided mass transit [i] in the cities of Oakland [i] ... 

 of "Borax" Smith Francis Marion Smith

Francis Marion Smith was an American [i] business magnate [i] and civic builder of Oakland, California [i] ... 

 who added lines and improved equipment. The Key System's streetcars were operated by its East Bay Street Railways division. Principal lines in Berkeley ran on Euclid, The Arlington, College, Telegraph, Shattuck, and Grove . The last streetcars ran in 1948, replaced by buses.

The first electric commuter interurban-type trains to San Francisco from Berkeley were put in operation by the Key System in 1903, several years before the Southern Pacific electrified its steam commuter lines. Like the SP, Key trains ran to a pier serviced by the Key's own fleet of ferryboats Ferries of San Francisco Bay

San Francisco Bay [i] in California [i] has been served by ferries [i] of all types for over 150 years. ... 

 which also docked at the Ferry Building in San Francisco. After the Bay Bridge San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge

The San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge is a toll bridge [i] which spans the San Francisco Bay [i] and link ... 

 was built, the Key trains ran to the Transbay Terminal in San Francisco, sharing tracks on the lower deck of the Bay Bridge with the SP's red trains and the Sacramento Northern Railroad. It was at this time that the Key trains acquired their letter designations, which were later preserved by Key's public successor, AC Transit. Today's F bus is the successor of the F train. Likewise, the E, G and the H. Before the Bridge, these lines were simply the Shattuck Avenue Line, the Claremont Line, the Westbrae Line, and the Sacramento Street Line, respectively.

After the Southern Pacific abandoned transbay service in 1941, the Key System acquired the rights to use its tracks and overhead on Shattuck north of Ward Street and through the Northbrae Tunnel to The Alameda for the F-train, and also the tracks along Monterey Avenue as far as Colusa for the H-train. The Key System trains stopped running in April of 1958.

The Northbrae Tunnel was opened to auto traffic five years later in 1963 .

Places


Streets

Main streets include: Shattuck Avenue, home to the downtown business district; Telegraph Avenue Telegraph Avenue

Telegraph Avenue is a street which begins, at its southernmost point, in the midst of the historic downt... 

; University Avenue, which runs from the bayshore to the University campus;
San Pablo Avenue California State Route 123

State Route 123, named San Pablo Avenue for much of its length, is a major north-south state highw... 

 ; Ashby Avenue which also runs from the bayshore to the hills, connecting with the Warren Freeway and Highway 24 California State Route 24

State Route 24 in the U.S. State [i] of California [i] is a heavily-traveled east-west freeway [i] in th ... 

 leading to the Caldecott Tunnel; College Avenue; Martin Luther King Junior Way; Sacramento Street; Marin Avenue; and Solano Avenue. The Eastshore Freeway Eastshore Freeway

The Eastshore Freeway is a segment of Interstate Highways 80 and 580 [i] whi ... 

  runs along Berkeley's bayshore with ramps at Ashby, University and Gilman.

Bicycle and pedestrian paths

  • Ohlone Greenway Ohlone Greenway

    The Ohlone Greenway is a pedestrian and bicycle path in the East Bay [i] region of the San Francisco Bay Area [i] ... 

  • San Francisco Bay Trail
  • I-80 Bridge — opened in 2002, a green, arch-suspension bridge spanning Interstate 80, for bikes and pedestrians only, giving access from the city at the foot of Addison Street to the San Francisco Bay Trail and the Berkeley Marina.
  • Berkeley's Network of Historic Pathways — Berkeley has a network of historic pathways that link the winding neighborhoods found in the hills and offer panoramic lookouts over the East Bay. A complete guide to the pathways may be found at

Neighborhoods

While Berkeley is a relatively small city, a number of distinct neighborhoods have developed.

Surrounding the University of California campus University of California, Berkeley Campus Architecture

The University of California, Berkeley [i] campus and its surrounding community are home to a number of ... 

 are the most densely populated parts of the city. West of the campus is Downtown Berkeley Downtown Berkeley, California

Downtown Berkeley is the central district of the city of Berkeley, California [i], centered around the i ... 

, the city's traditional commercial core; home of the civic center Civic center

A civic center or civic centre is a prominent land [i] area within a community [i] that is c... 

, the city's only public high school, the busiest BART station Downtown Berkeley (BART station)

Downtown Berkeley BART is a Bay Area Rapid Transit [i] station [i] located on Shattuck Ave ... 

 in Berkeley, as well as a major transfer point for AC Transit AC Transit

AC Transit is a regional bus [i] agency serving parts of Alameda County [i] a ... 

 buses. South of the campus is the Southside neighborhood, mainly a student ghetto, where much of the university's student housing is located. The busiest stretch of Telegraph Avenue Telegraph Avenue

Telegraph Avenue is a street which begins, at its southernmost point, in the midst of the historic downt... 

 is in this neighborhood. North of the campus is the quieter Northside neighborhood, the location of the Graduate Theological Union.

Further from the university campus, the influence of the University quickly becomes less visible. Most of Berkeley's neighborhoods are primarily made up of detached houses, often with separate in-law units in the rear, although larger apartment buildings are also common in many neighborhoods. Commercial activities are concentrated along the major avenues and at important intersections. In the southeastern corner of the city is the Claremont District Claremont, Oakland/Berkeley, California

The Claremont district is a neighborhood straddling the city limits of Oakland [i] ... 

, home to the Claremont Hotel Claremont Resort

The Claremont Resort & Spa is an historic hotel [i] that straddles the border between Berkeley [i] ... 

; and the Elmwood District, with a small shopping area on College Avenue. West of Elmwood is South Berkeley, known for its weekend flea market Flea market

A flea market, also known as a swap meet, is a place where vendors come to sell or trade their goo... 

 at the Ashby BART station. West of San Pablo Avenue is West Berkeley, the former unincorporated town of Ocean View. West Berkeley contains the remnants of Berkeley's industrial area, much of which has been replaced by retail and office uses with the decline of manufacturing in the United States. Along the shoreline of San Francisco Bay at the foot of University Avenue is the Berkeley Marina Berkeley Marina

The Berkeley Marina is the westernmost portion of the city of Berkeley, California [i], located west of ... 

. Nearby is Berkeley's Aquatic Park, featuring an artificial linear lagoon of San Francisco Bay. North of Downtown is the North Berkeley neighborhood, which has been nicknamed the "Gourmet Ghetto" because of the concentration of well-known restaurants and other food-related businesses. Further north are Northbrae, a master-planned subdivision from the early 20th Century, and Thousand Oaks. Above these last three neighborhoods, in the northeastern part of Berkeley, is the Berkeley Hills. The neighborhoods of the Berkeley Hills such as Cragmont and La Loma Park are notable for their dramatic views, winding streets, and numerous public stairways and paths.

Points of interest


  • Berkeley Repertory Theatre Berkeley Repertory Theatre

    Berkeley Repertory Theatre is a regional theater [i] company located in Berkeley, California [i]. ... 

  • Cloyne Court Hotel Cloyne Court Hotel

    The Cloyne Court Hotel, often referred to simply as Cloyne, is a student housing cooperative [i] a ... 

    , a member of the University Students' Cooperative Association University Students' Cooperative Association

    The University Students' Cooperative Association or USCA is a student housing cooperative [i] serv ... 

  • Hearst Greek Theatre
  • Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory

    The Ernest Orlando Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory , formerly the Berkeley Radiation Laboratory... 

  • Regional Parks Botanic Garden Regional Parks Botanic Garden

    The Regional Parks Botanic Garden is a 10 acre botanical garden [i] located in Tilden Regional Park [i] ... 

  • University of California, Berkeley University of California, Berkeley

    The University of California, Berkeley is the oldest and flagship campus of the ten-campus University of California [i] ... 

  • University of California Botanical Garden University of California Botanical Garden

    The University of California Botanical Garden is a 34 acre botanical garden [i] located on the University of California, Berkeley [i]... 

  • Berkeley Rose Garden


Other notable places include:
  • The Campanile belltower in the University of California, Berkeley University of California, Berkeley

    The University of California, Berkeley is the oldest and flagship campus of the ten-campus University of California [i] ... 

     campus.
  • Telegraph Avenue Telegraph Avenue

    Telegraph Avenue is a street which begins, at its southernmost point, in the midst of the historic downt... 

    , along with People's Park People's Park (Berkeley)

    People's Park in Berkeley, California [i], USA [i] is a park off Telegraph Avenue [i], bou ... 

    , known as a center of counterculture activity during the 1960s–70s.
  • Chez Panisse Chez Panisse

    External link

[i]
... 

, the birthplace of California cuisine.
  • The Claremont Resort Claremont Resort

    The Claremont Resort & Spa is an historic hotel [i] that straddles the border between Berkeley [i] ... 

    , originally, the Claremont Hotel.
  • Berkeley High School , is considered a .
  • The Berkeley Community Theatre, a well-known concert hall.
  • 924 Gilman 924 Gilman Street

    924 Gilman Street, aka the Alternative Music Foundation, is the Berkeley, California [i] street address, ... 

    , an all-ages punk rock Punk rock

    Punk rock is an anti-establishment [i] rock music [i] movement with origins in the United States [i] and ... 

     music club where Berkeley natives Operation Ivy Operation Ivy

    Operation Ivy was the eighth series of American nuclear tests [i], coming after Tumbler-Snapper [i]... 

    , Pansy Division Pansy Division

    Pansy Division is a rock band that was a founding example of the queercore [i] genre.... 

    , Green Day Green Day

    Green Day is a musical [i] trio [i] from East Bay [i], California [i], consisting of Billie Joe Armstrong [i] ... 

    , Rancid, Tiger Army Tiger Army

    Tiger Army is a psychobilly [i] band that was formed in 1995 in San Francisco [i], California [i]. ... 

     and AFI started out.
  • The Freight and Salvage, a folk Folk music

    Folk music, in the original sense of the term, is music [i] by and for the common people.

... 

, traditional, and world music World music

World music is, most generally, all the music [i] in the world [i] . ... 

 club in West Berkeley.
  • The Cheese Board Cheese Board Collective

    [i], comprises two [[Cooperative|collectively owned]... 

    , a collective bakery, cheese shop, and pizzeria.
  • Berkeley City College, a community college in the Peralta Community College District

Landmarks and Historic Districts

165 buildings in Berkeley are designated as local landmarks or local structures of merit. Of these, 49 are listed in the National Register of Historic Places National Register of Historic Places

The National Register of Historic Places is the United States' [i] official list of distri ... 

, including:
  • Berkeley Women’s City Club, now Berkeley City Club — Julia Morgan Julia Morgan

    Julia Morgan was an American [i] architect [i]. ... 

  • First Church of Christ, Scientist — Bernard Maybeck
  • St. John’s Presbyterian Church, now Julia Morgan Center for the Arts — Julia Morgan Julia Morgan

    Julia Morgan was an American [i] architect [i]. ... 

  • William R. Thorsen House, now Sigma Phi Society Chapter House — Charles Sumner Greene & Henry Mather Greene


Historic Districts listed in the National Register of Historic Places National Register of Historic Places

The National Register of Historic Places is the United States' [i] official list of distri ... 

:
  • Berkeley Historic Civic Center District — Roughly bounded by McKinney Avenue, Addison Street, Shattuck Avenue, and Kittredge Street .
  • George C. Edwards Stadium — Located at intersection of Bancroft Way and Fulton Street on University of California, Berkeley campus .
  • Panoramic Hill, also known as University Terrace — Located at Panoramic Way, Canyon Road, Mosswood Road, Orchard Lane, and Arden Road .
  • State Asylum for the Deaf, Dumb and Blind, also known as California Schools for the Deaf and Blind, now Clark Kerr Campus — Bounded by Dwight Way, the City line, Derby Street, and Warring Street .

See List of Berkeley Landmarks, Structures of Merit, and Historic Districts

Schools

The first public school in Berkeley was the Ocean View School, now the site of the Berkeley Adult School located at Virginia Street and San Pablo Avenue. The public schools today are administered by the Berkeley Unified School District. In the 1960s, Berkeley was one of the earliest US cities to voluntarily desegregate, utilizing a system of buses, still in use. The city has only one public high school, Berkeley High.

Mayors



  • Presidents, Town Board of Trustees
    • Abel Whitton 1878–1881
    • Samuel Heywood 1882-1884
    • William H. Marston 1902–1906
  • Mayors
    • Beverly Lacy Hodghead 1909–1911
    • Jackson Stitt Wilson 1911–1913
    • Charles D. Heywood 1913–1915
    • Samuel C. Irving 1915–1919
    • Louis Bartlett 1919–1923
    • Frank D. Stringham 1923–1927
    • Michael B. Driver 1927–1930
    • Thomas E. Caldecott  1930–1932
    • Edward N. Ament 1932–1939
    • Frank S. Gaines 1939–1943
    • Fitch Robertson 1943–1946
    • Carrie Hoyt 1947
    • Laurance L. Cross 1947–1955
    • Claude B. Hutchinson 1955–1963
    • Wallace Johnson 1963–1971
    • Warren Widener 1971–1979
    • Gus Newport 1979–1986
    • Loni Hancock, 1986–1994
    • Jeffrey Shattuck Leiter, 1994
    • Shirley Dean, 1994–2002
    • Tom Bates, former long-time California State Assemblymember, married to California State Assemblymember and former Berkeley Mayor Loni Hancock. 2002-

Sister cities

Berkeley has declared the following sister city Town twinning

Town twinning or sister cities is a concept whereby town [i]s or cities [i] from geographical ... 

 relationships:
- Blackfeet Nation Blackfeet Indian Reservation

The Blackfeet Indian Reservation or Blackfeet Nation is an Indian reservation [i] of the Blackfeet [i] ... 

, California, United States
- Haidian District Haidian District

Haidian District/Precinct is a precinct of the municipality of Beijing [i].... 

, Beijing, China
- Jena, Thueringen, Germany
- Leon, Nicaragua León, Nicaragua

Len is a city [i] in Nicaragua [i], Central America [i], located at 12.43North, 86.89West. ... 


- Oukasie, South Africa
- Palma Soriano Palma Soriano

Palma Soriano is a city in Santiago de Cuba Province [i], Cuba [i].
... 

, Santiago de Cuba, Cuba
- Sakai, Osaka Sakai, Osaka

Sakai is a city located in Osaka Prefecture [i], Japan [i]. ... 

, Japan
- San Antonio Los Ranchos, Chalatenango, El Salvador
- Ulan-Ude Ulan-Ude

Ulan-Ude , formerly Verkhneudinsk , the capital of the Buryat Republic [i], Russia [i], i... 

, Buryatiya , Russia
- Uma-Bawang, Malaysia
- Yondó, Antioquia, Colombia
- Yurok Yurok tribe

The Yurok are Native American [i]s that have lived for at least 3, ... 

 Tribe, California, United States

Notable Berkeley residents

  • Ben Affleck Ben Affleck

    Benjamin Geza Affleck is an American film [i] actor [i] and an Academy Award [i]-winning ... 

     — Actor
  • Billie Joe Armstrong Billie Joe Armstrong

    Billie Joe Armstrong is the main songwriter, lead vocalist [i], and rhythm guitarist [i] for the rock ba ... 

     — Guitarist/vocalist of Green Day
  • Tim Armstrong Tim Armstrong

    Timothy Lockwood Armstrong is an American [i] punk rock [i] musician best known for his wo ... 

     — Member of punk rock Punk rock

    Punk rock is an anti-establishment [i] rock music [i] movement with origins in the United States [i] and ... 

     bands Rancid and Operation Ivy Operation Ivy

    Operation Ivy was the eighth series of American nuclear tests [i], coming after Tumbler-Snapper [i]... 

  • Anastasia Ashman Anastasia M. Ashman

    Anastasia M. Ashman is a cultural essayist [i] and editor [i] specializing in tales of personal ... 

     — Writer
  • Les Blank — Documentary filmmaker
  • David Brower — Environmentalist
  • Michael Chabon Michael Chabon

    Michael Chabon is an American [i] author [i] best known for his novel The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay [i] ... 

     — Author
  • Daniel Clowes Daniel Clowes

    Daniel Gillespie Clowes is an American author [i], screenwriter [i] and cartoonist [i] of alternative comic books [i] ... 

     — Cartoonist
  • Francis Ford Coppola Francis Ford Coppola

    Francis Ford Coppola is a five time Academy Award [i] winning American [i] film director [i]... 

     — Filmmaker Film director

    A film director is a person who directs the making of a film [i]. ... 

     and vintner
  • Robert Crumb Robert Crumb

    Robert Dennis Crumb is an artist and illustrator recognized for the distinctive style of his drawings an... 

     — Cartoonist
  • Robert Culp Robert Culp

    Robert Culp, and a 1947 graduate of Berkeley High School [i], is an American [i] actor, be... 

     — Actor
  • Richard Diebenkorn — Painter
  • Philip K. Dick Philip K. Dick

    Philip Kindred Dick was an American [i] science fiction [i] writer [i]. ... 

     — Author
  • Mike Dirnt Mike Dirnt

    Mike Dirnt is the bassist [i] for the band Green Day [i]. ... 

     — Bassist of Green Day Green Day

    Green Day is a musical [i] trio [i] from East Bay [i], California [i], consisting of Billie Joe Armstrong [i] ... 

  • Adam Duritz Adam Duritz

    Adam Frederic Duritz is a U.S. [i] musician [i] and record producer [i]. ... 

     — Singer/songwriter, Counting Crows
  • Dave Eggers — Writer
  • Daniel Ellsberg Daniel Ellsberg

    Daniel Ellsberg is a former American military analyst [i] employed by the RAND Corporation [i] who preci ... 

     — Military analyst, publisher of the Pentagon Papers
  • John Fogerty John Fogerty

    John Cameron Fogerty is an American [i] singer, songwriter [i], and guitarist, best known ... 

     — Singer/songwriter
  • C.S. Forester C. S. Forester

    Cecil Scott Forester was the pen name [i] of Cecil Louis Troughton Smith , an English [i] ... 

     — Author, Horatio Hornblower series and The African Queen
  • Matt Freeman — Member of punk rock Punk rock

    Punk rock is an anti-establishment [i] rock music [i] movement with origins in the United States [i] and ... 

     bands Rancid and Operation Ivy Operation Ivy

    Operation Ivy was the eighth series of American nuclear tests [i], coming after Tumbler-Snapper [i]... 

  • Terry Garthwaite — Singer/songwriter and founding member of folk-rock band Joy of Cooking
  • Richard Gere Richard Gere