The City Takes Action on the Waterfront  

Funded by a $2.5 million bond issue approved by the voters in 1909, the City of Oakland undertook extensive improvements to its waterfront in the years 1910-1918. Wharves were built or repaired at Livingston, Franklin and Clay Streets. Spur tracks were built out from the main Southern Pacific line to serve waterfront wharves. Dredging of the inner harbor deepened ship channels from the mouth of the Estuary to Brooklyn Basin as well as from the main channel in to the individual wharves.

On the western waterfront, the city constructed a long bulkhead wall between the SP Mole and the Key Route pier that enclosed 400 acres of marshes. Wharves were built and ship channels were dredged. The dredge material was used for land fill in the marshes behind the bulkhead.

Woodruff Minor
Historian

  "Walk Along the Water"
  © Oakland Museum of California, used with permission.

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