Oakland 's territory covers what was once a mosaic of California coastal terrace prairie , oak woodland , and north coastal scrub . Its land served as a rich resource when its hillside oak and redwood timber were logged to build San Francisco . Oakland 's fertile flatland soils helped it become a prolific agricultural region . In the late 1860s , Oakland was selected as the western terminal of the Transcontinental Railroad . Following the 1906 San Francisco earthquake , many San Francisco citizens moved to Oakland , enlarging the city 's population , increasing its housing stock , and improving its infrastructure . It continued to grow in the 20th century with its busy port , shipyards , and a thriving automobile manufacturing industry
1906 San Francisco earthquake
1906 San Francisco earthquake
Oakland, California