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The state of California is home to many residents and counties. Its large stature makes it a great place to visit, live and travel. One such county in California is Alameda and it stakes its claim in the San Francisco Bay Area. Its location can easily be found in the East Bay region and Alameda occupies the majority of the region that is shared by the Bay area, the US, the state of California and the county of Contra Costa.
Alameda County is home to the Bay on the west and San Francisco, both city and county, also shares a land border with the county. This is due to land filling. The Berkeley Hills crest forms a northeastern boundary to the county's center while Livermore Valley calls the eastern part home. Fault lines are also present in Alameda County. The Calaveras Fault is located on the southeastern part and the Hayward Fault, a branch of the San Andres Fault, can be found in the west and heavily populated parts of the county.
Alameda has a rich history that goes back to its founding in March 25, 1853. The county was formed from a large piece of Santa Clara County and a smaller piece of Contra Costa County. The county’s name means, "a place where poplar trees grow" and the name fits perfectly with its scenery of willow and sycamore trees that greets you as you enter Alameda County.
The county seat in 1853 was Alvarado and it remained so for three years until it was moved to San Leandro. Years later in 1868 an earthquake destroyed the courthouse and the town of Brooklyn became the county seat. Brooklyn then became part of Oakland and that has been the site of the county seat since 1873.
The county of Alameda has a large population that grows every year. In 2000, it became the 7th largest county in California and in 2006; its population grew to 1,457,426. While this seems like a large number, it is easy to see how so many people are there with the numerous cities located in Alameda County. They include Alameda, Albany, Berkeley, Dublin, Emeryville, and Fremont. The list also includes Hayward, Livermore, Newark, Oakland, Piedmont, Pleasanton, San Leandro, and Union City.
When it comes to politics in Alameda the party of choice is Democratic. Dwight Eisenhower was the last republican to lead the county and that happened in 1956. There has not been a presidential candidate voted for since then. Alameda has 5 different districts for their government practices. There is a supervisor for each district and an election held once every four years.
For your California education, you can visit and become an alumnus of The University of California-Berkeley. There are several community colleges located in the county like the College of Alameda that is part of the Peralta Community College District as well as Berkeley City College. There are many choices for schools in Alameda so you are sure to find the one that fits your educational needs.
In Alameda, families can take trips to the local Alameda County Arts Commission or the Oakland Museum of California. A visit to either location will include creative art works with historical artifacts of California for a fun filled day. If art is not your thing, then take in a sports game in one of the many cities in Alameda County. The Oakland Raiders play football at the local coliseum and the Golden State Warriors dunk basketballs at the Oracle Arena.
Other popular places to visit include the Lawrence Hall of Science, the Sunol Water Temple, and Tilden Regional Park. Every year in the city of Pleasanton there is a county fair held. The Alameda County Fairgrounds are used for the location and the fair is held for a period of three weeks. Take the whole family to the annual fair and enjoy live music, 4-H exhibits, and carnival rides.
Alameda County can be accessed from various major highways that include interstate 80 and 238 and also state routes 61 and 262. There are also bus services and commuter rails all around the cities in Alameda. This makes the county easy to travel around and enjoy the cities and the rest of the great state of California.
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