The first post office in what is now Oakland opened in 1851 at the corner of Main Street (later renamed Broadway) and 1st Street (now Embarcadero West), in Oakland’s first hotel, the Oakland House. At that time Oakland was only a village known as “Contra Costa” ( meaning the ‘other coast’ ). The name Oakland was first applied to the community in 1852 when the California Legislature passed Carpentier's bill creating the Town of Oakland. Note also that the village and town were originally part of Contra Costa County, since Alameda County was not created until 1853. The United States Post Office finally recognized Oakland as a legitimate address in 1855.
History of Oakland Post Offices
- 1851 - first post office in Oakland opens
- 1855 - U.S. Postal Service recognizes Oakland
- 1900 - Oakland post office stops Sunday delivery (ref)
- 1903 - Downtown Post Office opens
- 1906 - earthquake swells Oakland's population and mail delivery needs
- 1908 - Alden post office becomes station E of Oakland (ref)
- 1911 - Melrose, Fitchburg, Elmhurst designations no longer used (ref) 1911 - Oakland gets a post office bank (ref)
- 1912 - autos used to deliver mail (ref)
- 1913 - parcel post service begins (ref)
1975 History of Oakland, California Post Office 1851–1975, Rod Mabe (Oakland: Oakland Post Office). (Available at the OHR, call #383.49 MABE)
Oakland Postmasters
Thomas Gallagher | 1855–1858 | may not be same person as linked |
George M. Yard | 1858–1873 | ref 1 ref 2 |
John E. Benton | 1873–1879 | ref 1 ref 2 ref 3 |
Edwin P. Marsellus | 1879–1883 | |
William E. Dargie | 1883–1887 | |
James L. Hannah | 1887–1890 | ref 1 ref 2 ref 3 (sp. "Hanna") |
Amasa Wright Bishop | 1890–1894 | ref 1 |
James J. White | 1894–1898 | ref 1 ref 2 ref 3 |
W. H. Friend | 1898–1902 | assistant Charles Alexander committed suicide ref 1 ref 2 ref 3 |
Thomas T. Dargie | 1902–1907 | died in office |
Paul J. Schafer | 1907–1915 | ref 1 ref 2 ref 3 |
Joseph J. Rosborough | 1915–1924 | |
John F. Conners | 1924–1927 | ref 1 |
William Nat Friend | 1928–1933 | |
Nellie G. Donohoe | 1933–1941 | |
Stephen E. Graham | 1941–1950 | |
Joseph W. Chaudet | 1950–1953 | |
Charles R. Gainor | 1953–1954 | |
Charles C. Herrick | 1954–1961 | |
Herrick | c.1959 | father-in-law of Edwin Meese III ? |
Kenneth E. Francis | 1961–1962 | |
John F. Bushell | 1962–1972 |
Links and References
- Oakland History Timeline City of Oakland
- History of the Port of Oakland: 1850–1934, WPA
- PoliticalGraveyard.com