Editing Alameda, California (section)

===Early California era===
[[File:Joseph Lee painting Alameda Shore (1868).jpg|thumb|left|The ''Alameda Shore'', painted by Joseph Lee {{Circa|1868}}]]
The city of Alameda was founded on June 6, 1853, following the [[Mexican–American War|Mexican–American War of 1848]] and the subsequent acquisition of California by the U.S.

The name ''Alameda'' is Spanish for "grove of poplar trees" or "tree-lined avenue"<ref>{{cite web |title=alameda – Spanish-English Translation and Pronunciation |url=http://education.yahoo.com/reference/dict_en_es/spanish/alameda;_ylt=AmS17PW60RO5ki1NGlCOvxP2s8sF |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080821203928/https://education.yahoo.com/reference/dict_en_es/spanish/alameda |archive-date=August 21, 2008 |access-date=February 15, 2010 |work=Yahoo! Education |publisher=Yahoo!}}</ref> and was chosen in 1853 as city's official name by popular vote.<ref>{{cite web |title=A Brief History of Alameda |url=http://www.ci.alameda.ca.us/community/history_01.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100202202341/http://www.ci.alameda.ca.us/community/history_01.html |archive-date=February 2, 2010 |access-date=February 15, 2010 |publisher=City of Alameda, California}}</ref>

At the time, Alameda comprised three small settlements:

* '''Alameda''' — a village at Encinal and High streets
* '''Hibbardsville''' — located at the North Shore ferry and shipping terminal, and
* [[Woodstock, Alameda, California|'''Woodstock''']] — on the west near the ferry piers of the [[South Pacific Coast Railroad|South Pacific Coast]] and the [[Central Pacific Railroad|Central Pacific]] Railroads. Eventually, the Central Pacific's ferry pier became the [[Alameda Mole]].

The borders of Alameda were expanded to include the entire island in 1872, incorporating Woodstock into Alameda.<ref name="CGN" />

In his autobiography, writer [[Mark Twain]] described Alameda as "The Garden of California."<ref>{{cite book|last1=Twain|first1=Mark|title=Autobiography of Mark Twain, Volume 1: The Complete and Authoritative Edition|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=0tQjH8yzrdcC&pg=PA254|publisher=University of California Press|isbn=978-0-520-94699-6|page=254|date=November 15, 2010}}</ref> 
[[File:FMIB 44591 Shipyards of Alaska Packing Ass'n at Alameda, California.jpeg|thumb|left|Alameda shipyards at the turn of the 20th century]]
The first post office opened in 1854.<ref name=CGN /> The first school, Schermerhorn School, was opened a year later in 1855 (eventually renamed as Lincoln School). The [[San Francisco and Alameda Railroad]] opened the Encinal station in 1864.<ref name=CGN /> The early formation of the [[Park Street Historic Commercial District]] (or downtown) was centered near the train lines.<ref name="nrhpdoc">{{cite web |author= |date= |title=National Register of Historic Places Inventory/Nomination: Park Street Historic Commercial District |url={{NRHP url|id=82002154}} |accessdate=September 17, 2023 |publisher=[[National Park Service]]}} With {{NRHP url|id=82002154|photos=y|title=accompanying pictures}}</ref> Encinal's own post office opened in 1876, was renamed West End in 1877, and closed in 1891.<ref name=CGN />

On September 6, 1869, the [[Alameda Terminal]] made history; it was the site of the arrival of the first train via the [[First transcontinental railroad]] to reach the shores of [[San Francisco Bay]],<ref name="daily Alta ca">{{Cite web|url=https://cdnc.ucr.edu/cgi-bin/cdnc?a=d&d=DAC18690907.2.6&srpos=66&e=01-06-1869-31-12-1869--en--20--61--txt-txIN-western+pacific-------1|title=The first through train on the Western Pacific Road|publisher=Daily Alta California September 7, 1869 – California Digital Newspaper Collection|website=cdnc.ucr.edu|access-date=June 20, 2018}}</ref> marking the first coast to coast transcontinental railroad in North America.

The [[Croll Building]], on the corner of Webster Street and Central Avenue, was the site of Croll's Gardens and Hotel, used as training quarters for some of the most popular fighters in boxing from 1883 to 1914.<ref>{{cite web |title=CROLL BUILDING |url=http://ohp.parks.ca.gov/ListedResources/Detail/954 |website=California State Park Office of Historic Preservation |publisher=State of California |access-date=June 3, 2020 |language=en}}</ref> [[Jack Johnson (boxer)|Jack Johnson]] and several other champions all stayed and trained here.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Rego |first1=Nilda |title=Days Gone By: John Croll made Alameda a playground for fun lovers |url=https://www.mercurynews.com/2011/10/21/days-gone-by-john-croll-made-alameda-a-playground-for-fun-lovers/ |access-date=June 3, 2020 |work=The Mercury News |publisher=[[Bay Area News Group]] |date=October 21, 2011}}</ref>

The need for expanded shipping facilities and increased flow of current through the [[estuary]] led to the dredging of a tidal canal through the marshland between Oakland and Alameda. Construction started in 1874, but it was not completed until 1902, resulting in Alameda becoming an island.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.mercurynews.com/2013/12/18/days-gone-by-in-1902-island-city-alameda-celebrates-its-new-tidal-canal/|title=Days Gone By: In 1902, 'island city' Alameda celebrates its new tidal canal|work=San Jose Mercury News|date=December 18, 2013|last=Rego|first=Nilda}}</ref>