History

Taking a walk down International Blvd one might assume that this community was established by newly arrived Hispanic immigrant families. In actually the Hispanic community has had a long and rich history in the district we call Fruitvale. During the 1800’s Fruitvale was one of the most important Spanish settlements in Alto California; spanning into parts of San Leandro and Berkley. Spain gave Sergeant Luis Maria Peralta a land grant for his military service. This was one of the very last land grants given by the Spaniards before Mexico gained its independence.

During the Gold Rush many new immigrants and Americans settled into the area. One of which were Germans who began planting many apricot and cherry orchards. Because of these orchards the community was named Fruitvale and became very prosperous due to the canneries that sprung up.

In 1909, Fruitvale officially became part of Oakland. The community continued to grow due to the war industries that sprang up during World War 2 and the increasing importance of Oakland’s port as a major West Coast port. This led to a large number of African-American and Hispanics moving into the community.

However, after the war many canneries and factories that once called Fruitvale home began to leave the area for cheaper land and labor, leaving many of its residence without jobs. Along with the canneries and factories many of the white, middle class residents began to move into the suburbs. By the 1960s, Fruitvale, which was once a prosperous community, began to show the same characteristics of many low-income, inner-city communities across the country.

Today, Fruitvale is called home to many Spanish speaking immigrants from various Central American countries such as Mexico, Honduras, Guatemala, El Salvador, and Nicaragua. The people, food, and music that fill the streets of Fruitvale are just as vibrant and proud as the history of this area.