Historical Timeline
The Peralta Community College District has existed since 1964, but our history of educating the community in northern Alameda County stretches back to the 1920s. Here is a timeline of some key events in the history of our district and colleges.
|
1200 BC |
Ohlone Native Americans settle in the area that would become Oakland. |
|
1772 |
Spanish explorers are the first Europeans to visit the East Bay. |
|
1820 |
Don Luis Maria Peralta is awarded a 44,800-acre land grant from the King of Spain that includes most of present-day Alameda County. |
|
1842 |
Don Peralta divides his land among his four sons. Most of Oakland lies within the shares given to Antonio Maria and Vicente. |
|
1867 |
Dr. Samuel Merritt donates 155 acres of dammed tidal water from the headwaters of Indian Slough. It became known as "Merritt’s Lake" and later Lake Merritt. |
|
1915 |
The Part-Time School, Oakland’s first public trade school opened. |
|
1927 |
Central Trade School founded (future Laney College) by Oakland Board of Education. First location: 12th and Jefferson (Oakland High School) |
|
1929 |
Merritt School of Business founded (future Merritt
NOTE: Not to be confused with Samuel Merritt University also in Oakland, which dates back to 1909 with the founding of Samuel Merritt Hospital and Nursing School. |
|
1938 |
Central Trade School relocates to 237 East 11th Street, 221 East 11th Street, and 240 East 10th Street, sharing space with Merritt Business School at the East 10th site. |
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September 1946 |
Merritt School of Business relocates to 57th and Grove (University High School). |
|
September 27, 1948 |
Central Trade School renamed to Joseph C. Laney Trade and Technical Institute by Oakland Board of Education in honor of Joseph C. Laney. Laney passed away on August 16, 1948. He had served ten years on the school board and was instrumental in the foundation of Central Trade School. |
|
July 1953 |
Oakland Board of Education establishes Oakland Junior College, comprised of two campuses: Joseph C. Laney Trade and Technical Institute and Merritt School of Business. Laney campus was designated as the vocational school and the Merritt campus was designated as the liberal arts and business school. |
|
1958 |
Oakland Junior College renamed Oakland City College by Oakland Board of Education |
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November 1963 |
Residents of cities of Alameda, Albany, Berkeley, Emeryville, and Piedmont vote to join with Oakland to establish separate junior college district. |
|
July 1, 1964 |
Peralta Junior College District established. District named for Sgt. Luis Maria Peralta, the last Spanish governor of the original land grant comprising the six cities of the Peralta district. The two colleges (now separate, autonomous and renamed Laney College and Merritt College) expand to comprehensive college missions, with both liberal arts and occupational offerings. |
|
October 1965 |
Voters approve $47 million bond measure to build new Peralta campuses. |
|
1968 |
College of Alameda opens with first classes held in temporary facilities at Historic Alameda High School on Central Avenue in downtown Alameda.
Feather River College was founded in July of 1968, based on a need for accessible community college education for the people of rural Plumas County, The Plumas Unified School District was annexed to The Peralta Community College District in Oakland, California. By this action, a unique and innovative educational experiment began as Feather River College and PCCD are geographically separated by more than 250 miles. |
|
1970 |
College of Alameda’s present 59-acre campus, located at the intersection of Webster Street and Ralph Appezzato Memorial Parkway in Alameda, opened in June 1970 |
|
1970-1971 |
Laney College opens a new campus at 10th and Fallon Street. |
|
1971 |
Merritt College relocates from Grove Street to Campus Drive |
|
1974 |
Berkeley City College was founded in April 1974 as the fourth of the Peralta Community College District’s community colleges, replacing the existing North Peralta Community College. Its original name, the Berkeley Learning Pavilion, was changed in October 1974 to the Peralta College for NonTraditional Study (PCNS) |
|
1978 |
BCC: name changed from “Peralta College for NonTraditional Study” to Vista College. |
|
1988 |
In July 1988, Feather River College was de-annexed from the Peralta District, and the Feather River Community College District was formed. |
|
2006 |
BCC: In June 2006, Vista Community College’s name was changed to Berkeley City College. |
Peralta Chancellors Past & Present
