Berkeley, California

Berkeley (/ˈbɜːrkli/ BURK-lee) is a city on the eastern shore of San Francisco Bay in northern Alameda County, California, United States. It is named after the 18th-century Anglo-Irish bishop and philosopher George Berkeley. The city borders Oakland and Emeryville to the south, Albany and the unincorporated community of Kensington to the north, with its eastern edge along the Berkeley Hills.

The city is famous for hosting the oldest campus of the University of California, Berkeley, a leading educational center. It is also the location of the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, an important research institution run by the university. Berkeley is home to the Graduate Theological Union, one of the world's largest centers for religious studies.

Berkeley is known as one of the most socially progressive cities in the United States. It has a rich history of supporting new ideas and movements, making it an interesting place to learn about American culture and history.

History

The site of today’s Berkeley was home to the Chochenyo/Huchiun Ohlone people when the first Europeans arrived. Evidence of their presence includes pits used for grinding food and a shellmound along the shoreline of San Francisco Bay.

The first Europeans arrived in 1776 with the De Anza Expedition. Luis Peralta was granted land on the east shore of San Francisco Bay, which included the area now known as Berkeley. This land was used for raising cattle.

In 1866, the College of California chose a site north of Oakland for its new campus, which later became the University of California, Berkeley. The city grew around this campus. By the 1870s, the transcontinental railroad reached Oakland, and a branch line was built into Berkeley. The city was incorporated in 1878.

The early 20th century brought changes. During World War II, Berkeley grew because of war industries. The element berkelium was named after the city in 1949.

Geography

Berkeley is a city in California, United States. It covers an area of 17.7 square miles. The city touches Albany, Oakland, and Emeryville.

The land in Berkeley rises slowly from the San Francisco Bay up to the Berkeley Hills. Small streams flow from the hills to the bay. The climate is warm-summer Mediterranean. Winters are cool and wet. Summers are warm and dry. Fog often covers the city in summer, keeping temperatures mild. Rainfall is common in winter. Summers usually have sunny days with cool mornings and nights.

Demographics

The 2020 United States census said that Berkeley had 124,321 people. The city had 11,874 people living in each square mile. Many different groups live in Berkeley. About half of the people are White. Almost 8% are Black or African American. Close to 20% are Asian. Smaller numbers are from other groups. About 14% are Hispanic or Latino.

In 2022, the middle income for a household in Berkeley was $104,716. About 4.3% of families and 17.7% of all people lived below the poverty line. This number was a bit higher for children and older adults. Crime has gone down since the year 2000, but property crime is still higher than usual.

Transportation

Berkeley has many ways to get around, including trains, buses, and bike paths. You can take Amtrak trains like the Capitol Corridor, ride the AC Transit buses, or use the BART subway at stops like Ashby, Downtown Berkeley Station, and North Berkeley. There are also special bike roads called Bicycle Boulevards to help cyclists get around safely.

In the past, Berkeley had many trains and streetcars that connected it to San Francisco and other nearby places. These old trains stopped running a long time ago, and buses took their place. Today, people in Berkeley still enjoy using bikes and buses to travel around the city.

Economy

Berkeley is home to many well-known businesses. Important ones include Chez Panisse, where California cuisine began, and Peet's Coffee's first store. Other famous spots are the Claremont Resort, the punk rock venue 924 Gilman, and Fantasy Studios.

The city has fewer big chain stores than other places its size. Local rules help small businesses and limit how big some stores can be. Some well-known businesses that used to be in Berkeley include Cody's Books, The North Face, and Clif Bar.

Main article: List of companies based in Berkeley, California

Places

Major streets

Shattuck Avenue goes through many parts of Berkeley from north to south, including the downtown area. It is named for Francis K. Shattuck, an important early person in Berkeley's history. University Avenue runs from Berkeley's bayshore to the University of California campus. College Avenue runs from the University of California to Oakland. It is quieter and has many restaurants and small shops. Ashby Avenue (Highway 13) runs from Berkeley's bayshore to the hills and connects to highways leading to the Caldecott Tunnel. San Pablo Avenue (Highway 123) runs north–south through West Berkeley, connecting different cities. Telegraph Avenue runs north–south from the university to Oakland and was once important for hippie culture in Berkeley. Martin Luther King Jr. Way runs north–south near Shattuck Avenue, connecting different parts of the city. Sacramento Street runs from north to south with a median in the middle. Solano Avenue is a busy shopping street near the north end of Berkeley and has an annual parade.

Freeways

The Eastshore Freeway (I-80 and I-580) runs along Berkeley's bayshore with exits at several streets.

Bicycle and pedestrian paths

Ohlone Greenway San Francisco Bay Trail Berkeley I-80 bridge – an arch-suspension bridge for bikes and walking only, opened in 2002. Berkeley's Network of Historic Pathways – Berkeley has paths that connect neighborhoods in the hills and offer views.

Neighborhoods

Berkeley has many different neighborhoods. Near the University of California campus are busy areas of the city. West of the campus is Downtown Berkeley, the main commercial area; it has the city's public high school and the busiest train station. South of the campus is Southside, where many students live. North of the campus is the quieter Northside neighborhood.

Further from the university, most neighborhoods have separate houses. Some areas have apartment buildings. Shops and businesses are along main streets and at important places.

In the southeast is the Claremont District, home to the Claremont Hotel. Nearby is the Elmwood District with shops on College Avenue. West of Elmwood is South Berkeley, known for a weekend flea market.

West of San Pablo Avenue is West Berkeley, the historic commercial center. This area was once industrial but now has shops, offices, and places to live. It is near the shoreline and the Berkeley Marina. Nearby is Berkeley's Aquatic Park.

North of downtown is North Berkeley with many famous restaurants, known as the "Gourmet Ghetto". West of North Berkeley is Westbrae, a small neighborhood with shops on Gilman Street. Further north are Northbrae and Thousand Oaks. Above these are Cragmont and La Loma Park, with nice views and paths.

Points of interest

Berkeley Art Museum and Pacific Film Archive Berkeley Free Clinic, a free clinic open since 1969. Berkeley High School Berkeley Historical Society and Museum Berkeley Marina Berkeley Public Library Berkeley Repertory Theatre Berkeley Rose Garden Cloyne Court Hotel, part of the Berkeley Student Cooperative The Edible Schoolyard at Martin Luther King Middle School Hearst Greek Theatre Indian Rock Park Judah L. Magnes Museum Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory Lawrence Hall of Science Regional Parks Botanic Garden Telegraph Avenue and People's Park Tilden Regional Park University of California, Berkeley The Campanile (Sather Tower) on the University of California, Berkeley campus. University of California Botanical Garden Urban Ore

Parks and recreation

Berkeley has many parks and green spaces. One of the largest is Tilden Regional Park, east of the city. The city works on restoring creeks and wetlands, including plans to bring Strawberry Creek into the open along Center Street. Along the shoreline at San Francisco Bay are the Berkeley Marina and East Shore State Park. Groups such as the Urban Creeks Council and Friends of the Five Creeks help care for the area's natural spaces. César Chávez Park near the marina was built where an old city dump once stood.

Landmarks and historic districts

Main article: List of Berkeley Landmarks in Berkeley, California

Berkeley has many special buildings, with 165 designated as local landmarks. Some of these are also listed in the National Register of Historic Places, including Berkeley High School and its Berkeley Community Theatre. Other notable buildings are the Berkeley City Club designed by Julia Morgan, and St. John's Presbyterian Church, also by Morgan, which is now the Berkeley Playhouse. The Thorsen House is another historic home designed by the Greene brothers.

Historic districts include George C. Edwards Stadium on the University of California, Berkeley campus.

Arts and culture

Berkeley is a lively city with many fun activities. It is home to the Chilean-American community's La Peña Cultural Center, the biggest cultural center for this community in the United States. The Freight and Salvage is the oldest place for folk and traditional music west of the Mississippi River. The city also has the theater Berkeley Repertory Theater, called "Berkeley Rep," which has two stages and a school. The old Berkeley Art Museum and Pacific Film Archive (BAMPFA), run by UC Berkeley, moved to downtown Berkeley in January 2016 and shows many exhibitions and films.

Berkeley has many yearly events. These include the Jewish Music Festival in March, Cal Day at the University of California, Berkeley Open House in April, the Berkeley Arts Festival in April and May, the Himalayan Fair in May, the Berkeley Juneteenth Festival in June, the Berkeley Kite Festival in July, the Berkeley Juggling and Unicycling Festival in July or August, The Solano Avenue Stroll in September, and the Bay Area Book Festival in May.

Education

Berkeley, California has many places for learning. The main campus of the University of California, Berkeley is in the city. Nearby, The Graduate Theological Union offers advanced studies in religious topics, and Zaytuna College, a newer liberal-arts college, is also there.

The city has public schools run by the Berkeley Unified School District. The district has eleven elementary schools and one public high school, Berkeley High School (BHS), which opened in 1880 and has over 3,000 students. There are also three middle schools and a public library for everyone to use.

Government

See also: List of mayors of Berkeley and Government of Alameda County, California

Berkeley has a council–manager government. The mayor is chosen by all voters for a four-year term and leads the city council as a ceremonial leader. The Berkeley City Council has the mayor and eight other members from different districts, each also serving four-year terms. The council picks a city manager to take care of the city's day-to-day work.

In 2018, Berkeley made history by electing Rigel Robinson, a 22-year-old graduate of UC Berkeley, to the council. He was the youngest person ever to hold that job in the city. Berkeley also has its own public health division, which is rare in California. The city is part of Alameda County, which helps with many services like elections and law enforcement.

Politics

Berkeley supports the Democratic Party in presidential elections. It is one of the most Democratic cities in the country. In the 2020 election, Joe Biden got most of the votes while Donald Trump got very few.

As of October 2025, Berkeley had many registered voters. Most of them were registered Democrats. The city was the first in the United States to pass a sanctuary resolution in 1971.

Media

Berkeley has a long history of media. In the past, the city had a daily newspaper called the Berkeley Gazette. It started around 1877 and stopped in 1984. Another newspaper, the Berkeley Barb, shared news from 1965 to 1980.

Today, Berkeley’s media include The Daily Californian, the student newspaper of UC Berkeley, the Berkeley Times, and online news sources such as Berkeleyside, the Berkeley Daily Planet, and The Berkeley Scanner.

Notable people

Main articles: List of people from Berkeley, California and List of Berkeley High School (Berkeley, California) people

Berkeley has been home to many famous people. Some well-known individuals include Kamala Harris, who grew up there, and Steve Wozniak, co-founder of Apple. The city has also been home to scientists like J. Robert Oppenheimer and Ernest Lawrence, as well as actors such as Ben Affleck and Andy Samberg. Musicians like Billie Joe Armstrong, lead singer of Green Day, and authors such as Ursula K. Le Guin have also lived in Berkeley.

Sister cities

Berkeley has 18 sister cities. One of these sister cities was suspended in 2022 because of a conflict. Sister cities are places that work together to support each other and learn from one another.