Historical Sites in Oakland

Dunsmuir House was built by Alexander Dunsmuir, who came to the Bay Area in 1878. The 37 room mansion is an example of Neoclassical Revival architecture popular in the late 1800s. It features a Tiffany style dome, woodpaneled public rooms, 10 fireplaces and inlaid parquet floors within its 16,224 square feet. In addition, the Hellman estate contains a golf course, formal croquet court, tennis court, swimming pool with Mission style bathhouse, glass conservatory with grotto, an elaborate aviary, formal garden maze, and Japanese garden.

The Pardee Home includes a carriage house, water tower and gardens. The house was built in 1868 by Enoch Pardee, a Gold Rush immigrant to California from the Midwest, who became an eye doctor in San Francisco after mining gold who also pursued a political career. The house is now a California state landmark.

In the late 19th century Oakland was a thriving waterfront city, the second largest in the state. Preservation Park is home to 16 turn of the century buildings that are renovated with their facades restored, which are set among manicured lawns and lush plantings, complete with Victorian park benches and street lamps. A self guided history tour and walking tours are available.

The USS Potomac is a National Historic Landmark that served as Franklin D. Roosevelts Presidential Yacht until his death in 1945. This is a 165 foot vessel, displacing 416 tons with cruising speeds of 10 to 13 knots. The former President nicknamed the yacht his Floating White House. There are docent led educational tours of the ship and educational cruises on the Bay. Educational cruises highlight the impact of the FDR era on the Bay Areas local and national history. Parking is at Washington Street Garage between 2nd and Embarcadero Streets, one block from the Potomac. They do not validate.