West Berkeley, Berkeley, California

The name derived from the area's view of the Pacific Ocean through the Golden Gate across San Francisco Bay.

Ocean View was ethnically diverse, and included many immigrants and some African-Americans, with jobs in nearby industries and farms.

Early immigrants were from Scandinavia (especially Finland), Ireland, Mexico, Chile, Germany, Italy, Canada, Portugal, and China.

The first mayor (technically, the President of the Board of Trustees) of the newly incorporated Town of Berkeley was elected from Ocean View, Abel Whitton of the Workingman's Party; he served from 1878 to 1881.

The name "Ocean View" was revived during the 1970s when neighbors fought against the City's West Berkeley Redevelopment Project.

Businesses located there have included Anthropologie, Cody's Books, a Crate & Barrel Outlet, Restoration Hardware, Bette's Oceanview Diner, Builder's Booksource (an architectural bookstore), Aveda, Bare Escentuals and Peet's Coffee and Tea.

Since 2016, the neighborhood has included Urban Adamah, a 2.2-acre (0.89 ha) not-for-profit Jewish farm and education center that donates produce and meals to local food banks.

[5] Conversions of industrial spaces drove up rents, and gentrification began to drive out the very artists and artisans who had been the attraction.

[6] When in 1984 the Durkee Foods owners moved to convert their canning plant into offices and labs, their artist and industrial tenants staged a public fight against eviction.

[7][8] Mayor Loni Hancock and the City Council authorized the creation of an area plan to guide development.

[7] While professional planners and governmental decision-makers played a crucial role in facilitating the outcome, it was not a typical urban planning process.

The Eastshore Highway connected at intersections with several east-west streets in West Berkeley, including Ashby and University Avenues.

[14][15] In 1954, the State of California began a project to convert the Eastshore Highway into a freeway, eliminating all street intersections, replacing them with access ramps at limited locations.

In 1876, the Central Pacific Railroad constructed its new main line, part of the transcontinental overland route, along the shoreline.

Local public transportation in the West Berkeley area is provided by AC Transit and Emery Go-Round.

Several well-known companies such as Colgate-Palmolive, Heinz, Canada Dry, Pacific Steel Casting, and Cutter Labs had plants in West Berkeley.

Buildings on the other side of the bay in San Francisco were also damaged and a ship 150 miles out to sea reported feeling the blast.