Researching Historic Properties
For guidance on how to research the history of your home or building, visit the Oakland Heritage Alliance's "Researching Your Home" webpage. The Alliance offers helpful tips on how to uncover its history based on what is known about the age of your building, the number of times it has changed ownership or been altered, and researching various public records.
The Oakland Cultural Heritage Survey documented much of the Central District, Adams Point, West Oakland, neighborhood commercial strips, 1,500 buildings on the Unreinforced Masonry list, and the highest-rated buildings citywide in the State Historic Resources Inventory in the 1980s-1990s. The Oakland History Center at the Oakland Public Library Main Branch (see details below) can also help with research and existing information, as can many online sources.
Researching Building Permits
To research City of Oakland Building Permit history for buildings from the 1920s through the 1990s (except original permits for buildings earlier than about 1925), visit Oakland's Self-Service Microfiche Kiosk. Please note that documents have not yet been scanned for all Oakland addresses.
For 21st century Building Permit records, visit our Accela Citizens Access Online Permit Center. From the main menu, choose the "Check Permit Status" option and then enter the start/end dates and search by the address and other criteria shown.
Oakland, CA 94612
(510) 238-3222
The Center offers unique historical sources including the Oakland Tax Assessor’s block books from ~1870-1925 (hard copy only), which are essential for dating 19th or early 20th century buildings; Oakland Sanborn fire insurance maps from 1882-1950s; and a vast and well indexed archive of clipping files, photos, directories, ephemera, rare books, records of Oakland public schools and libraries, and much more.
Other online resources include:
The Library of Congress Sanborn Map Archive offers a uniform series of large-scale maps, dating from 1867 to the present and depicting the commercial, industrial, and residential sections of some twelve thousand cities and towns in the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
Architects and Designer Resources
Local History Websites
- Oakland History Wiki offers well-documented entries on Oakland institutions, locations, individuals, and events that captured its researchers’ interest.