Alameda

Alameda California is a small island located off the shore of the San Francisco Bay. Alameda lies next to Oakland, and used to be attached to Oakland by a peninsula. Alameda gains it's name from the spanish translation of the word which means "a grove of poplar trees". The area, though partially marshy was also once densely forested with oaks. There is now a large percentage of beautiful Victorian houses on Alameda Island. The city of Alameda is rather small, with its area totaling 23 square miles with around 12 square miles of that area being water. Formerly there was a Naval Air Station on the West end of Alameda Island which is now known as Alameda Point. Alameda Island is home to the training center for the American football team, the Oakland Raiders. There is also another attraction on Alameda Island which is an aircraft carrier ship known as the USS Hornet which is now a museum. Alameda Island has theaters to view movies for entertainment and has also been the site for the sets of many recent films. Because The City of Alameda is an island, it is connected to the mainland via bridges. There are three bridges which connect Oakland to Alameda Island, and a bridge which is for pedestrians and bicycles as well.