Nickname: Asparagus Island | |
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Aerial view of Bay Farm Island in October 2020 | |
Geography | |
Location | Northern California |
Coordinates | 37°44′13″N 122°14′06″W / 37.737°N 122.235°W |
Adjacent to | San Leandro Bay |
Total islands | 1 |
Administration | |
State | ![]() |
County | Alameda |
City | Alameda |
Bay Farm Island is a district of the city of Alameda, California, though it is separated from the rest of the city on Alameda Island by an estuary of San Leandro Bay. Its ZIP code is 94502. The location was originally an island in San Francisco Bay, but due to land reclamation it has become a peninsula and is now connected to the mainland of Oakland and Oakland International Airport. Marshes and other areas of the island were also reclaimed.[1]
Prior to 20th century development, Bay Farm Island was farmland with asparagus being the principal crop,[2] thus it was also formerly known as Asparagus Island. In addition, the area was the site of large oyster beds which regularly supplied restaurants in nearby San Francisco.[3]
Bay Farm is home to the 36-hole Chuck Corica Golf Complex, office and retail complexes, and several housing developments. There is a chain of lagoons as well as several community parks including Shoreline Park. Four elementary schools serve the island: Bay Farm Elementary, Chinese Christian School, Coastline Christian School, and Amelia Earhart Elementary. Bay Farm was the home of the headquarters of the Oakland Raiders when the team was in Oakland from 1995 until 2020.
A greenbelt is also present which encompasses the perimeter of the peninsula.