The Oakland port was not feasible in the early days of the city's existence.

In 1850, the San Antonio Estuary, as it was then called, did not run straight out to the Bay as it does today, but turned southerly — about opposite the "Slip" of the Southern Pacific, at the foot of Peralta Street, and there a bar formed at its mouth where it entered the Bay. The water became very shallow at low tide and sometimes even small steamers would run aground and remain there several hours until the tide came up again, so it will be seen that the young town for lack of deeper water had quite a transportation problem to start with. It was not at that time feasible to land on the Bay shore — at what is now West Oakland, because of the very wide mud flats, at low water, in that portion of the Bay of San Francisco.

The Ohlone could paddle their canoes and people heading for the gold rush could cross over from San Francisco in small boats, but large vessels dared not enter the Estuary. The arrival of thousands heading for the Sierra led the city founders to dredge the Estuary.

Early events that led to success of the Port of Oakland

1869 - Central Pacific Railroad establishes first trans-continental station in Oakland

1906 - San Francisco earthquake—as a result the Moore Ship Building Company moves to Oakland

1906-1914 - Construction of Tidal Canal, Howard Terminal, network of municpal piers, wharfs, and railroad connections

1914 - Opening of Panama Canal increases port use