History of Emeryville

Emeryville was once known as "the rottenest city on the Pacific Coast." Incorporated in 1896, the city was formed to prevent the anti-gambling and anti-prostitution fever in Oakland, which was rapidly absorbing areas of Alameda County. After Prohibition ended bars and Shellmound Park 1920, and the State of California banned horse racing in 1915, the city was forced to switch its focus and its extensive rail yard and big open land became very desirable for factories and canneries to move in. The legacy from that area was toxic waste and a Superfund clean up site. More recently, Emeryville has reinvented itself with eco-friendly infrastructure and has become the home offices of Pixar, Chiron, Siebel Systems, and IKEA, which have a tremendous influence in the city.