Union City, California Explained

Official Name:Union City
Settlement Type:City in California
Mapsize:250x200px
Pushpin Map:California#USA
Pushpin Map Caption:Location in California
Coordinates:37.5964°N -122.0483°W
Subdivision Type:Country
Subdivision Name: United States
Subdivision Type1:State
Subdivision Type2:County
Subdivision Name1: California
Subdivision Name2:Alameda
Established Title:Incorporated
Established Date:January 26, 1959[1]
Leader Title:Mayor
Leader Name:Carol Dutra-Vernaci
Unit Pref:Imperial
Area Footnotes:[2]
Area Total Sq Mi:19.22
Area Land Sq Mi:19.22
Area Water Sq Mi:0.00
Population Total:70143
Population As Of:2020
Population Footnotes:[3]
Population Density Sq Mi:auto
Postal Code Type:ZIP code
Postal Code:94587
Area Code:510, 341
Leader Title1:City Council
Timezone:PST
Utc Offset:-8
Timezone Dst:PDT
Utc Offset Dst:-7
Blank Name:FIPS code
Blank1 Name:GNIS feature ID
Area Total Km2:49.77
Area Land Km2:49.77
Area Water Km2:0.00
Population Density Km2:auto

Union City is a city in Alameda County, California, United States in the San Francisco Bay Area. It is located approximately south of Oakland, from San Francisco, and north of San Jose. It was incorporated in 1959, combining the communities of Alvarado and Decoto. The city has 72,000 residents across a diverse population.[4] Alvarado is a California Historical Landmark (#503). The city celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2009.[5]

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 19sqmi, all land with no bay frontage. The Niles Cone aquifer, managed by the Alameda County Water District, supplies much of the water consumed by Union City. Hayward surrounds the city to the north.

Demographics

2020

Union City, California – Racial and Ethnic Composition
!Race / Ethnicity (NH = Non-Hispanic)!Pop 2000[6] !Pop 2010[7] ![8] !% 2000!% 2010!
White alone (NH)13,61010,009style='background: #ffffe6; 7,69320.35%14.40%style='background: #ffffe6; 10.97%
Black or African American alone (NH)4,3214,194style='background: #ffffe6; 3,0066.46%6.03%style='background: #ffffe6; 4.29%
Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH)132116style='background: #ffffe6; 1130.20%0.17%style='background: #ffffe6; 0.16%
Asian alone (NH)28,78035,052style='background: #ffffe6; 40,27043.04%50.42%style='background: #ffffe6; 57.41%
Pacific Islander alone (NH)577839style='background: #ffffe6; 7740.86%1.21%style='background: #ffffe6; 1.10%
Other race alone (NH)203138style='background: #ffffe6; 2760.30%0.20%style='background: #ffffe6; 0.39%
Mixed race or Multiracial (NH)3,2263,273style='background: #ffffe6; 2,9314.82%4.71%style='background: #ffffe6; 4.18%
Hispanic or Latino (any race)16,02015,895style='background: #ffffe6; 15,08023.96%22.87%style='background: #ffffe6; 21.50%
Total66,86969,516style='background: #ffffe6; 70,143100.00%100.00%style='background: #ffffe6; 100.00%

According to the 2020 census estimate, the median income for a household in the city is $142,374.[9] Males have a median household income of $59,274 versus $40,625 for females. The per capita income for the city was $31,411. About 4.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 5.9% of those under age 18 and 6.2% of those age 65 or over.

History

Costanoans ("coastal peoples") were the first inhabitants, living along Alameda and Dry Creeks. Shell mounds along the sloughs of Alameda Creek near the Alvarado sugar mill contained burial sites.[10] [11]

The first non-native community was founded in 1850 by John and William Horner, who named it "Union City" after their Sacramento River Steamship, "The Union".[12] In 1854, it merged with the nearby community of New Haven (founded 1851) to form the town of Alvarado, named after a former Mexican governor, Juan Bautista Alvarado.[13] Alvarado was the first county seat of Alameda County, a designation it lost in 1865 to San Leandro. Further east, Decoto was founded in 1870 as a railroad hub, hosting the first transcontinental railroad. Alvarado-Niles Road, one of the city's largest streets, connects the historical Fremont district of Niles with the historical Union City district of Alvarado.

The California Beet Sugar Company, the US' first successful sugar beet mill, was located in Alvarado and began operations in 1870. The plant was demolished in 1977.[14]

Union City is a former railroad and steel town with an extensive industrial heritage. The Pacific States Steel Company occupied the land behind Union City Station that is redeveloping into the Union City Station District Downtown. The Alvarado and Decoto neighborhoods were both former railroad hubs and active railroad lines bisect both East End and the West Side of town. Trains are a way of life in Union City and natives are accustomed to waiting for Amtrak and freight trains to cross while commuting.

In the 1950s, Alvarado and Decoto – the latter making up the eastern side of the town – were annexation targets of the nearby communities of Newark, Hayward, and what would become Fremont. On January 13, 1959, they decided to incorporate into a single city, and named it after the Horners' original settlement, Union City.[15] Tom Kitayama served as the city's first mayor in 1959 and was involved in Union City politics until his 1991 retirement. The population grew from 6,000 in 1959 to 70,000 in 2020. In 2016, Union City started to rebrand and unveiled a new city seal. Union City opened a new Teen Center in 2018.[16]

Economy

Union City is the location of the American Licorice Company's West Coast operations, which moved there in 1971.[17]

Union City is home to three major health care providers: a Kaiser Permanente facility, the Tiburcio Vasquez Health Center, and Washington Hospital's Nakamura Clinic.

Union City hosts industrial and shipping companies, including R&S Manufacturing, RCD Concrete, Jatco, and EntirelyPets.

Shopping

Union Landing Shopping Center is a 100acres shopping center, adjacent to Interstate 880. It is one of the largest centers in the city and supports about 70 stores. The mall was completed in 1999. The land was previously a drive-in movie park.[18]

A Target shopping center sits near the Hayward/Union City border.[19]

Employers

According to Union City's June 2019 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report,[20] the top employers in the city were:

Employer
  1. of Employees
1New Haven Unified School District1,196
2Southern Wine & Spirits600
3Walmart534
4Masonic Home For Adults498
5Abaxis400
6Mizuho OSI400
7Sterling Foods[21] [22] [23] 400
8City of Union City313
9Emerald Packaging245
10American Licorice239

Education

In 2014 New Haven Unified School District enrolls 10,000 students from Union City and Hayward. The district consists of seven (K-5) elementary schools, two (6–8) middle schools, one comprehensive high school (James Logan High School) with approximately 3,000 students enrolled. In addition, James Logan houses a 3,000-seat gymnasium and a 4,000 seat football stadium with lights. Lastly one adult/K-12 independent study school program is available.[24] In December 2015, New Haven Unified School District renamed Alvarado Middle School to Itliong-Vera Cruz Middle School in honor of Philip Vera Cruz and Larry Itliong.[25] The school district added solar power at school sites to cut energy costs. An arts center and new track and field are available at James Logan High School.

New Haven Unified School District's first teacher strike came in 2019.[26]

Cornerstone International College, located at 725 Whipple Rd., is the city's first post-secondary institution.

Union City lies within the Ohlone Community College District and Chabot-Las Positas Community College District.[27] [28]

Transport

Several transit systems serve Union City, including AC Transit, the Dumbarton Express, Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART), and Union City Transit. The latter started in 1974 and runs nine bus lines throughout Union City and parts of Hayward.[29]

BART came to Union City when the system opened in 1972. In 2007 the Union City BART station was rebuilt and developed into Union City Intermodal Transit Station.[30]

Union City is served by a network of high-capacity streets, with four exits on Interstate 880 (Nimitz Freeway). Highway 238 also serves the city (Mission Boulevard). Quarry Lakes Parkway, formerly known as the East–West Connector, is a 3miles roadway project that connects Mission Boulevard and Paseo Padre Parkway.

Station district

See main article: Union City Intermodal Transit Station.

Union City invested $100 million into an expansion of the downtown district, including development surrounding the BART station, which links BART with rail services: Capitol Corridor, Dumbarton Rail Corridor and Altamont Corridor Express (ACE).

Government

Union City runs a council–manager government. The City Council consists of five representatives on a part-time basis. On November 3, 2020, the city switched from citywide elections to districts. The Mayor is elected at large. As of December 2023 the elected officials were: Singh, Jaime Patiño, Jeff Wang, and Scott Sakakihara. The mayor and elected council members serve a 4-year term, with a 3-term limit. A utility tax was passed in November 2020.

Politics

In 2017, Union City had 35,857 registered voters with 19,644 (54.8%) registered as Democrats, 4,200 (11.7%) registered as Republicans, and 10,693 (29.8%) registered as decline to state voters.[31]

Media

The monthly East Bay Echo[32] and bi-weekly Tri-City Voice newspapers offer local news. Union City Patch served the community and is part of Patch.com.[33]

Culture

The first sugar beet factory in the United States was located in Union City, called the California Beet Sugar Company. It is noted by a California Historical Landmark #768, situated at Dyer and Ratekin.

Bay Area Flight 93 Memorial is in Sugar Mill Landing Park. It was the first monument completed in the United States designed to honor the passengers and crew of United Airlines Flight 93, which was bound for San Francisco, but was hijacked and crashed in rural Pennsylvania on September 11, 2001.[34] [35]

Courthouse

First Alameda County Courthouse
Designation1:California
Designation1 Number:503
Location:30977 Union City Blvd., Union City, California
Coordinates:37.5967°N -122.0811°W

Alameda County's first courthouse was located in Alvarado, starting on June 6, 1853. The original courthouse was a two-story wooden building that was originally a mercantile that included a post office.[36] It was built by A. M. Church and Henry C. Smith. In 1865 the county seat moved to San Leandro. With the widening of Union City Blvd., the original site was paved over.[37] The site is listed on the California Historical Landmarks list.

Masonic Home

Masonic Home at Union City, a senior living community for Freemasonry's and their spouses, has as its centerpiece a large brick administration building.[38] The administration building was identified as a significant historic property in the 1974 Historic Resource Inventory of Washington Township.[39] Interior features include a main staircase with stained glass windows, a parlor filled with antiques, and paintings of fourteen Masonic US presidents.[40] The original five-story brick building formed the center of the Administration Building. It was constructed in 1898 and was the Masonic Widows and Orphans Home overlooking Decoto. The north and south wings of the Administration Building were added in 1914 and 1928, respectively. Ten more buildings were built on this 3051NaN1 campus,[41] including Acacia Creek, a continuing care retirement community for all seniors, both Masons and non-Masons, completed in 2010.[42]

Sister cities

Union City's sister cities are:[43]

Notable people

See also

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: California Cities by Incorporation Date . Word . California Association of Local Agency Formation Commissions . March 27, 2013 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20141103002921/http://www.calafco.org/docs/Cities_by_incorp_date.doc . November 3, 2014.
  2. Web site: 2019 U.S. Gazetteer Files. United States Census Bureau. July 1, 2020.
  3. Web site: U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts: Union City city, California. United States Census Bureau. September 26, 2021.
  4. Web site: About Union City . July 31, 2019. ucfacts.
  5. http://www.unioncity50.com 50 Years: Union City
  6. Web site: P004: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2000: DEC Summary File 1 – Union City city, California. United States Census Bureau . January 26, 2024.
  7. Web site: P2: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2010: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Union City city, California . United States Census Bureau . January 26, 2024.
  8. Web site: P2: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2020: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Union City city, California . United States Census Bureau . January 26, 2024.
  9. Web site: U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts: Fremont city, California .
  10. Book: Sandoval . John S . The history of Washington Township . 1985 . Mt. Eden Historical Publishers . Hayward, California . 093619300X.
  11. Book: Raymundo . Myrla . Union City through the years (History of Union City) . 2005 . FolgerGraphics, Inc. 097152114X.
  12. Web site: History of Union City . City of Union City, California . November 24, 2010.
  13. Web site: The Union City Historical Museum Letter . 2 . 5 . Union City Historical Museum . September 2000. November 24, 2010.
  14. Web site: Tri-City Voice Newspaper - Whats Happening - Fremont, Union City, Newark, California. tricityvoice.com. August 2, 2016. https://web.archive.org/web/20161011012044/http://tricityvoice.com/articlefiledisplay.php?issue=2009-04-08&file=Holly+Sugar.txt. October 11, 2016. dead.
  15. Web site: Tri-City Voice Newspaper - Whats Happening - Fremont, Union City, Newark, California. www.tricityvoice.com. May 31, 2017.
  16. Web site: Union City Climate Action Plan . November 2010 . December 1, 2014.
  17. "Candy"; Modern Marvels; History Channel; 2006; Viewed July 15, 2010.
  18. Web site: Union Landing . November 20, 2011 . August 20, 2011 . https://web.archive.org/web/20110820223658/http://www.union-city.ca.us/economicdevelopment/amenities/unionlanding.html . dead .
  19. Web site: 24 hours fitness. July 21, 2014 . July 21, 2014.
  20. Web site: City of Union City CAFR.
  21. Web site: manufacturers of bakery products and hispanic pastries . Caravan Trading Company . June 19, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20070817220231/http://www.caravantrd.com/ . August 17, 2007.
  22. Web site: Sterling Foods Acquires Caravan Trading Co. . powderbulksolids.com . June 19, 2022 . en . April 1, 2010.
  23. Web site: The Lebanese pilot behind America's pita . News . April 22, 2010 . . June 19, 2022 . en.
  24. News: New haven . June 9, 2014 . New Haven Unified School District sites . New Haven USD . June 9, 2014.
  25. News: Union City school is nation's first named after Filipino-Americans, but acrimony over decision remains . Chris De Benedetti . Mercury News . April 19, 2013 . May 5, 2013.
  26. Web site: Union City Teachers to Strike Monday. Kron4. May 16, 2019. May 31, 2022.
  27. http://purchasing.ohlone.edu/RFP20709054aTitleCompanyPreliminaryTitleReport.pdf First American Title, title report, 2005-02-28
  28. Web site: Chabot-Las Positas Community College District website . Clpccd.cc.ca.us . May 26, 2012.
  29. Web site: Maharaj. Zoneil. September 30, 2013. Union City Transit Announces New Routes, Fares. November 1, 2021. Union City, CA Patch. en.
  30. Web site: Union City BART (Phase 2) Station Improvements and At-grade Pedestrian Crossing Component . July 31, 2019 . uc-bart-multimodal.
  31. Web site: Report of Registration as of February 10, 2017 - Registration by Political Subdivision by County . January 29, 2024 . February 10, 2017.
  32. https://eastbayecho.com/
  33. Web site: Tri-City Voice: the newspaper for the new millennium. tricityvoice.com. February 15, 2017.
  34. News: Tucker. Jill. Union City dedicates memorial to 9/11's United Flight 93. July 30, 2014. December 9, 2007. San Francisco Chronicle.
  35. Web site: The Flight 93 Memorial, Union City California.
  36. Web site: Swenson. Timothy. Union City History Collection. Museum of Local History. August 31, 2012.
  37. Book: Swenson, Timothy. Union City. August 31, 2012. 2008. Images of America. Arcadia Publishing. 978-0-7385-5809-7.
  38. Web site: Union City Community. Masonic Home at Union City. May 6, 2011.
  39. Web site: Masonic Home Independent Living Apartments. DHA Case Studies. Douglas Herring & Associates. May 6, 2011.
  40. Web site: Raymundo. Myrla. History: The Masonic Home in Union City. Tri-City Voice Newspaper. February 15, 2017. July 2009.
  41. Web site: Pratt. Nancy. History: Masonic Home. nancypratt.com. February 15, 2017. 1998.
  42. Web site: Mahal. Davinder. Masonic Home for Adults, Union City. mahal.org. February 15, 2017. December 2012.
  43. Web site: Union City and Asadabad, Afghanistan, finally become sister cities. eastbaytimes.com. East Bay Times. February 15, 2018. November 11, 2020.