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Lake Merritt is a lake located in a large tidal lagoon basin in the center of Oakland, California, just east of Downtown. It is named after Samuel Merritt, Oakland's mayor in 1867–1869, who had the lagoon dammed turning the varying tidal lagoon into a stable salt-water lake. It is surrounded by parkland and city neighborhoods.
Fed by the adjacent Oakland Estuary, saltwater Lake Merritt is a popular spot, and the 3.5-mile path that circles the lake is always filled with locals jogging before work, stretching their legs at lunchtime, or watching the lakes “necklace of lights”—more than 4,000 lightbulbs on 126 lampposts—blink on at the end of the day.
May 22, 2023 · Nestled between downtown Oakland and the Grand Lake neighborhood, Lake Merritt is named after Dr. Samuel Merritt, a physician who came west for the Gold Rush, becoming mayor of Oakland in...
Encircled by art deco buildings and 1950s flats, this saltwater and freshwater lake, fed by the estuary and bay, is the first official wildlife refuge in the United States.
Jan 1, 2001 · Swept up in a national movement dubbed “City Beautiful,” inspired by the 1893-1894 Chicago World’s Fair, Lake Merritt was dredged, diked, and directed into its new role as a showplace of a recreational park. By 1915 its transformation was, if not complete, then irreversible.
Lake Merritt is not a swimming lake. It is a brackish lake, mostly salt water with a little fresh water coming in from some seasonal streams. I have never seen a swimmer in the lake. On the other hand it is great for boating; lots of small sailboats and various rowing craft. It's also an incredible place to view various birds.
Lake Merritt, home to large breeding populations of herons, egrets, geese and ducks, is the oldest wildlife refuge on North America. Countless migratory birds make the lake their home during the winter months.
Lake Merritt, considered the "jewel" of Oakland, California, is a large 155 acre lake located east of Downtown Oakland. Technically a tidal lagoon, it connects to the bay via a channel and the estuary. It is the nation's largest body of salt water within city limits.
An urban respite, Lake Merritt is a popular place to stroll or go running (a 3.5-mile paved path circles the lake), with bonsai and botanical gardens, a children's amusement park, bird sanctuary, green spaces, a boathouse and gondola rides.
Lake Merritt is a focal point, it stands as the jewel of Oakland, even crowned with lights. A unique fresh and salt-water lake, the largest such lake located within an urban area consisting of 3.4 miles around the circumference of the lake, covering 155 acres of land.
