Founded in 1878 and named for the oak trees that were so abundant to the area, Oakland is a few miles north of Roseburg along Interstate 5 in Southern Oregon.
Applegate Trail emigrants included Rev. Joseph A. Cornwall and his family who reached this valley in 1846. Exhausted by the arduous trip the family built a cabin and endured the winter, moving on north in the spring. In 1851 Dr. Dorsey S. Baker established the region's first grist mill and town. The original settlement, begun in 1852, missed the Oregon and California Railroad by 2 miles. The town then moved to the present day location.
The two block business district consists of the original brick buildings built in the 1890's. Stearns Hardware, for example, has served this community since 1887. Local attractions include: Walking Tours, Antique Stores, Art Gallery, Oakland Museum, Pioneer Cemeteries, a covered bridge and three city parks.
There is also an Oakland, Maryland.