Joaquin Miller

The namesake of many Oakland sites, Joaquin Miller was an audacious poet, a conservationist, and an ally to Chinese immigrants during the Chinese Exclusion Act Like many of his time, Miller traversed the West Coast in search of gold during the Gold Rush. He was a teacher, studied law, and was admitted to the bar in Oregon where he started a newspaper pleading for the end of the Civil War, Shortly thereafter, he made his way to Europe, seeking a publisher for his poetry. The contrast of his crude frontiersman character and his lyrical writing captivated British audiences, and he soon found success. In 1883 he moved back to California and settled in his 75-acre forest in Oakland, which is known as the Heights today.