On May 4, 1852 Horace Carpentier persuaded the new California state legislature to incorporate Oakland as a town. Then, on May 17, he persuaded the new town's trustees to pass an ordinance "for the disposal of the waterfront belonging to the town of Oakland."
On May 4, 1852, Horace Carpentier successfully secured the incorporation of Oakland as a town. On May 17, he led the passage of an ordinance regarding the disposition of the waterfront land in Oakland.