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Oceanside, California

"O-side"

A surf town and military community on the San Diego coast, home to Camp Pendleton Marines and one of California's longest wooden piers.

Founded 1888 | Population 169,376 | Peak 169,376 (2024) | County San Diego County

Top 10 Most Important Events for Oceanside, California

1942Camp Pendleton Established: The massive Marine Corps base was established adjacent to Oceanside, permanently linking the city to the military.

1888City Founded: Oceanside was founded along the California Southern Railroad and incorporated with a focus on tourism.

1894Oceanside Pier: The iconic wooden pier was first built, though storms have destroyed and rebuilt it multiple times.

2000Beach Community Revival: Downtown and the harbor underwent major revitalization, attracting restaurants, breweries, and surf shops.

2023Population Exceeds 169,000: Oceanside continued growing as coastal San Diego's affordable alternative.

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1888 Government

City founded on railroad

1894 Culture

First pier built

1942 Government

Camp Pendleton established

1970 Government

Vietnam-era military surge

2000 Business

Downtown revitalization

2023 Government

Exceeds 169,000

Camp Pendleton is the busiest military base in the Marine Corps and one of the largest in the country at 125,000 acres.

Oceanside's wooden pier at 1,942 feet is one of the longest on the West Coast.

The city has been nicknamed 'O-side' by locals and the surf community.

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