Samuel Merritt

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Dr. Samuel Merritt (1822-1890) was a successful San Francisco physician and also the 13th mayor of Oakland, California from 1867-69.

Dr. Merritt was originally from Maine, but moved to California. He bought land in what is now Oakland in 1854 and moved there in 1863.

In 1867, he donated 155 acres (627,000 m²) of dammed tidal water from the headwaters of Indian Slough, it became known as "Merritt's Lake" and later Lake Merritt.

He left plans for a hospital and nursing school to be built in his name after his death. His dream was realized in 1909 when Samuel Merritt College and Samuel Merritt Hospital opened. He is buried in Mountain View Cemetery in Oakland.

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