Martinez/Port Costa/Pinole

JOHN MUIR HOME
RANCH HOME OF JOHN MUIR 1838-1914, EXPLORER, NATURALIST, AUTHOR
AND FOREMOST ADVOCATE OF FOREST PROTECTION AND OF NATIONAL PARKS. THE JOHN MUIR TRAIL THROUGH THE HIGH SIERRA, MUIR WOODS NATIONAL MONUMENT AND MUIR GLACIER IN ALASKA ARE NAMED FOR HIM.

HISTORICAL LANDMARK NO. 312
DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS DIVISION OF HIGHWAYS

VICENTE MARTINEZ ADOBE
IN 1849, VICENTE MARTINEZ BUILT A TWO-STORY ADOBE RANCH HOUSE ON HIS PORTION OF THE RANCHO PINOLE. THIS LAND WAS INHERITED FROM
HIS FATHER, DON IGNACIO MARTINEZ, A SPANISH OFFICER WHO BECAME COMANDANTE OF THE SAN FRANCISCO PRESIDIO AND LATER ALCALDE OF SAN FRANCISCO. IN 1966 THE NATIONAL PARK SERVICE ACQUIRED THE ADOBE AND IT IS NOW OPEN TO THE PUBLIC.

CALIFORNIA REGISTERED HISTORICAL LANDMARK NO. 511

PLAQUE PLACED BY THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION IN COOPERATION WITH THE NATIONAL PARK SERVICE, JOAQUIN MURRIETA
CHAPTER NO. 13, E CLAMPUS VITUS, AND IN HONOR OF LOUIS L. STEIN, JR.

JULY 23, 1983

PLAQUE REMOUNTED
BY
JOAQUIN MURRIETA NO.13
E CLAMPUS VITUS
APRIL 2, 1983

BORLAND HOME
THIS VICTORIAN COTTAGE WAS THE HOME OF THE ROBERT BORLAND
FAMILY. BUILT IN 1890 BY DR. JOHN S. ,MOORE, D. D. S., AND ORIGINALLY USED AS HIS DENTAL OFFICE. THE PROPERTY WAS INHERITED BY HIS DAUGHTER, MRS. EMMA MOORE BORLAND. THE MARTINEZ HISTORICAL SOCIETY , WORKING IN COOPERATION WITH THE CITY OF MARTINEZ AND VOLUNTEERS, SAVED THE BUILDING FROM DEMOLITION AND IS CONTINUALLY REFURBISHING IT AS TIME AND FUNDS ALLOW. THE
MARTINEZ MUSEUM, OPENED HERE JUNE 6, 1976, HAS CHANGING DISPLAYS OF MARTINEZ AND CONTRA COSTA COUNTY ARTIFACTS.

DEDICATED IN COOPERATION WITH
THE MARTINEZ HISTORICAL SOCIETY
JOAQUIN MURRIETA CHAPTER 13
E CLAMPUS VITUS
SEPTEMBER 23, 1989

BIRTHPLACE OF THE MARTINI

ON THIS SITE IN 1874, JULIO RICHELIEU, BARTENDER, SERVED UP THE FIRST
MARTINI WHEN A MINER CAME INTO HIS SALOON WITH A FISTFUL OF NUGGETS AND ASKED FOR SOMETHING SPECIAL. HE WAS SERVED A MARTINEZ SPECIAL AFTER THREE OR FOUR DRINKS, HOWEVER, THE Z
WOULD GET VERY MUCH IN THE WAY. THE DRINK CONSISTED OF 2/3 GIN, 1/3 VERMOUTH, A DASH OF ORANGE BITTERS, POURED OVER CRUSHED ICE AND SERVED WITH AN OLIVE. HUMORIST JAMES THURBER ONCE SAID ONE IS ALRIGHT, TWO IS TOO MANY, AND THREE IS NOT ENOUGH.

DEDICATED APRIL 11, 1992
JOAQUIN MURRIETA CHAPTER 13
E CLAMPUS VITUS

THE CHRISTIAN BROTHERS WINERY
IN THIS CITY, FROM 1879 TO 1932, THE 70 ACRE PARCEL OF LAND EXTENDING IN A TRIANGLE FROM WHAT IS NOW BUSH STREET TO PACHECO BOULEVARD TO BROWN STREET TO ALHAMBRA CREEK WAS OWNED BY THE CHRISTIAN BROTHERS RELIGIOUS TEACHING ORDER, FOUNDED BY SAINT JOHN BAPTIST DE LA SALLE. IT WAS ON THIS PROPERTY THAT THE BROTHERS CONSTRUCTED THEIR NOVITIATE, THE DE LA SALLE INSTITUTE, AND FOUNDED WHAT WAS TO BECOME ONE OF CALIFORNIAS MOST FAMOUS WINERIES.

DEDICATED SEPTEMBER 20, 1992.
JOAQUIN MURRIETA CHAPTER 13
E CLAMPUS VITUS

JAMES RANKIN
IN 1865, AT THE AGE OF 17, JAMES RANKIN EMIGRATED FROM A SCOTTISH COAL MINING TOWN AFTER HEARING OF THE BLACK GOLD IN CONTRA COSTA. HE WORKED WITH PICK AND SHOVEL IN THE UNDERGROUND MINES OF SOMERSVILLE. IN 1885, RANKIN WAS ELECTED SHERIFF AND MOVED TO MARTINEZ. RANKIN OWNED 50 ACRES ON WHAT IS NOW RANKIN PARK UPON WHICH HE PLANTED SOME 400 OLIVE TREES. HE NOW RESTS IN THE ALHAMBRA CEMETERY HERE IN MARTINEZ.

DEDICATED SEPTEMBER 21, 1996
JOAQUIN MURRIETA CHAPTER 13
E CLAMPUS VITUS

MARTINEZ-BENICIA FERRY
“GATEWAY TO THE GOLD FIELDS”
FOUNDED BY DR. ROBERT SEMPLE IN 1847, THE MARTINEZ-BENICIA FERRY WAS THE FIRST ESTABLISHED AND LONGEST OPERATING FERRY SERVICE IN THE S. F BAY AREA. IN 1850 OLIVER COFFIN TOOK OVER THE OPERATION
AND WITH HIS BROTHERS PURCHASED A NEW FERRYBOAT, THE CARQUINEZ, AND BUILT THE FERRY STREET WHARF, ONCE LOCATED 100 FEET WEST OF THIS SPOT. THE PONY EXPRESS, ON ONE OF ITS TRIPS TO SAN FRANCISCO, FIRST SET FOOT IN CONTRA COSTA COUNTY AT THIS SITE ON APRIL 23, 1860 AFTER AN EARLY MORNING FERRY TRIP FROM BENICIA. WITH THE OPENING OF THE GEORGE MILLER JR. MEMORIAL BRIDGE THE FERRY CEASED OPERATIONS SEPTEMBER 14, 1962.

DEDICATED SEPTEMBER 20, 1997
JOAQUIN MURRIETA CHAPTER THIRTEEN
E CLAMPUS VITUS

THE BURLINGTON HOTEL
ESTABLISHED 1883

PORT COSTA’S OLD TIMERS ARE QUITE CERTAIN THAT THE RUMOR OF THE BURLINGTON HOTEL BEING A BORDELLO IS UNTRUE. THEIR REASONING IS THAT THE RESPECTED OWNERS AND THEIR FAMILIES LIVED NEARBY, THEREFORE IT COULD NOT HAVE BEEN A BORDELLO. HOWEVER, THE ARCHIVES OF THE ANCIENT AND HONORABLE ORDER OF E CLAMPUS VITUS WILL ONCE AND FOR ALL PUT TO REST THESE RUMORS. OUR RECORDS INDICATE THAT NOT ONLY WAS THE BURLINGTON HOTEL A BORDELLO,
BUT IT WAS HIGHLY RANKED AMONG THE CALIFORNIA BORDELLOS OF THE ERA. THIS FIVE STAR RATING WAS MAINTAINED FOR MANY DECADES IN
THE EARLY 1900S.

“CREDO QUIA ABSURDUM”

DEDICATED BY
JOAQUIN MURRIETA CHAPTER 13
E CLAMPUS VITUS
1999

In Honor of
Howard Ray
1922 – 1997

A devoted public servant and compassionate friend
Who exemplified true community spirit

Martinez city employee for 35 years
Chairperson Park and Recreation Commission
Chairperson Marina Commission

Dedicated by the
Martinez City Council
and the
Park and Recreation Commission
June 2000

MONUMENT CONSTRUCTED
BY JOAQUIN MURRIETA
CH#13 E CLAMPUS VITUS

MARTINEZ TRAIN DEPOT
DEDICATED SEPTEMBER 22, 2001
THE CITY OF MARTINEZ HAS BEEN THE HOME OF A TRAIN STATION ALONG THE WATERFRONT FOR 125 YEARS. THE FIRST STATION (APPROXIMATELY
200 YARDS TO THE EAST OF THIS SITE) WAS ERECTED IN 1876 AND CLOSED
IN 2001 WHEN THIS STATION WAS OPENED. MORE THAN 1,000 CHINESE LABORERS, WHO ONCE LIVED IN A TENT CITY NEAR THIS SPOT BLASTED HILLSIDES, BUILT TUNNELS AND BRIDGES, EVENTUALLY CONNECTING THIS LINE WITH THE OAKLAND FERRY WHARF IN 1878. THIS PLAQUE WAS MADE POSSIBLE WITH THE INPUT FROM THE MARTINEZ HISTORICAL SOCIETY
AND COOPERATION OF MAYOR MICHAEL M. MENESINI.

DEDICATED SEPTEMBER 15, 2001
JOAQUIN MURRIETA CHAPTER 13
E CLAMPUS VITUS

The Antlers Building

Built in 1890, it is one of the oldest buildings in Pinole. It has been a Tavern for most of its existence. It was first known as Swenson & Lewis’s saloon, then as The Stag Tavern. The tavern was supposedly frequented by Jack London during this time. The history of saloons during prohibition (1920-1932) were particularly interesting as many establishments became speakeasies where alcohol was sold illegally and gambling often occurred. Due to the lax law enforcement during these times.
In 1939, Lucille Dalmasso started operating under Antlers Tavern. The tavern has undergone three ownerships changes since 1939. In 1976, Albert &  Connie Torretta purchase Antlers and still operating it as a family business today.

Plaque dedicated 3-26-2022 by
Joaquin Murrieta Chapter 13 E. Clampus Vitus
PIO PICO 1801 Historical Brothers
Preserving Western History