Antioch/Pittsburg

IN MEMORY OF
DAVID WATTS, THEOPHILUS WATTS
AND
THOMAS D. JAMES
THESE YOUNG WELSHMEN DIED FAR FROM
HOME IN AN 1876 MINE ACCIDENT.
DESPITE HARD TIMES, THE PEOPLE OF
NORTONVILLE PITCHED IN TO ERECT A
WHITE BRONZE MONUMENT ON THIS SITE.
THIS PLAQUE KEEPS THEIR MEMORY ALIVE.
DEDICATED APRIL 5, 1980
JOAQUIN MURRIETA CHAPTER 13
E CLAMPUS VITUS

Mt. Diablo Coal Field
Black Diamond Mines, Antioch
Geno Fambrini
Additional Info: Black Diamond

MOUNT DIABLO COAL FIELD

FROM 1860 TO 1906, THIS AREA WAS THE LARGEST COAL MINING DISTRICT
IN CALIFORNIA FIVE TOWNS (NORTONVILLE, SOMERSVILLE,
STEWARTVILLE, JUDSONVILLE AND WEST HARTLEY) GREW UP AROUND TWELVE MAJOR MINES. TODAY THE TOWNS ARE GONE, THE BUILDINGS HAVING BEEN MOVED TO NEARBY COMMUNITIES AFTER THE MINES
CLOSED. MINE OPENINGS, TAILINGS, RAILROAD BEDS, AND A PIONEER CEMETERY ARE BEING PRESERVED BY THE EAST BAY REGIONAL PARK DISTRICT.

CALIFORNIA REGISTERED HISTORICAL LANDMARK NO. 932
PLAQUE PLACED BY THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION
IN COOPERATION WITH THE EAST BAY REGIONAL PARK DISTRICT AND
JOAQUIN MURRIETA CHAPTER NO. 13 E CLAMPUS VITUS,
SEPTEMBER 27, 1980

THIS PROPERTY HAS BEEN PLACED ON THE NATIONAL REGISTER OF
HISTORIC PLACES BY THE UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR.

BLACK DIAMOND

IN 1860, AT THE CONFLUENCE OF THE SACRAMENTO AND SAN JOAQUIN RIVERS,SETTLERS FOUNDED THE VILLAGE OF BLACK DIAMOND. NAMED
FOR THE COAL THAT WAS MINED IN THE MOUNT DIABLO FOOTHILLS, THE VILLAGE OF BLACK DIAMOND FLOURISHED AS A SHIPPING PORT FOR COAL BOUND TO STOCKTON, SACRAMENTO AND SAN FRANCISCO AND A
STOPOVER FOR GOLD MINERS BOUND FOR THE MOTHERLODE.
IN 1911, WITH THE COAL RUNNING OUT AND NEW INDUSTRIES ON THE RISE,
THE TOWN OF BLACK DIAMOND BECAME THE CITY OF PITTSBURGH.

DEDICATED SEPTEMBER 9, 6000 (1995)
JOAQUIN MURRIETA CHAPTER 13
E CLAMPUS VITUS

CASINO BUILDING

BUILT IN 1864 BY THE GALLOWAY AND BOOBAR LUMBER COMPANY TO
STOREGRAIN, THIS STRUCTURE LOCATED IN ANTIOCHS CHINATOWN HAS SEEN MANY USES. AFTER AFIRE IT WAS REBUILT USING BRICK IN 1885. IN
1906 IT BECAME THE PAVILLION SKATING RINK. FERD STAMM AND RALPH BEEDE CREATED THE COUNTRYS FINEST MOVING PICTURE AND VAUDVILLE HOUSE IN 1911. DURING THIS REMODELING, AN INDIAN BURIAL GROUND WAS DISCOVERED. PURCHASED IN 1975 BY GEORGINE SHUNK, JO COTARELO, BERNICE BARGER AND YVONNE SNOW MUCH OF THIS BUILDINGS STRUCTURAL HISTORY HAS BEEN PRESERVED.

DEDICATED NOVEMBER 18, 6000 (1995)
JOAQUIN MURRIETA CHAPTER 13
E CLAMPUS VITUS

RIVERVIEW UNION HIGH SCHOOL
THIS WAS THE FIRST HIGH SCHOOL CONSTRUCTED IN CONTRA COSTA COUNTY. SUPPORTED BY THE WOMANS CLUB OF ANTIOCH, THE FIRST JOINT COMMUNITIES BOND WAS PASSED IN 1908 FOR $20,000 BY ANTIOCH, PITTSBURGH, SOMERSVILLE, NORTONVILLE AND LIVE OAK. CHARLES APPLETON HOOPER DONATED UNINCORPORATED LAND FOR THE SCHOOL. THE ELECTION OF APRIL 1 1910, APPROVED THE SITE AND ELECTED ALL
NEW ANTIOCH TRUSTEES. CONSTRUCTION BEGAN IN SEPTEMBER 1910 AND THE SCHOOL OPENED NOVEMBER 4, 1911. ANTIOCH AND PITTSBURGH DISSOLVED THE UNION DISTRICT IN 1926. THE LAST ANTIOCH CLASS GRADUATED IN 1931.
THE ANTIOCH HISTORICAL SOCIETY REGISTERED THIS SITE WITH THE NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORICAL PLACES ON OCTOBER 14, 1998.

PLAQUE DEDICATED BY JOAQUIN MURRIETA CHAPTER 13
E CLAMPUS VITUS ON NOVEMBER 4, 2000

THE WOMANS CLUB OF ANTIOCH

ELEVEN WOMAN FOUNDED THE WOMANS CLUB OF ANTIOCH IN FEBRUARY, 1902. THEY PLEDGED TO IMPROVE AND BEAUTIFY THE TOWN. TO DO ANY BUSINESS WHICH SHALL PROMOTE THE EDUCATIONAL, INDUSTRIAL, BENEVOLENT, SOCIAL OR POLITICAL WELFARE OF ITS MEMBERS OR THE COMMUNITY AT LARGE. THESE WOMEN SPEARHEADED THE FIRST HIGH SCHOOL, FIRST LIBRARY, CITY PARK, PAVED STREETS AND MUNICIPAL
WATER-SEWER SYSTEM. THIS LOT WAS PURCHASED IN 1904 . CARDBOARD SHINGLES SALES FOR A DIME BUILT THE PERMANENT CLUBHOUSE. IN1910, THE BUILDING WAS LEASED AS SCHOOL ROOM FROM 1920-1922, RENOVATED AND ENLARGED. OTHERWISE OCCUPIED CONTINUOUSLY BY THE WOMANS CLUB OF ANTIOCH.

NOVEMBER 3, 2001
JOAQUIN MURRIETA CHAPTER 13
E CLAMPUS VITUS

Sidney Flat
This area was the original site of the coal mining town of Somersville. The town was located here because of the availability of good drinking water. When the railroad arrived in 1866, water could be hauled from the San Joaquin River and
the town was moved closer to the mines. A rancher later established a brothel
here that included the unusual feature of a tunnel connecting the buildings rear entrance to a nearby ravine, allowing customers to avoid being seen by
passers-by. 1n 1904, the land was sold to coal field residents Leyshon and
Lizzie Lougher whose family remained on the land until 1956. Leyshon used materials salvaged from structures in the abandoned coal mining town of
Nortonville to construct the house located across the road. A sheep barn and baseball field were built where the park headquarters now stand. In 1977 Sidney Flat was purchased by the East Bay Regional Park District and became part of Black Diamond Regional Preserve. The ranch is currently used as the park residence.

Dedicated November 2, 2002
Jointly sponsored by
Joaquin Murrieta Chapter No. 13 E Clampus Vitus
and the East Bay Regional Park District

PITTSBURG POST DISPATCH BUILDING

BUILT IN 1923, THIS BRICK BUILDING WAS THE HOME OF THE COAST COUNTIES GAS AND ELECTRIC COMPANY WHICH PROVIDED UTILITIES TO THE CITY OF PITTSBURG. THE COMPANY CLOSED ITS OFFICE IN THE 1950S AND THE BUILDING BECAME A NEWSPAPER PUBLISHING AND DISTRIBUTION CENTER FOR THE PITTSBURG POST DISPATCH. AFTER MERGING WITH THE CONTRA COSTA TIMES, THE PITTSBURG HISTORICAL SOCIETY PURCHASED THE BUILDING FROM THE LESHER FOUNDATION AND CREATED A MUSEUM AND CULTURAL CENTER. OUR MOTTO, BY CURATOR JACK AIELLO, WERE IT NOT FOR THE COLLECTION AND PRESERVATION OF MEMORABILIA, THE HISTORY OF THE AREA WOULD FADE AWAY, REMAINS THE WATCH WORD OF THE SOCIETY AS WE CONTINUE TO SERVE THE COMMUNITY.

DEDICATED NOVEMBER 2003 BY THE PITTSBURG HISTORICAL SOCIETY AND
JOAQUIN MURRIETA CHAPTER 13, E CLAMPUS VITUS

BANK OF AMERICA

THIS FIRST NATIONAL BANK BUILDING WAS DESIGNED BY E. L. NORBERG
AND BUILT BY G. H. FIELDS & CO. IN 1921. IN JANUARY 1927, THE BANK WAS PURCHASED BY LIBERTY BANK OF SAN FRANCISCO, WHICH THEN MERGED WITH BANK OF AMERICA LOS ANGELES LATER THE SAME DAY. THE FOLLOWING MONTH IT WAS PURCHASED BY THE BANK OF ITALY. IN 1930,
THE BANK OF ITALY WAS CONSOLIDATED BY ITS FOUNDER, A. P. GIANNINI WITH THE BANK OF AMERICA. THIS BUILDING HAS BECOME A VISUAL FOCAL POINT FOR THE HISTORICAL DISTRICT OF PITTSBURG.

DEDICATED JULY 24, 2004
BY THE PITTSBURG HISTORICAL SOCIETY
ADAM IRIKAT, OWNER
JOAQUIN MURRIETA CHAPTER 13
E CLAMPUS VITUS

CITY OF ANTIOCH
WAR DOG MEMORIAL
YOU PROTECTED US ON THE FIELD OF BATTLE.
YOU WATCHED OVER OUR ETERNAL REST.
YOU WILL NOT BE FORGOTTEN.
WE ARE FOREVER GRATEFUL.
DEDICATED IN MEMORY OF SPECIALIST 4TH CLASS
GEORGE D. (DOUG) DEITRICK AND HIS SCOUT DOG, EGOR (751m),
1st INFANTRY DIVISION, 41ST INFANTRY PLATOON SCOUT DOG.
KILLED IN ACTION ON JUNE 23, 1969, BIHN DUONG, S. VIETNAM
WAR DOG MEMORIAL COMMITTEE MEMBERS : MAYOR PRO-TEM JIM DAVIS,
BARBARA HERENDEEN, BARI COSTELLO, CINDY RAMIREZ, SUSAN DAVIS,
FRANK PALMERI, MEGAN MILLER AND VIETNAM DOG HANDLER
RONNIE E. RACKLEY

THE CHINESE TUNNELS OF DOWNTOWN ANTIOCH

EARLY ANTIOCH WAS CHARACTERIZED BY MANY IMPORTANT HISTORICAL EVENTS. ONE SUCH CHAPTER WAS THE CREATION OF A CHINATOWN AT THE FOOT OF I STREET. LOCATED IN THE AREA WEST OF WHAT IS NOW THE COMPY COMPOMIZZO FISHING PIER. RIVERTOWNS CHINESE POPULATION
INHABITED A FLOTILLA OF HOUSEBOATS AND A NUMBER OF SHOPS
BETWEEN FIRST AND SECOND STREETS. THIS TIME PERIOD ALSO SAW THE PASSAGE OF A LOCAL ORDINANCE WHICH PROHIBITED CHINESE FROM
BEING ON THE STREETS OF OLD RIVERTOWN AFTER SUNSET. IN ORDER FOR THESE RESIDENTS TO TRAVEL BETWEEN THEIR PLACES OF EMPLOYMENT IN THE RESTAURANTS, HOTELS, LAUNDRYS AND SALOONS OF EARLY ANTIOCH AND THEIR FLOATING SHANYTOWN, A SERIES OF TUNNELS WERE DUG IN THE DOWNTOWN AREA. THIS NETWORK OF TUNNELS WAS INITIALLY USED FOR TRAVEL, BUT ALSO SERVED PROMINENTLY IN THE IMMIGRATION OF ILLEGAL ALIENS WHO WORKED DOWNTOWN, THE TRANSPORT OF BOOTLEG LIQUOR DURING PROHIBITION AND PROSTITUTION DURING THIS ERA. IT IS ALSO KNOWN THAT ROOMS DUG ADJACENT TO THE MAIN
TUNNELS SERVED AS OPIUM DENS FOR A PERIOD OF TIME. THE MAIN
TUNNEL CONNECTING ALL THE BUILDINGS ON SECOND STREET, BETWEEN
G STREET AND I STREET, WAS HOME TO A BUSTLING UNDERGROUND ECONOMY. THE DISCRIMINATORY ORDINANCE WHICH INSPIRED THE TUNNELS WAS EVENTUALLY RESCINDED AT THE END OF WORLD WAR I.
JUST AS MEMORIES OF THIS ORDINANCE FADE IN TIME, KNOWLEDGE ABOUT THE TUNNELS AND THEIR IMPORTANT PLACE IN ANTIOCH’S PAST HAS DRIFTED INTO THE PAGES OF HISTORY.

DEDICATED NOVEMBER 4, 2006
JOAQUIN MURRIETA CHAPTER 13
E CLAMPUS VITUS

David A.Gatto &
The Bay View Saloon

The Bay View Saloon was located at this location on the waterfront at the foot of Black Diamond St., owned and operated by brothers Louis and Dave Gatto. It became the center for a gathering of men of the city who would talk of politics and civic matters. In the midst of all arguments, the voice of Dave Gatto was raised in defense of clean government, honesty and the elimination of graft in political office. Dave was born in 1878, the son of Italian immigrants and attended schools in Black Diamond. He began a very successful barber business, was leader among local Italian people and appointed deputy City Treasurer of Black Diamond and re-elected. He also served as deputy sheriff under Contra Costa county sheriff, R. R. Veale for many years.

The Bay View was a favorite watering hole for famed American author Jack London. While partaking in spirits, London would observe the locals for use as material in some of his books. He would anchor out at Browns Island for months at a time and was known as “one of the boys” according to local old timers. He was also known to visit the local schools and lecture on his more popular works.

Dedicated: July 2, 2022 by Pittsburg Historical Society and Joaquin Murrieta
Chapter 13 E Clampus Vitus