Monday, February 3, 2014

Interesting Facts About Contra Costa County

By Madeleine Glazier


Contra Costa County, which is part of the general San Francisco Bay area, is a wonderful spot to live. Not only will you enjoy the mild climate of this area of northern California, there are plenty of attractions. This mainly suburban residential county is home to more than one million residents, and here are just a few facts about the area.

This county was one of the 27 original California counties which were created in 1850 when California was admitted to the Union. Currently there are 19 incorporated cities, the largest of which is Concord, which has about 122,000 residents. The county seat is Martinez, which features a large number of well-preserved historic buildings in its downtown area. Martinez also is notable because it was home to John Muir, who lived in town more than 30 years, and his home is now the John Muir Historic Site.

The most prominent geographic feature in the county is Mount Diablo, a 3,864-foot mountain which can be seen throughout the San Francisco Bay Area. This peak is a sacred spot for descendents of the early indigenous people who lived in the area thousands of years ago, such as the Ohlone and Miwok. The mountain is part of a protected area known as Mount Diablo State Park and has plenty of hiking and biking trails as well as horseback riding facilities, an interpretive center and a museum.

Contra Costa County is also notable for its abundance of scenic open space. One town for example, Walnut Creek, has more open space per capita than any other town, city or community in the state. There are dozens of parks, some are run by individual cities, others are state parks and some are managed by the East Bay Regional Park District. One particularly notable park is Point Isabel Regional Shoreline, which includes, among other amenities, the largest dog park in the United States.

If you love museums, music and other cultural attractions, there's plenty for you waiting in Contra Costa County. Car lovers will enjoy the Blackhawk Automotive Museums, and if you love the plays of Eugene O'Neill, his home is located here and has been designated a National Historic Site. There are other museums and historic structures to tour, such as adobes that date back to the rancho days. Concord was once the home of musician Dave Brubeck so it's not surprising that the city has an annual jazz festival. If you love classical music, take in a performance of the California Symphony, which performs in Walnut Creek.

If you are searching for Walnut Creek homes for sale or perhaps Moraga homes for sale or Alamo real estate, be sure to find a real estate agent that is familiar with the many different cities and towns in Contra Costa County. The experts at 1stInSite.com, for instance, can help you find a great family home in any of these communities as well as other parts of the East Bay area, including Danville, Lafayette, Orinda, Pleasanton and more.




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