Local city information for Antioch, CA

Antioch (formerly, East Antioch, '''Smith's Landing, and Marshs Landing) is a city in Contra Costa County, California, United States. Located in the East Bay region of the San Francisco Bay Area along the San Joaquin-Sacramento River Delta, it is a suburb of San Francisco and Oakland. The population was 90,532 at the 2000 census.

Antioch is one of the oldest cities in California, having been founded in 1850. The year following the discovery of gold, there was a plague that took over the city and wiped out most of the population.

It was founded by two brothers, William and Joseph Smith, who named the town Smith’s Landing. In 1851, the town's new minister persuaded the residents to change the name of the town to Antioch, after the Biblical city in Syria.

Around 1859, coal was discovered in several places in the hills south of Antioch and formed the first substantial industry aside from farming and dairying of the inhabitants of this locality. This new industry resulted in the founding of the towns of Nortonville, Somersville, Stewartsville and Black Diamond (now Pittsburg), and added greatly to the importance and prosperity of Antioch. The Empire Coal Company was formed in 1876 by John C. Rouse and George Hawxhurst, and a railroad built, which passed out of Antioch toward the mines over what is now F (formerly Kimball) Street though later the mine and railroad later passed into the hands of the Belshaw brothers. The mine has long since ceased operation and the railroad track has been taken up, though the building which served as the Antioch terminus of the road still stands on the corner of F and Fourth streets, and the grading and trestles still remain much as they were in these early days.

In 1863, a great excitement arose over the discovery of copper near Antioch. Smelting works were erected at Antioch, and a value of fifteen to twenty-five dollars per ton was paid for ore, according to its richness. Unfortunately the bubble eventually burst, to the discomfiture of all concerned. Petroleum was first bored near Antioch in 1865, but not enough oil was obtained for a decent profit.

The post office opened in 1851, closed in 1852, re-opened in 1855, closed again in 1862, and has operated continuously since re-opening in 1863. The city incorporated in 1872.

The Antioch Ledger was first issued on March 10, 1870, and in all its forty-seven years never missed an issue. In memory of when the paper was formed, a copy of its first issue has been framed and hangs over the desk of the present editor. It is five by eight inches in size, printed on one side only, and its sole news item is a report and editorial comment on women's suffrage meeting that had just been held in the town. The Ledger later merged with the Contra Costa Times and printed its last issue in 2005.

Antioch was once home to a significant Chinese American community, but it violently drove all its Chinese American residents out of town in May 1876.

Today, Antioch is mainly a "bedroom" community, with most adults working in larger cities toward Oakland and San Francisco. The town has seen an enormous amount of growth in the last 30 years, as the population of the Bay Area continues to grow, and real estate prices force families to move towards the outskirts of the Bay Area. Antioch is amongst one of the bay area's best suburbs. Today, Antioch is known for its beautiful landscape and large homes. There are dozens of new home communities to choose from and attracts lots of young middle class families, especially around Antioch's Lone Tree, Deer Valley, and Hillcrest area.

Since the real estate crash in late 2007, Antioch's foreclosure rates often are among the nation's highest.

The city has a municipal marina along with other private marinas, boatyards, and yacht clubs. There is a public fishing pier in town, and another out near the Antioch Bridge.

There is also fishing in the San Joaquin River along the Antioch/Oakley Regional Shoreline, located just upstream from Highway 160's Antioch Bridge (also known as Nejedly Bridge).

List your home on the MLS in Antioch, California

Copyright © Owners.com 2012. All Rights Reserved.
Privacy • Terms & Conditions • Site Map

Equal Housing Opportunity