Contra Costa County
The county was formed on March 25 from a large portion of Contra Costa County and a smaller portion of Santa Clara County. The word 'alameda' means 'a place where poplar trees grow', a name which originally was given to the Arroyo de la Alameda (Poplar Grove Creek). The willow and sycamore trees along the banks of the river reminded the early explorers of a road lined with trees, also known as an 'alameda'.
Much of what is now considered an intensively urban region, with major cities, was developed as a trolley car suburb of San Francisco in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The historical progression from native American tribal lands to Spanish Land Grants, thence to farms, ranches, and orchards, suburbs and eventually cities, is shared with the adjacent Contra Costa County. Alameda County has some of the most picturesque cities and towns in California, many that overlook San Francisco Bay. Being a smaller county on the edge of San Francisco, residents have the luxury of hopping over the Bay and enjoying what the fantastic city has to offer.
But let’s not get too hasty. Alameda County has its own mouth watering attractions that keep the residents happy and tourists coming back for more. We will focus on what Alameda County has to offer in many of its diverse trail systems, shows and historic attractions.
The Alameda County Fair is the largest and oldest fair in the Bay Area, with millions of visitors having come from around the state -- and the world -- to experience a day at the fair. They offer a mix of old-time favorites, such as pig races, livestock judging, funnel cakes and carnival rides. You can always count on seeing new attractions at the fair each year.
Mount Diablo State Park has one approved horse camp, BBQ Terrace. The camp holds up to 50 horses and 50 people. To make it easier, most of the state park trails are equipped with unlocked gates allowing access across fence lines.
Alameda Creek Trail. This 12-mile trail stretches from the Bay east to the mouth of Niles Canyon, and borders Coyote Hills on the park's north side. It is actually two parallel trails, with an equestrian trail on the northern levee and a bicycle trail on the southern levee, connecting with the Coyote Hills' Bay View bike trail. Hikers are welcome on both trails.
Alameda Creek is Alameda County's largest, and is home to a host of birds and other wildlife. Long ago its rushing waters provided a valuable resource for the Ohlone Indians who first settled in camps and villages along its banks.
Movie making came to the Niles district for a short stay during World War I, when the Essanay movie production company moved in. Charlie Chaplin, Ben Turpin, Gloria Swanson and others got their start in movies in Niles before the industry settled in Hollywood.
The Alameda Creek Trail opened in January 1973. The project was funded by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the Alameda County Flood Control and Water Conservation District, and the East Bay Regional Park District.
Some attractions & places of interest in Alameda County are Shadow Cliffs, Pleasanton. This charming East Bay swimming hole provides residents with cool comfort on hot summer days. The 296-acre area features an 80-acre lake with a waterslide, picnic tables, and a refreshment stand and changing facility. A boat rental shop distributes rowboats, paddle-boats and motorboats, although visitors can also launch their own boats (up to 17 feet). Fishing is also a popular activity at the lake. You can buy baits at the boathouse. In the summers you can get windsurfing lessons and rentals here. Call for times.
Mission Peak, Fremont. This is a steep summit that offers spectacular views of the San Francisco Bay Area. Recommended for the serious hiker, it's approximately a five-hour hike to the top of the 2,999-acre park and back down again. Once on top you can see Mount Hamilton, the Santa Cruz Mountains, Mt. Tamalpais, Mt. Diablo and the Sierra Nevada. The park also provides a connection to other notable regional trails to hike including the Ohlone Wilderness Trail.
Ohlone Wilderness Trail. Don't let the lazily grazing cattle or the absence of soaring granite peaks fool you. Hiking the Ohlone trail is no Sunday stroll. Its elevation ranges from 400 to 3,800 feet, with pampering switchbacks in short supply. But impressive vistas and abundant wildlife will compensate generously for your hill-climbing labor. It's a rare day that you won't spot a deer, coyote, or bobcat crossing an open ridge, or a golden eagle circling majestically overhead. You might also see some of the feral goats and pigs that have taken up residence in these hills. Ohlone Trail has four camps, one for equestrians.
Back when Hollywood was mostly a desert, there was a thriving film industry in Northern California. This festival showcases films here and, in particular, those of the Essanay Motion Picture Company, which opened its Niles River branch in 1912. The festivities always include screenings of films by Broncho Billy, as well as other silent western stars such as Tom Mix and William S. Hart, not to mention another of the studio's early stars, Charlie Chaplin. There are tours of historic sites, a Chaplin look-alike contest, and fascinating symposia on early western films.
No story about Alameda County can be told without mentioning, UC Berkeley, this famous institute of higher education. The roots of the University of California, Berkeley go back to the gold rush days of 1849, when the drafters of the State Constitution, a group of vigorous and farsighted people, required the legislature to "encourage by all suitable means the promotion of intellectual, scientific, moral and agricultural improvement" of the people of California. These early planners dreamed of a university which eventually, "if properly organized and conducted, would contribute even more than California's gold to the glory and happiness of advancing generations."
