Editing Antioch, California (section)

===Early history===
Antioch is one of the oldest towns in the region. The town has been variously named '''East Antioch''', '''Smith's Landing''',<ref>Both {{gnis|1657936}}</ref> and '''Marsh's Landing''',<ref name=CGN /> prior to its current name.

In 1848, [[John Marsh (pioneer)|John Marsh]], owner of [[Rancho Los Méganos]], one of the largest ranches in California, built a landing on the [[San Joaquin River]] in what is now Antioch. It became known as Marsh's Landing, and was the shipping point for the {{convert|17,000|acre|km2|adj=on}} rancho. It included a pier extending well out into the river, enabling vessels drawing {{convert|15|ft|m}} of water to tie up there in any season of the year. The landing also included a slaughterhouse, a smokehouse for curing hams, rodeo grounds, and a {{Fraction|1|1|2}}-story dwelling, embellished with fretwork, that was brought around the Horn to serve as a home for the [[Majordomo|mayordomo]] and his wife.<ref>Lyman, George D. John Marsh, Pioneer: The Life Story of a Trail-Blazer on Six Frontiers, pp. 280-1, The Chautauqua Press, Chautauqua, New York, 1931.</ref>

[[File:John Marsh, Pioneer, 1852.jpg|thumb|left|150px|[[John Marsh (pioneer)|John Marsh]] in 1852]]

In 1849, twin brothers Rev. William Wiggins Smith and Rev. Joseph Horton Smith<ref>{{Cite book|title=The Transcription of The Diary of William Wiggins Smith|publisher=his son Charles H. Smith|year=1941–1942|location=Contra Costa County Library Antioch Branch}}</ref> sailed from Boston, purchased land from John Marsh<ref>{{Cite book|title=Looking Back - Tales of Old Antioch (CA) and Other Places|publisher=Earl Hohlmayer|year=1991|location=Contra Costa County Library Antioch Branch|isbn=978-0-9651251-1-6 |url=https://www.amazon.com/Looking-Back-Tales-Antioch-Places/dp/B002F6T8FU}}</ref> and founded a town slightly west of Marsh's Landing, and named it Smith's Landing.<ref>{{Cite book|title=Antioch To The Twenties|publisher=Elise S Benyo|year=1972|location=Contra Costa County Library, Antioch, CA|url=https://www.amazon.com/Antioch-twenties-Elise-S-Benyo/dp/B0006C6XPI}}</ref> During the town picnic on July 4, 1851, William, the town's new minister, persuaded the residents to change the name of the town to Antioch, for the [[Bible|biblical]] city of [[Antioch]],<ref name=gudde>{{cite book|first=Erwin|last=Gudde|author2=William Bright|title=California Place Names|year=2004|edition=Fourth|publisher=University of California Press|page=15|isbn=978-0-520-24217-3}}</ref> "in as much as the first settlers were disciples of Christ, and one of them had died and was buried on the land, that it be given a Bible name in his honor, and suggested 'Antioch' (an ancient Syrian town where two important rivers meet and where the followers of Christ were first called Christians), and by united acclamation it was so christened."

Around 1859, coal was discovered in several places in the hills south of Antioch, and coal mining formed the first substantial business apart from farming and dairying for the inhabitants of this community. This new industry resulted in the founding of the towns of Nortonville, Somersville, Stewartville, and Black Diamond (now [[Pittsburg, California|Pittsburg]]), and added greatly to the economic activity of the Antioch area. The Empire Coal Company was formed by John C. Rouse and George Hawxhurst in 1876, which built a railroad that passed from Antioch toward the mines over what is now "F Street" (formerly Kimball Street). However, later on, both the mine and the railroad passed into the hands of the Belshaw brothers. The mines have long since ceased operation, and the railroad tracks have been dug up, though the building that served as the Antioch terminus of the railroad still stands on the corner of F Street and Fourth Street, and the grading and trestles still remain much as they were in those early days.

In 1863, a great excitement arose over the discovery of [[copper]] ore near Antioch. Smelting works were built at Antioch, and the ore fetched $15 to $25 per ton. The copper bubble eventually burst, to the dismay of the citizens, and petroleum was first drilled for near Antioch in 1865, but not enough oil was found to make a decent profit.

The Antioch Post Office was opened in 1851, closed in 1852, reopened in 1855, closed again in 1862, and has operated continuously since reopening in 1863.<ref name=CGN>{{California's Geographic Names|595}}</ref> The city of Antioch was [[municipal corporation|incorporated]] in 1872.<ref name=CGN />

The city's historic Chinese community, which was forcibly segregated,<ref>Pfaelzer, Jean, Driven Out: The Forgotten War Against Chinese Americans, 90-91 (Random House New York 2007)</ref> was estimated to number in the hundreds in the late 1800s.{{r|TMN 2021-04-14}} The city's early history included banning Chinese residents from walking the streets after sundown.{{r|KTVU 2021-04-14}} In 1876, the Chinatown was burned down due to arson; the fire department refused to put out the fire.<ref>Driven Out at 90-91; ABC7 April 14, 2021</ref> For nearly 100 years, virtually no Chinese lived in Antioch. The 1960 census showed that only 12 residents were Chinese.<ref name="SFG 2021-04-15">{{Cite news|last=Dowd|first=Katie |date=April 7, 2021|title=The Bay Area town that drove out its Chinese residents for 100 years|url=https://www.sfgate.com/sfhistory/article/antioch-race-riot-chinatown-arson-california-16067820.php|access-date=April 15, 2021|work=SFGATE|language=en-US}}</ref>

Antioch is mainly a bedroom community, with most adults working in larger cities toward [[Oakland]] and [[San Francisco]]. The town has grown 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.{{r|SFG 2021-04-15}}