Editing Port Costa, California

{{Use mdy dates|date=July 2023}}
{{Infobox settlement
| official_name            = Port Costa
| settlement_type          = [[Census-designated place]]
| image_skyline            = Port Costa.jpg
| image_caption            = Port Costa
| image_seal               = 
| image_map                = Contra_Costa_County_California_Incorporated_and_Unincorporated_areas_Port_Costa_Highlighted.svg
| mapsize                  = 250x200px
| map_caption              = Location in [[Contra Costa County, California|Contra Costa County]] and the state of [[California]]
| image_map1               = 
| mapsize1                 = 
| map_caption1             = 
| pushpin_map              = USA
| pushpin_map_caption      = Location in the United States
| subdivision_type         = [[List of sovereign states|Country]]
| subdivision_name         = {{USA}}
| subdivision_type1        = [[U.S. state|State]]
| subdivision_name1        = {{flag|California}}
| subdivision_type2        = [[List of counties in California|County]]
| subdivision_name2        = [[Contra Costa County, California|Contra Costa]]
| government_type          = 
| leader_title             = [[Board of Supervisors (Contra Costa County, California)|County Board]]
| leader_name              = District V:<br/>[[Federal D Glover|Federal Glover]]
| leader_title1            = [[California's 3rd State Senate district|State Senate]]
| leader_name1             = {{Representative|casd|3|fmt=sleader}}<ref>{{Cite web
 |url=http://senate.ca.gov/senators 
 |title=Senators 
 |access-date=April 1, 2013
 |publisher=State of California}}</ref>
| leader_title2            = [[California's 15th State Assembly district|State&nbsp;Assembly]]
| leader_name2             = {{Representative|caad|15|fmt=sleader}}<ref>{{Cite web
 |url=http://assembly.ca.gov/assemblymembers
 |title=Members Assembly
 |access-date=April 1, 2013
 |publisher=State of California}}</ref>
| leader_title3            = [[California's 8th congressional district|U. S. Congress]]
| leader_name3             = {{Representative|cacd|8|fmt=usleader}}<ref>{{Cite GovTrack|CA|8|access-date=March 9, 2013}}</ref>
| established_date         = 
<!-- Area------------------>
| unit_pref                = US
| area_magnitude           = 
| area_footnotes           = <ref>{{Cite US Gazetteer|2010|places|CA}}</ref>
| area_total_sq_mi         = 0.158
| area_land_sq_mi          = 0.158
| area_water_sq_mi         = 0
| area_water_percent       = 0
| area_note                = 
| elevation_ft             = 16
| elevation_footnotes      = <ref name=gnis>{{Cite GNIS|230948|Port Costa}}</ref>
| population_as_of         = 2020
| population_footnotes     = 
| population_total         = 190
| population_metro         = 
| population_density_km2   = auto
| population_density_sq_mi = auto
| timezone                 = [[Pacific Time Zone|PST]]
| utc_offset               = -8
| coordinates              = {{coord|38|02|47|N|122|11|00|W|region:US-CA|display=inline,title}}
| timezone_DST             = PDT
| utc_offset_DST           = -7
| postal_code_type         = [[ZIP code]]
| postal_code              = 94569
| area_code_type           = [[North American Numbering Plan|Area code]]
| area_code                = [[Area codes 510 and 341|510, 341]]
| blank_name               = [[Federal Information Processing Standard|FIPS code]]
| blank_info               = {{FIPS|06|58226}}
| blank1_name              = [[Geographic Names Information System|GNIS]] feature IDs
| blank1_info              = {{GNIS 4|230948}}, {{GNIS 4|2409091}}
| footnotes                = <ref name=gnis/>
| website                  = 
}}

'''Port Costa''' is a small town and [[census-designated place]] (CDP) in [[Contra Costa County, California|Contra Costa County]], [[California]], located in the [[East Bay]] region of the [[San Francisco Bay Area]]. Situated on the southern shore of the [[Carquinez Strait]], the population was 190 in 2020 according to the United States Census Bureau.

== History ==
[[File:Port Costa 1949 (14524967096).jpg|thumb|left|Bull Valley Roadhouse, formerly the McNear office building, built 1897]]
Port Costa was founded in 1879 as a landing for the railroad [[ferry]] ''[[Solano (ferry)|Solano]]'', owned and operated by the [[Central Pacific Railroad]].<ref name="images">Images of America: Richmond, by Donald Bastin, Arcadia Publishing (SC), November 2003</ref> This put Port Costa on the main route of the [[transcontinental railroad]].<ref name="images"/> The ''Solano'', later joined by the ''Contra Costa'', carried entire trains across the [[Carquinez Strait]] from [[Benicia]] to Port Costa,<ref name="images"/> from where they continued on to the [[Oakland Pier]].<ref name="images"/>

Businessman George W. McNear built the Port Costa Warehouses and Dock Company west of the new ferry terminal in 1880. The valley where Port Costa now sits, at one point called Bull Valley, was part of a ranch owned by William Piper. In 1883, McNear bought Piper's land for $100,000 and began to build up the town. Port Costa became the busiest port on the West Coast, primarily shipping wheat.<ref name=":0">{{Cite book |last1=Robinson |first1=John V. |url=https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/144226491 |title=Port Costa |last2=Crane |first2=Veronica |date=2007 |publisher=Arcadia Pub |isbn=978-0-7385-4654-4 |location=Charleston, SC |pages= |language=en |oclc=144226491}}</ref>

Port Costa's first post office was established in 1881 with postmaster Kate Hurley. It later moved to a warehouse built by McNear, where it remains today.<ref name="CGN">{{California's Geographic Names|684}}</ref><ref name=":0" /> The [[Port Costa School]], a [[Neoclassicism|classical revival]] building designed by architect William Wilde, was built in 1911, opened in 1912, and operated until 1966. In 1988, it was added to the [[National Register of Historic Places]].<ref>{{Cite web |date=1988 |title=National Register of Historic Places Continuation Sheet |url=https://npgallery.nps.gov/GetAsset/fbbe3738-7d3a-44c3-a792-a782b7e412f7 |access-date=Dec 19, 2022 |website=National Park Service}}</ref>  St. Patrick Church was founded in 1884, rebuilt in 1898, and restored in 1980.<ref>{{Cite web|title=The History of St. Patrick Mission Church |url=https://www.strosecrockett.org/about?id=2|access-date=Feb 18, 2024|website=St. Rose of Lima Catholic Church, Crockett, CA}}</ref>

For the early decades of Port Costa's existence, much of the town's commercial activities took place on wharves and docks along the waterfront. These wharves and docks suffered from numerous fires between 1883 and 1941, and a large part of the "Waterfront Port Costa" area was demolished in 1921 after being badly damaged by [[shipworm]]s. No docks or wharves are left standing today, although pilings remain.<ref name=":0" />

Besides the railroad and shipping, another important industry in Port Costa was brick making.<ref name=":0" /> Port Costa Brick Works operated from 1905 until 1991.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Cuff |first=Denis |date=2012-05-29 |title=Port Costa brick works to become park land |url=https://www.mercurynews.com/2012/05/29/port-costa-brick-works-to-become-park-land/ |access-date=2022-12-18 |website=The Mercury News |language=en-US}}</ref>

After [[California]]'s wheat output dropped in the early 20th century and especially after the [[Southern Pacific Railroad|Southern Pacific]] (which took over the operations of the Central Pacific) constructed a railroad bridge at [[Martinez, California|Martinez]] in 1930 to replace the ferry crossing, Port Costa lost population and importance.<ref name="images" />

In 1963, Bill Rich purchased and renovated multiple Port Costa buildings, including the Burlington Hotel (built circa 1883) and McNear's warehouse (built 1886), with the goal of making the town a tourist attraction. Under this iteration, the warehouse housed multiple antique stores and, for two years, artist [[Clayton Bailey]]'s Wonders of the World Museum. However, Port Costa fell into decline after a 1983 fire in the hills between Port Costa and Crockett.<ref name=":0" />

In 1999, known [[biker bar]] the Warehouse Cafe, located in the warehouse originally built by McNear, was purchased by a new owner and gained a "cult following" over the decades.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Tsai |first=Luke |date=2020-10-19 |title=How a Remote East Bay Biker Bar Is (Just Barely) Surviving the Pandemic |url=https://sf.eater.com/2020/10/19/21519931/warehouse-cafe-port-costa-biker-bar-prime-rib-pandemic |access-date=2022-12-18 |website=Eater SF |language=en}}</ref> In 2012, the restaurant Bull Valley Roadhouse, which sits in McNear's old office building, was renovated.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Bauer |first=Michael |date=2013-02-09 |title=Bull Valley Roadhouse, Port Costa - old-time vibe |url=https://www.sfchronicle.com/restaurants/diningout/article/Bull-Valley-Roadhouse-Port-Costa-old-time-vibe-4264416.php |access-date=2022-12-18 |website=San Francisco Chronicle |language=en-US}}</ref><ref name=":0" /> In the following year, the Burlington Hotel was renovated by new owners as well.<ref>{{Cite web |last=May |first=Meredith |date=2013-02-06 |title=Burlington Hotel in Port Costa restoration |url=https://www.sfchronicle.com/living/article/Burlington-Hotel-in-Port-Costa-restoration-4256373.php |access-date=2022-12-18 |website=San Francisco Chronicle |language=en-US}}</ref> Port Costa continues to be a destination for day or weekend trips.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2020-03-05 |title=Bay Area Day Trip: A Saturday in Port Costa with hikes, honey and a bit of magic |url=https://www.mercurynews.com/2020/03/04/bay-area-day-trip-a-saturday-in-port-costa-with-hikes-honey-and-a-bit-of-magic |access-date=2022-12-18 |website=The Mercury News |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Bote |first=Joshua |date=2021-11-11 |title=The tiny port town unlike anywhere else in the Bay Area |url=https://www.sfgate.com/travel/article/Bay-Area-Port-Costa-day-trip-16607354.php |access-date=2022-12-18 |website=SFGATE |language=en-US}}</ref>
[[File:Pilings at Port Costa.jpg|alt=Numerous damaged wooden pilings stick out of the sand along the shoreline of the Carquinez Strait|thumb|Pilings left over from the docks at Port Costa]]

==Geography==
According to the [[United States Census Bureau]], the CDP has a total area of {{convert|0.16|sqmi|km2}}, all of it land. Port Costa is surrounded by rolling hills grazed by cattle and managed by [[East Bay Regional Park District]]. [[Carquinez Strait Regional Shoreline]] stretches from [[Crockett, California|Crockett]] through Port Costa and to [[Martinez, California|Martinez]]. Big Bull Valley Creek runs along McEwen Road into a historic reservoir just above the town, then it runs in an underground pipe culvert beneath the town to the Carquinez Strait.<ref>{{gnis|219140|Big Bull Valley}}</ref>

==Demographics==
[[File:Port Costa (6661434385) (cropped).jpg|thumb|left|Historic buildings in Port Costa.]]
The [[2020 United States census]] reported that Port Costa had a population of 190. The population density was {{convert|1,202.5|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. The racial makeup of Port Costa was 81.1% [[White Americans|White]], 0.0% [[African Americans|African American]], 1.1% [[Native Americans in the United States|Native American]], 2.6% [[Asian Americans|Asian]], 0.0% [[Pacific Islander Americans|Pacific Islander]], 1.1% from [[Race (United States Census)|other races]], and 14.2% from two or more races. [[Hispanic and Latino Americans|Hispanic or Latino]] of any race were 9.5% of the population.

The census reported that 100% of the population lived in households.

There were 104 households, out of which 9.6% included children under the age of 18, 33.7% were married-couple households, 6.7% were [[cohabitation|cohabiting]] couple households, 36.5% had a female householder with no partner present, and 23.1% had a male householder with no partner present. 43.3% of households were one person, and 25.0% were one person aged 65 or older. The average household size was 1.83. There were 50 [[family (U.S. Census)|families]] (48.1% of all households).

The age distribution was 9.5% under the age of 18, 6.3% aged 18 to 24, 21.6% aged 25 to 44, 37.9% aged 45 to 64, and 24.7% who were 65{{nbsp}}years of age or older. The median age was 50.5{{nbsp}}years. For every 100 females, there were 91.9 males.

There were 106 housing units at an average density of {{convert|670.9|/mi2|/km2|disp=preunit|units&nbsp;|units|}}, of which 104 (98.1%) were occupied. Of these, 50.0% were owner-occupied, and 50.0% were occupied by renters.<ref>{{cite web |title=Port Costa CDP, California; DP1: Profile of General Population and Housing Characteristics - 2020 Census of Population and Housing |url=https://data.census.gov/table/DECENNIALDP2020.DP1?g=1600000US0658226 |website=US Census Bureau |access-date=March 27, 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Port Costa CDP, California; P16: Household Type - 2020 Census of Population and Housing |url=https://data.census.gov/table/DECENNIALDHC2020.P16?g=1600000US0658226 |website=US Census Bureau |access-date=March 27, 2025}}</ref>

==Education==
Port Costa is in the [[John Swett Unified School District]].<!--UNI 18990--><ref name=SDMap2020>{{cite map|url=https://www2.census.gov/geo/maps/DC2020/PL20/st06_ca/schooldistrict_maps/c06013_contra_costa/DC20SD_C06013.pdf|title=2020 CENSUS - SCHOOL DISTRICT REFERENCE MAP: Contra Costa County, CA|publisher=[[U.S. Census Bureau]]|place=[[Suitland, Maryland]]|access-date=2025-01-24}} - [https://www2.census.gov/geo/maps/DC2020/PL20/st06_ca/schooldistrict_maps/c06013_contra_costa/DC20SD_C06013_SD2MS.txt Text list]</ref> It previously operated [[Port Costa School]].

== Notable people from Port Costa ==

* [[Clayton Bailey]] and [[Betty G. Bailey|Betty Graveen Bailey]]<ref>{{Cite web |last=Whiting |first=Sam |first4=7:09 |date=June 8, 2020 |title=Clayton Bailey, pioneer of 'Nut Art' and the Port Costa Sky Cam, has died |url=https://datebook.sfchronicle.com/art-exhibits/clayton-bailey-pioneer-of-nut-art-and-the-port-costa-sky-cam-has-died |access-date=2022-12-18 |website=Datebook {{!}} San Francisco Arts & Entertainment Guide |language=en-US}}</ref>

==See also==
{{portal-inline|California}}

==References==
{{reflist|22em}}

==External links==
{{commons category|Port Costa, California}}

{{SF Bay Area}}
{{Contra Costa County, California}}

{{Geographic Location
|Center    = Port Costa
|North     = [[Carquinez Strait]]
|Northeast = 
|East      = [[Martinez, California|Martinez]]
|Southeast = 
|South     = Franklin Canyon
|Southwest = 
|West      = [[Crockett, California|Crockett]]
|Northwest = 
}}

{{authority control}}

[[Category:Census-designated places in Contra Costa County, California]]
[[Category:Carquinez Strait]]
[[Category:Populated places established in 1879]]
[[Category:1879 establishments in California]]
[[Category:Census-designated places in California]]