Black Diamond Mines Regional Park
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Black Diamond Mines
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| Nearest city | Antioch, California |
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| Coordinates | 37°57′1″N 121°51′25″W / 37.95028°N 121.85694°WCoordinates: 37°57′1″N 121°51′25″W / 37.95028°N 121.85694°W |
| NRHP Reference # | |
| CHISL # | 932 |
| Added to NRHP | October 02, 1991 |
The Black Diamond Mines Regional Preserve is a 6,000-acre (2,400 ha) park located north of Mount Diablo in Contra Costa County, California under the administration of the East Bay Regional Park District (EBRPD). The district acquired the property in 1973. The preserve contains relics of 3 mining towns, former coal and sand mines, and offers guided tours of a former sand mine. The 60 miles (97 km) of trails in the Preserve cross rolling foothill terrain covered with grassland, California oak woodland, California mixed evergreen forest, and chaparral.
From 1850 to 1906, the area was known as the Mount Diablo Coalfield, the largest in California, producing more than 400×106 short tons (3.6×108 long tons) of coal during this time. The area includes the remains of twelve coal mines and the sites of three long-gone coal mining towns. The Preserve contains over 200 miles (320 km) of mine workings. The largest and oldest town, Nortonville, had a peak population of about 1,000. Somersville, Stewartville, West Hartley and Judsonville were located in valleys to the east. The sites of Stewartville and West Hartley are located on private property outside the eastern boundary of the Preserve. The mines were the Empire, Central, Star, Corcoran, Pittsburg, Manhattan, Eureka, Independent, Union, Black Diamond, Mt. Hope, and Cumberland. The coal produced was of a low grade (sub-bituminous or lignite), but for a time in the 19th century, was the only readily accessible and economic source in California. Therefore, it was a very valuable resource and powering the railroads, ships and heavy industry of California. The mineral was often called 'black diamond." The coal was carried to the San Joaquin River by three railroads: the Empire, Pittsburg, and Black Diamond, for shipment by barge to markets in the San Francisco Bay Area, Sacramento, California, and other communities.
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