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“Bite-Size Bits of Local, National, and Global History”
“Bite-Size Bits of Local, National, and Global History”
Near Antioch in Contra Costa County, California — The American West (Pacific Coastal)
 

Somersville Townsite

 
 
Somersville Townsite Marker (Original) image. Click for full size.
Photographed By Barry Swackhamer, April 1, 2016
1. Somersville Townsite Marker (Original)
Captions: (top left) Families gather at the Pittsburg Hotel, Somersville, circa late 1890s.; (bottom left) Somersville looking west, 1878 and Rose Hill Cemetery can be seen on the top right of the photograph>; (bottom center) Somersville basin, circa 1900; (top right) Damiano family, Somersville, circa 1906; (middle right) Sam Brown's store, Somersville; (bottom right) Somersville school children, circa 1900.
Inscription. From the mid-1850s to the early 1900s, this was the site of an active coal mining town. Somersville was one of five towns that existed during the mining boom of the Mt. Diablo Coal Field. At the peak of operation, it is believed that Somersville and nearby Nortonville were the largest communities in Contra Costa County. Approximately 900 people were supported by Somersville's five coal mines: the Pittsburg, Union, Independent, Manhattan, and Eureka.
Coal was carried by rail from the mines to Pittsburg Landing on the San Joaquin River, and from there by riverboat to markets in San Francisco, Stockton, and Sacramento.
By the late 1800s, mines began to close due to increased production costs and competition from higher quality Washington Territory coal. The town of Somersville slowly died.
Mine waste rock piles, exotic trees planted by residents, and Rose Hill Cemetery are all that remain.
 
Erected by East Bay Regional Park District.
 
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Industry & CommerceSettlements & Settlers.
 
Location. 37° 57.46′ N, 121° 51.833′ W. Marker is near Antioch, California, in Contra Costa County. Marker can be reached from Somersville Road
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. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 5175 Somersville Road, Antioch CA 94509, United States of America. Touch for directions.
 
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. Mount Diablo Coal Field (within shouting distance of this marker); Black Diamond Mines Regional Preserve (about 300 feet away, measured in a direct line); Independent Mine (about 400 feet away); Greathouse Portal (approx. 0.2 miles away); a different marker also named Mount Diablo Coal Field (approx. ¼ mile away); Eureka Slope (approx. ¼ mile away); Rose Hill Cemetery (approx. 0.4 miles away); David Watts, Theophilus Watts and Thomas D. James (approx. 0.4 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Antioch.
 
More about this marker. This marker is located south of the parking lot on the Somersville Trail in Black Diamond Regional Park,
 
Additional commentary.
1. The marker was replaced
There is a new marker with a different format, but same text and pictures.
    — Submitted May 10, 2022, by Joseph Alvarado of Livermore, California.
 
Somersville Townsite Marker (Replacement) image. Click for full size.
Photographed By Joseph Alvarado, May 7, 2022
2. Somersville Townsite Marker (Replacement)
Somersville Townsite Marker image. Click for full size.
Photographed By Barry Swackhamer, April 1, 2016
3. Somersville Townsite Marker
Rose Hill Cemetery is in the background.
 
 
Credits. This page was last revised on May 16, 2022. It was originally submitted on April 5, 2016, by Barry Swackhamer of Brentwood, California. This page has been viewed 637 times since then and 73 times this year. Photos:   1. submitted on April 5, 2016, by Barry Swackhamer of Brentwood, California.   2. submitted on May 10, 2022, by Joseph Alvarado of Livermore, California.   3. submitted on April 5, 2016, by Barry Swackhamer of Brentwood, California.

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Mar. 28, 2024