Historical Markers and War Memorials in Danville, California
Martinez is the county seat for Contra Costa County
Danville is in Contra Costa County
Contra Costa County(411) ► ADJACENT TO CONTRA COSTA COUNTY Alameda County(502) ► Marin County(165) ► Sacramento County(327) ► San Francisco City and County(629) ► San Joaquin County(84) ► Solano County(97) ► Sonoma County(127) ►
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Albert J. Young and Mary Shuey Young built this Victorian home in 1870. This was her home for 63 years.
A.J. Young was a long time local educator and church leader. — — Map (db m94012) HM
Many pioneers from Alamo and surrounding towns have been buried here since the 1850s. Alamo Cemetery is part of the Alamo-Lafayette Cemetery District. We dedicate this plaque in the 125th year of the first recorded burial January 1856. — — Map (db m94013) HM
Original home of fireman Austin Root,
descendent of the Boone and Love
families, this Craftsman-Bungalow moved
here from the corner of Hartz and Linda
Mesa to make way for Shell Oil in 1950.
Owner of Root's Bar and Restaurant, Austin
opened . . . — — Map (db m153288) HM
This Craftsman-Bungalow style "cottage"
was characteristic of the Great Depression.
Once the home of Lorraine and Manuel
"Manny” Cabral, this popular style remains
a well-maintained example of similar
buildings along Hartz Ave. The . . . — — Map (db m152832) HM
This 1921 Craftsman-Bungalow was
originally owned by Tony Cabral who drove
a cattle truck from Tassajara Valley to the
Train Depot. Kids in town waited in front
of Elliot's Bar and helped him load prize-
winning cattle for the Sacramento State . . . — — Map (db m152857) HM
Fages, Commandante at Monterey, vainly looked for a way across San Francisco Bay. With Juan Crespi, Franciscan missionary, 14 soldiers, a muleteer and an Indian servant, he trekked along Carquinez Strait, thence eastward nearly to Antioch. Turning . . . — — Map (db m91703) HM
This property, site of the first building constructed in 1858, was owned by pioneer Daniel Inman (1827-1908) for whom Danville was named.
The property was purchased by James E. Close (1848-1904), who operated a blacksmith shop, in 1875. In 1907 . . . — — Map (db m93670) HM
This early home was constructed by the Howard brothers
in 1866 and is the oldest original building in downtown Danville.
It was built for Postmaster Michael and
Matilda Cohen behind the Cohen general store. Dr.
Victor and Claire Vecki moved . . . — — Map (db m152843) HM
This Craftsman-Bungalow style home first appears on
a 1925 Sanborn fire map. Built by Austin Root and
Steve Johnson, it was once owned by local volunteer
fireman, Duane Elliott. Joseph and Laura Bettencourt
lived here until George and Vesta . . . — — Map (db m152844) HM
The first schoolhouse in the area was built south of Danville in 1858. In 1867, a new grammar school was built on this Front Street site. This building served until being razed in 1896 and replaced by the one-room schoolhouse pictured. It was . . . — — Map (db m93672) HM
The Danville Hotel, originally the Railroad Hotel, was built in 1891 when the Southern Pacific Railroad came to Danville. It was at the corner of Railroad Avenue and Short Street and faced west. It was owned and operated by Mr. and Mrs. Edward . . . — — Map (db m93673) HM
This Queen Anne style cottage matched
several other cottages which were once located
along the east side of Hartz Avenue. Harvey R.
Eddy bought this property in 1903 and deeded
the home to his mother Mary A. Eddy. She and
other "Eddy . . . — — Map (db m152687) HM
I want to be an artist or nothing.
Eugene ONeill, 1914
When Eugene O'Neill began writing for the stage, the American theatre was
dominated by vaudeville and romantic melodrama. Influenced by Strindberg, Ibsen, and other
European . . . — — Map (db m153906) HM
May you have your wish and die in
your sleep soon, Jim, darling. May you rest forever in
forgiveness and peace.
Josie Hogan, A Moon For The Misbegotten
A Moon for the Misbegotten
is an elegy for O'Neill's . . . — — Map (db m154060) HM
That's what makes it so hard - for
all of us. We can't forget.
Mary Tyrone, Long Day's Journey Into Night
Eugene ONeill was the son of the actor James O'Neill and Mary Ellen Quinlan. He spent
his childhood either . . . — — Map (db m154059) HM
The lie of the pipe dream gives life to the whole misbegotten mad lot of us,
drunk or sober!
Larry Slade, the Iceman Cometh
Prior to his career as a playwright, O'Neill lived for a time at a waterfront dive in
New . . . — — Map (db m154054) HM
These twelve years, beloved one,
have been a journey into light - into love. You know my gratitude and my love!
Eugene O'Neill, from the dedication of Long Day's Journey into Night
to Carlotta Monterey O'Neill on their 12th . . . — — Map (db m154048) HM
We really have an ideal home with
one of the most beautiful views I have ever seen - pure
country with no taint of suburbia.
Eugene O'Neill, to a friend, 1937
With the reception of the Nobel Prize in 1936, Eugene . . . — — Map (db m153910) HM
I feel so deeply that it is not only
my work which is being honored, but the work of all
my colleagues in America - that the Nobel Prize is a
symbol of the coming of age of the American Theatre.
Eugene O'Neill, Nobel Prize . . . — — Map (db m153908) HM
He would come out of his study
at the end of the day gaunt and sometimes weeping.
Carlotta Monterey O'Neill, 1956
When he moved to Danville in 1937, O'Neill had already begun work on a cycle of
eleven plays . . . — — Map (db m154050) HM
“The Handsomest Church in the County"
The original building on this site was presided
by Reverend R.S. Symington who was the first
minister. The popular church served the
community from 1875 until 1932 when it burned
to the ground. . . . — — Map (db m153286) HM
Originally owned by August Hemme in 1852, just after
California achieved statehood, this land was purchased in 1911
by the San Francisco Protestant Orphanage Asylum.
Camp Swain was built to give foster children a warm summer
away from cold . . . — — Map (db m153113) HM
Once surrounded by beehives and pear
orchards, this Victorian-Queen Anne Cottage
was built by Joel Haden Boone, descendant
of Daniel Boone. Joel married Sophie,
daughter of pioneer Robert Beatty Love.
Daughter Ina Boone married James . . . — — Map (db m152831) HM
In 1921 this property was
home to carpenter Joe Foster.
In 1926, while his wife Annie was busy
making strawberry jam in the kitchen,
the house caught fire and
burned to the ground.
Joe's father rebuilt this
Craftsman-Bungalow which . . . — — Map (db m152854) HM
Hard working Irish immigrants,
Edward and Mary McCauley, moved their
family to the Tassajara Valley in 1868.
They operated a 162 acre farm
near present day McCauley Road.
In 1892 they purchased the original
"Danville Hotel" from John Hartz . . . — — Map (db m152847) HM
Built for $10,000 this Spanish Eclectic is
one of the few brick buildings in Danville.
The McDonalds lived upstairs and ran the
drug store on the first floor where cigars,
stationery, magazines and hand-painted
china were sold and a roll of . . . — — Map (db m152833) HM
The 19.7 mile San Ramon Branch Line of the Southern Pacific Railroad was built through here in 1891. Original Danville station plat consisted of 8.65 acres.
Railroad service was terminated in 1978. The right-of-way was converted soon after to the . . . — — Map (db m93668) HM
In August of 1910 the San Ramon Valley Union High School District was formed. For the first six years high school classes were held in Danville at two different locations, with two teachers and thirty students.
In 1916 ten acres were purchased at . . . — — Map (db m94020) HM
Original home of John and Leila Shuey.
John was postmaster from 1889-1893.
They owned a general store and the
hay and grain warehouse west of the
Danville Train Depot.
They lived in the house until 1938.
Adolphus LaMay and Marion Cecile . . . — — Map (db m152834) HM
This one room school house was built by the Tassajara School District in 1889 and served the entire area until 1946 at which time the district was merged with the Danville Union School District. The black walnut trees were planted and cared for by . . . — — Map (db m94021) HM
The Danville Grange was a farmers' association and the hub of the community in the late 1800's and early 1900's. The Grange was instrumental in bringing many improvements to the valley over the years, such as San Ramon Valley High School, a public . . . — — Map (db m93671) HM
In 1919, Congress established the national charter for the American Legion to honor veterans of the Great War. Contra Costa administered a California bond issued to build veteran's memorial halls in each town with an American Legion Post. . . . — — Map (db m93675) HM WM
