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Pam Winterbauer ~ 2006 REALTOR® of the Year

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A History of Pleasanton

03-28-08
Pam Winterbauer ~ 2006 REALTOR® of the Year

Pleasanton History

The Amador-Livermore Valley was first sighted by a Spanish soldier, Captain Pedro Fages, in 1772 while on an expedition searching for new mission sites. It was a half-century after this discovery that Jose Amador, in 1826, brought the first settlement to the valley, which still bears his name. Spanish families were awarded huge tracts of land as a result of the abandonment of the California Mission System.

Alisal, as Pleasanton was known at the time, was located on one of the main routes to the gold fields and quickly became a mercantile stopover for miners seeking their fortune in the Mother Lode. The first white settler in the immediate area of Pleasanton was Augustine Bernal in 1850. The adobe house he built on Foothill Road is still standing today. He lived there for most of his life and played a part in building aspects of the community familiar to residents today, including the racetrack that eventually brought the Alameda County Fairgrounds to Pleasanton.
John W. Kottinger, who arrived in 1851, was responsible for the naming of Pleasanton after a distinguished Civil War general, Alfred Pleasonton. However, a spelling error by a recording clerk in Washington D.C. resulted in a much more appropriate name. When the transcontinental railroads rolled into Pleasanton in 1869, the town was assured of a future. The population then was only 500, but it soon began to grow.
Ranchers and thoroughbred horse breeders were attracted to the favorable climate and abundance of water, and were soon followed by dairy farms, hop fields and vineyards. Blessed with rich soil, Pleasanton soon became the agricultural center for the Amador Valley and home to the oldest horseracing track in the nation. The hops grown here were sought by many of the largest beer producers in the United States and Europe, making Pleasanton internationally famous.
Pleasanton was incorporated in 1894 and by 1900 was a thriving community complete with the Bank of Pleasanton, the Pleasanton Hop Company, the Ruby Hill vineyard, and three fancy hotels. Main Street became a center for business and community activity and, although agriculture didn't completely disappear, Pleasanton was on the road to becoming a modern community.
By 1930, enterprising men such as Henry J. Kaiser determined the great potential of sand and gravel below the Valley's surface. The gravel industry has been one of the Valley's most enduring and profitable industries throughout the last half-century. The 1960's and 1970's were decades of rapid population growth in the city, and by 1979, much of the land in Pleasanton was supporting homes, schools, and businesses, instead of tomatoes, cucumbers and grapes.
It was 1982 that brought one of the most dramatic turning points in the city's history. That year, ground was broken on the first building in the 850-acre Hacienda Business Park. The park was built on swampland that had previously been considered as a site for a large mobile home park. Instead, Pleasanton became home to corporate giants and the face of the city was forever changed.
In 1994 Pleasanton celebrated its 100th anniversary as a city. Residents and visitors alike looked back on a century of extraordinary progress. A community that began as a simple home to Ohlone Indians, Pleasanton has passed through seasons as an adobe homestead for Spanish soldiers, an agricultural center, a small bedroom community, and finally, what it is today - a thriving city with excellent schools, a strong economic base and well-planned neighborhoods.
The Museum on Main Street
For an up-close look at interesting Pleasanton artifacts, visit The Museum on Main Street, 603 Main Street in downtown Pleasanton. The museum also offers a Downtown Walking Tour Guide, available for a donation of $2. This guide provides a mapped out route and a wealth of historic facts to make a jaunt down Main Street one of discovery. It was published in 2001 under the guidance of Pleasanton historian Charles Huff.

Information from the Pleasanton Chamber of Commerce

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Castro Valley the Early Years

03-28-08
Pam Winterbauer ~ 2006 REALTOR® of the Year

Ohlone

The Ohlone lived in Castro Valley for thousands of years. Spanish explorers called them "Costanoans" (Coast people).

San Lorenzo Creek was a perfect location for a village. A variety of plants grew in the area that could be used for food, medicine and shelter. The creek attracted animals such as deer, elk, rabbits, squirrels, and birds.

Homes were made of Tule reeds. Tule grows along marshes and creeks. The homes were not large because people only used them for sleeping. Ohlones spent most of their day together in the center of the village. Life in the village was not all work - there was plenty of time for games and relaxation. Illustration from "Indians of California", U.S. Department of the Interior.

Acorns were the main food for Ohlone people. Acorns have to be cracked open, pounded into flour, and washed to remove acids before they can be eaten. In most hunter-gatherer societies, 80% of the calories were provided by grains, fruits and vegetables which were gathered and prepared by the women. Illustration from "Indians of California", U.S. Department of the Interior.

Men hunted animals in the hills around the village. A successful hunt takes a great deal of skill, so if the men returned with a large animal such as a deer, there was a celebration in the village. Illustration by Michael Harney from "The Ohlone Way."

Castro's Rancho San Lorenzo 1841-1850

When Mexico won independence from Spain, the new government gave the vast mission lands to individuals. One of those individuals was Guillermo Castro, who had been a soldier in the Mexican army.

Although Castro's home was in what is now downtown Hayward, Castro Valley was an important part of the Rancho San Lorenzo. This lovely valley is sheltered from wind and fog, and so made a perfect place to graze cattle over the winter. Cattle were the main source of income for the California ranchos. Hides, called "California dollars," and tallow were sold to ships in the bay and taken to Mexico and Fort Ross.

After the California Gold Rush, Guillermo Castro had problems with squatters taking over portions of his land. Lawsuits were often necessary to maintain title to the land, and law fees quickly added up. In addition, he had a fondness for gambling and was not always lucky. This combination of events led to Guillermo Castro loosing all of his 26,722 acres. The once great Don of Rancho San Lorenzo finished his life penniless in South America.

"Of the Spanish Californians that I have known, Guillermo Castro was the best. He was a sparse, wiry man with brown eyes and hair and was physically active and tough. He was a splendid horseman and he was very extravagant and spent his money freely." - Jacob Harlan

Castro's home ("Casas del Ranchero") in what is now downtown Hayward. The "Camino Royal de San Jose" marks the road to Mission San Jose. Today it is still called Mission Blvd. Castro Valley is directly above the area marked "Lomerias de San Lorenzo."

Early Settlers 1850-1899

Guillermo Castro was the owner of the vast Mexican land grant Rancho San Lorenzo. He grazed his cattle in the land we now call Castro Valley. After California became part of the United States, Castro began to sell off his land to pay gambling debts.

By the end of the 19th century, large tracts had been divided into smaller plots used for dairies and fruit orchards. Some of these early residents are honored by streets that sill bear their names: Strobridge, Stanton, Jamison, Jensen, Cull.

The Castro Valley Exchange was the first business in Castro Valley. In the 1880s it provided a road stop along Redwood Road at what is now Grove Way.

Redwood trees were cut for lumber and shipped down Redwood Road to Castro Valley Road to Robert's Landing in San Lorenzo. The crests of the hills surrounding the valley were covered with redwoods and oaks. Starting in the 1850s, lumbering was a major industry for residents of Castro Valley.

The "Stanton House" was built by the Mattox family in 1860. Michael Stanton bought it in 1868. He owned 500 acres of land along Castro Valley Boulevard. Streets in Castro Valley named for the Stanton family include Anita Avenue, John Street, and Stanton Avenue. Originally on Lake Chabot Road, the house was moved to prevent demolition in 1975. It is now on a busy corner of Strobridge Avenue by the freeway.

Chickens! 1900-1929

The former Castro land continued to be broken into smaller plots. In the early 1900s Castro Valley was home to many small chicken farms of three and four acres. By 1925 the valley was ranked 2nd in the world in egg and hatchling production. It is estimated that the population of Castro Valley was 800,000 hens and 5,000 people.

A little downtown area developed to support the needs of Castro Valley's 5,000 residents. Many of the businesses provided supplies for the poultry industry in the valley.

Incubators greatly increased the number of chicks that could be raised.

Pete's Hardware opened in 1926 and is still run by the same family. The Paul Rhodes Winery was located in Castro Valley before alcohol prohibition closed it down.

Depression Years 1930-1941

The Depression hit hard here, as it did everywhere else across the U.S. But Castro Valley people stuck together and pulled through. Castro Valley Garage during the Great Depression.

The building now housing Adobe Arts Center was built as a government W.P.A. project during the Depression. The Works Project Administration created work for many young men who constructed buildings all over the U.S. The adobe was built as headquarters for the Castro Valley Elementary School District in 1938.

Post-War Boom 1945-1960

After World War II the population of Castro Valley jumped 400%. Because of the G.I. Bill, there was a great demand for new homes. Most of the chicken farms and ranches were divided into smaller lots and developed for housing. The business district on Castro Valley Boulevard grew to meet the needs of the new population. Clubs and civic organizations also flourished.

Eden Hospital under construction 1954. Castro Valley around 1960 shows how much the valley had been developed. Downtown Castro Valley was full of shops serving the new residents who moved to the valley after the war. Gone are the hatchery supply businesses. Hayward Area Historical Museum collection. Castro Village Shopping Center opening

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Livermore Facts and Trends

03-18-08
Pam Winterbauer ~ 2006 REALTOR® of the Year

Here are the facts and trends for February that I pulled from Trendgraphix on the Livermore activity.

The good news is we are pending more property and based on our current inventory and pending sales we have about 10 months of inventory to clear out.

Let's stay positive and educate our buyers and sellers on our current market place and we will get through our challenges.

It is an absolutely fantastic market to be looking to buy or invest in.



Date12/061/072/073/074/075/076/077/078/079/0710/0711/0712/071/082/08
For Sale265240230298341391409423463457442413392399398
Sold896962937774796978364433412643
Pended677690806785686846394340254440
Mon of Inv. on Sold3.03.53.73.24.45.35.26.15.912.710.012.59.615.39.3
Mon of Inv. on Pended4.03.22.63.75.14.66.06.210.111.710.310.315.79.110.0
Avg. Act Price823830833791779774774774759759749720713707693
Avg. Sld Price731722692713758727742734726681720648700596670
Avg. Sq. Ft. Price347.33366.15366.1358.62364.42364.21380.17348.08362.09356.01351.14338.25334.66315.38319.03
Sold/List Diff. %979798999899989998969797959396
Days On Market375141323025313738515847645951
Median Price650660645650640649624660644602600589545500550

All reports presented are based on data supplied by Contra Costa Association of Realtors, Bay East Association of Realtors and Yolo Association of Realtors or their MLSs. Neither the Associations nor their MLSs guarantee or are in anyway responsible for their accuracy. Data maintained by the Associations or their MLSs may not reflect all real estate activities in the market. Information deemed reliable but not guaranteed.

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Facts and Trends for Castro Valley

03-16-08
Pam Winterbauer ~ 2006 REALTOR® of the Year

Here are the facts and trends for February that I pulled from Trendgraphix.com for the Castro Valley activity.

The good news is we are pending more property and based on our current inventory and pending sales we have about 6.1 months of inventory to clear out.

Let's stay positive and educate our buyers and sellers on our current market place and we will get through our challenges.

Happy St. Patricks Day!



Date12/061/072/073/074/075/076/077/078/079/0710/0711/0712/071/082/08
For Sale10910299136169188195220217211205195177176177
Sold443232262331353630232220201923
Pended353526312236333227241923182429
Mon of Inv. on Sold2.53.23.15.27.36.15.66.17.29.29.39.88.99.37.7
Mon of Inv. on Pended3.12.93.84.47.75.25.96.98.08.810.88.59.87.36.1
Avg. Act Price898888918869906853857812786788791749734739737
Avg. Sld Price679646736709737814693674664641621612660593598
Avg. Sq. Ft. Price371.08383.37407371.03374.43399.35390.55377.47375.04354.45340.74379.73322.94341.41313.73
Sold/List Diff. %989798989996989899979695969698
Days On Market363059403533373042546040725155
Median Price655628668678700741709635628600604585666555550

All reports presented are based on data supplied by Contra Costa Association of Realtors, Bay East Association of Realtors and Yolo Association of Realtors or their MLSs. Neither the Associations nor their MLSs guarantee or are in anyway responsible for their accuracy. Data maintained by the Associations or their MLSs may not reflect all real estate activities in the market. Information deemed reliable but not guaranteed.

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San Ramon Facts & Figures for Febuary 2008

03-16-08
Pam Winterbauer ~ 2006 REALTOR® of the Year

Here are the facts and figures for February that I pulled from Trendgraphix.com on the San Ramon activity.

The good news is we are pending more property and based on our current inventory and pending sales we have about 4.6 months of inventory to clear out.

Let's stay positive and educate our buyers and sellers on our current market place and we will get through our challenges.

Happy St. Patricks Day!


Date12/061/072/073/074/075/076/077/078/079/0710/0711/0712/071/082/08
For Sale181181164183190234232250256274262220193208214
Sold603751837576665651352827463226
Pended425294707266633749282940293247
Mon of Inv. on Sold3.04.93.22.22.53.13.54.55.07.89.48.14.26.58.2
Mon of Inv. on Pended4.33.51.72.62.63.53.76.85.29.89.05.56.76.54.6
Avg. Act Price106110451091116311851171118811241108108110501016105610031018
Avg. Sld Price9269009408959088889219151057823865912941884801
Avg. Sq. Ft. Price362.59369.2361.91385.52378.61394.25381.19376.78388.34373.15365.2346.15354.89327.35347.07
Sold/List Diff. %969798989899989897989796929595
Days On Market354144453131243346415448606271
Median Price863780870850869812872885934780802880775802690

All reports presented are based on data supplied by Contra Costa Association of Realtors, Bay East Association of Realtors and Yolo Association of Realtors or their MLSs. Neither the Associations nor their MLSs guarantee or are in anyway responsible for their accuracy. Data maintained by the Associations or their MLSs may not reflect all real estate activities in the market. Information deemed reliable but not guaranteed.
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