Antioch is one of the oldest towns in California, having been originally founded in 1850, the year following the discovery
of gold. It was founded by two brothers, William and Joseph Smith, who named the town Smith's Landing. About 1859 coal
was discovered in several places in the hills south of Antioch and formed the first substantial industry aside from farming
and dairying of the inhabitants of this locality. This new industry resulted in the founding of the towns of Somersville,
Nortonville, and Black Diamond (now Pittsburg), and added greatly to the importance and prosperity of Antioch. The Empire
Coal Company was formed in 1876 by John C. Rouse and George Hawxhurst, and a railroad built, which passed out of Antioch toward
the mines over what is now F (formerly Kimball) Street. The mine and railroad later passed into the hands of the Belshaw brothers.
The mine has long since ceased operation and the railroad track has been taken up, though the building which served as the
Antioch terminus of the road still stands on the corner of F and Fourth streets, and the grading and trestles still remain
much as they were in these early days.
In 1863, a great excitement arose over the discovery of copper near Antioch.
Smelting works were erected at Antioch, and from fifteen dollars to twenty-five dollars per ton was paid for ore, according
to its richness. The bubble eventually burst, to the discomfiture of all concerned.
Petroleum was first bored for near
Antioch in 1865, but oil in paying quantities could not be obtained. The Antioch Ledger was first issued on March 10, 1870,
and in all its forty-seven years never missed an issue. A copy of its first number has been framed and hangs over the desk
of the present editor. It is five by eight inches in size, printed on one side only, and its sole news item is a report and
editorial comment on women's suffrage meeting that had just been held in the town. The Ledger later merged with the Contra
Costa Times and printed its last issue in 2005.
Today, Antioch is mainly a "bedroom" community, with most
adults working in larger cities toward Oakland and San Francisco. The town has seen an enormous amount of growth in the last
30 years, as the population of the Bay Area continues to grow, and real estate prices force families to move towards the outskirts
of the Bay Area.
The city has a municipal marina[1] along with other private marinas, boatyards, and yacht clubs. There
is a public fishing pier in town, and another out near the Antioch Bridge.
There is also fishing in the San Joaquin
River along the Antioch/Oakley Regional Shoreline, located just upstream from Highway 160's Antioch Bridge (also known
as Nejedly Bridge).
