Rancho Los Meganos 1835 Land Grant

Rancho Los Meganos 1835 Land Grant
Rancho Los Meganos was a 13,316-acre (53.89 km2) Mexican land grant in present day Contra Costa County, California given in 1835 by Governor José Castro to Jose Noriega. "Meganos" means "sand dunes" in Spanish. Rancho Los Meganos extends eastward from present day Antioch along the San Joaquin River to the Old River. The rancho lands included present day Oakley, Knightsen, and Brentwood.

Read Full Article


Antioch California Founded 1850

Old Antioch California City Hall
Antioch is one of the oldest towns in California, having been founded in 1850. The year following the discovery of gold, there was a plague that overtook the city and wiped out most of the population.
The town was founded by two brothers, William and Joseph Smith, who named the town Smith’s Landing. In 1851, the town's new minister persuaded the residents to change the name of the town to Antioch, for the biblical city of Antioch.

Read Full Article