Blackhawk, California

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For other uses of Blackhawk/Black Hawk, see Black Hawk.

Blackhawk is an unincorporated area located in Contra Costa County, California, east of Danville. The United States Census Bureau combines Blackhawk with the adjoining Tassajara area to form the census-designated place of Blackhawk-Camino Tassajara, and all census data are tabulated for this combined entity.

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[edit] Blackhawk Ranch, 1917 to 1979

(All 1917 to 1979 information is from "Blackhawk & The Mountain–A Twentieth Century History," an article in the Fall 1998 issue of the Mount Diablo Review which is critical of post-1970s development.)

Blackhawk Ranch was established in 1917 by Ansel Mills Easton and his son-in-law William Q. Ward, in an area east of the San Ramon and Sycamore Valleys. The name came from a famous Irish racehorse named Blackhawk that Easton's family had once owned. The land passed through the hands of several owners, including Raymond Force (the owner of the Caterpillar Tractor Company), a business called Castle and Cook Ltd. and Howard Peterson (owner of Peterson Tractor).

In 1975, Peterson sold the land to Florida developer Ken Behring, who planned a housing development of 4800 dwelling units over 4200 acres (17 km²) of land. Critics charged that the plan would have various negative impacts, related to urban sprawl, environmental damage and violations of the County General Plan. A group of environmentalists and local residents called Amigos de Diablo organized against the Blackhawk Development Corporation, but were sued for libel. The Blackhawk Development Corporation finally reduced the number of homes planned to 2400 and offered more than 2000 acres (8 km²) of open space to Mount Diablo State Park.

[edit] Blackhawk Country Club

Opened in 1979, Blackhawk Country Club is a 4,800 acre (19 km²) country club community where luxurious residential neighborhoods are surrounded by thousands of acres of permanent open lands.

Blackhawk is divided into seven individual neighborhoods, the largest being Country Club West and Country Club East.

In the middle of Country Club West is the 6,904 yard (6,313 m) Lakeside golf course, designed by Bruce Devlin and Robert Von Hagge. The Lakeside course annually hosts the Longs Drugs Challenge, an event on the LPGA Tour. The newer 6,700 yard (6,126 m) Falls golf course, designed by Ted Robinson, winds through Country Club East. Blackhawk's Tennis Club includes 20 tennis courts, a clubhouse and a pro shop. The Blackhawk Swim Club includes a competition-sized pool, a spa and dressing rooms and offers instructional programs. The 25 acre (100,000 m²) Sports and Recreation Center includes basketball courts, outdoor volleyball courts, a children's play park, Olympic-sized pool, sports fields and an amphitheater.

[edit] Blackhawk Plaza

Blackhawk Plaza is a shopping center located outside the Blackhawk Country Club. It includes retail stores, a movie theatre and two museums, including the Blackhawk Museum.

[edit] Land use

  • 4,800 acres (19 km²) total
  • 2,000 acres (8 km²) contiguous designated for expansion of adjacent Mt. Diablo State Park
  • 1,000 acres (4 km²) for natural hillside, parks, golf courses and sports fields
  • 2,400 home sites total
  • 45 acres (182,000 m²) developed as a 450,000 square foot (42,000 m²) commercial center

[edit] See also

[edit] References

[edit] Blackhawk in popular culture

  • The lyrics to punk band Rancid's 1994 single "Salvation" refer to driving around Blackhawk: "There's a neighborhood called Blackhawk / where all the rich people hide ... I can't believe these people live like kings / Hidden estates and diamond rings / I'm a rat out on a mission / I'm in your front yard under suspicion"

[edit] External links

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