Round Valley Regional Preserve

Marsh Creek State Historic Park is a California state park in east Contra Costa County, California, United States. It was named as the newest California State Park on January 27, 2012. The newly named park (formerly called the Cowell Ranch/John Marsh State Park) contains 3,659 acres (1,481 ha; 5.717 sq mi) and is about 3.3 miles (5.3 km) south of downtown Brentwood. The park is named for California pioneer John Marsh (1799–1856), who was a doctor, rancher, landowner and the first non-Hispanic European to settle in what is now Contra Costa County, California. Marsh was the first medical doctor in California, the first Harvard graduate in the territory, the first to introduce a number of new crops, and one of the most influential men in the establishment of California statehood.Marsh, a widower, was a native of Massachusetts, who had previously lived in Minnesota, Illinois, Wisconsin, Missouri and New Mexico before settling in Los Angeles, California. In 1838, he acquired Rancho Los Meganos in northern California. The ranch covered over 80 square miles (21,000 ha), and extended over 8 miles (13 km) to the San Joaquin River, where Marsh's Landing was built (near present-day Antioch, California). The park covers a portion of this former rancho. Marsh reportedly paid $300 in cowhides for the land. The John Marsh House was added to the National Register of Historic Places (Reference Number 71000136) under Criteria A, B and C on October 7, 1971.The park is significant for many reasons. It represents the Mexican period in California history, it was an important site for the Miwok and other Native American people, it was home of the vaqueros, it was the end point of the California Trail (the first party over the Sierra Nevada came directly to the John Marsh rancho at his invitation), and its archaeological site has produced artifacts going back 7,000 years. It has been identified by the Sacramento Archaeological Society as being the most important archaeological site in the California State Park system.

Morgan Territory Regional Preserve is a regional park in Contra Costa County, California. Located east of Clayton and north of Livermore, California, bordering on Mt. Diablo State Park, it is part of the East Bay Regional Park District (EBRPD). The preserve was founded in 1975 with fewer than 1,000 acres (400 ha), but EBRPD has gradually acquired more property, and, since 2015, the preserve encompasses 5,230 acres (2,120 ha). The main access roads run from Livermore and Clayton.The preserve was named for Morgan Territory, an historic name for the area associated with Anglo-American pioneer Jeremiah Morgan, who in 1856 acquired thousands of acres on the east side of Mount Diablo and developed a ranch. Popular activities in the park are camping, hiking, horseback riding and picnicking. A reservation is required to use the backpacking campsite. This is not wheelchair accessible. Picnic sites are first come, first served. Dogs are allowed in the preserve and no fee is charged for their admittance.

Morgan Territory is an historic ranching area on the east side of Mount Diablo in San Francisco East Bay's Contra Costa County. It was named after Anglo-American pioneer Jeremiah Morgan, a migrant from Alabama and Iowa who acquired 2000 acres and developed a ranch here, starting in 1857. The earliest historic occupants had long been small, highly localized tribes of Native Americans, who spoke dialects of the Bay Miwok language. During the Spanish and Mexican periods, the Native Americans were displaced and colonial governments made large grants of land to high-ranking officials. Americans began to buy such properties after moving into the area in the mid-19th century and later. Ranches for livestock and some farms were developed here. In the mid-20th century, the large ranch holdings were being sold for suburban residential development. Concerned about the loss of open space, in 1975 the East Bay Regional Park District (EBRPD) acquired 930 acres of land to establish the Morgan Territory Regional Preserve, named for the historic area. During the following decades, it expanded this preserve to protect open space, habitat and watersheds for the public. The preserve now totals 5,230 acres (2,120 ha) in area. In addition, the adjacent Mount Diablo State Park, established in the 1920s, has been part of a trail network connected to the Morgan Territory Regional Preserve . It acquired management and oversight of properties known as Morgan Ranch and Morgan Red Corral in the late 1980s. These lands are related to Morgan's historic ranch and were held by his descendants into the late 20th century.

The Stone House of John Marsh is a historic stone house in Contra Costa County, California, built in 1855–56. It is now included in the newly designated Marsh Creek State Park. It has not been officially opened to the public because of safety concerns, but restoration began in 2006 and is continuing as of October 2017.

Heritage High School is a high school in Brentwood, California, United States. It opened on August 1, 2005, with a freshman and sophomore class.

Dozier-Libbey Medical High School is a public school located in Antioch, California, with a focus on health and medicine. The school is named for Dr. Thomas (Tom) Dozier and Dr. Joseph H. (Joe) Libbey, 2 local physicians who practiced in the area from the 1930s through the late 1980s. With English and science test scores that are above the state average, this school has earned awards such as the California Gold Ribbon Award and has been recognized as one of the best high schools in the U.S. by U.S. News & World Report. The school's mission statement reads, "DLMHS exists to challenge students with exciting rigorous instruction that prepares them with the knowledge and experience to succeed in health science professions and college."

Marsh Creek Springs was a private recreational facility in Contra Costa County, California. It was developed in 1927 by Gerald L. Gill on 90 acres alongside Marsh Creek. The facility included two swimming pools, wading pools, a livery stable, a dance hall and four baseball diamonds. By 1940 it had grown to cover 210 acres and was able to host 5,000 guests and 1,200 automobiles arriving from all over the Bay Area. In 1957 a flash flood sent a twelve-foot crest of water down Marsh Creek and destroyed the park. It was re-opened that same year but a second flood in 1962 again destroyed the park and it remained closed.

West Hartley was an unincorporated community in eastern Contra Costa County, California. It was located 7 miles (11 km) northeast of Mount Diablo, at an elevation of 440 feet (134 m). It is now a ghost town. It was a mining town for the nearby coal mines.It was founded in the late 1880s and named for England's West Hartley coal mine.

Vasco Caves Regional Preserve is a natural and cultural protected area located on the eastern slope of Mount Diablo, on Vasco Road within eastern Contra Costa County, California. It was created to preserve wildlife habitats, California chaparral and woodlands, native plant communities, and Native American rock art.

The Port Costa School was built to serve the community of Port Costa, California. Residents voted to fund the school with a bond in April 1911, and construction began later that year. The classic revival style building was designed by architect William Wilde, who immigrated to America from Denmark. The school opened in 1912 and closed in 1966 due to a declining population. At this point, it had become part of the John Swett Unified School District.The school building now serves as an event space and is maintained by the Port Costa Conservation Society.

The Shannon-Williamson Ranch, is located in Antioch, California. The Williamson family settled in Antioch in 1867. They were granted a homestead in 1874 signed by then U.S. President Ulysses S. Grant. The original house burned down in 1895. The current house that stands is the one that was rebuilt after the fire. The ranch operated from 1875 to 1949. The ranch was saved in 1987 by the efforts of one of the inhabitants of the house Donald Williamson. The once 4,000-acre (1,600 ha) ranch raised crops such as wheat, barley, hay, and livestock. The ranch currently retains approximately 3 acres (1.2 ha) of the former ranch including a two-story Italianate house, 3 barns and several other buildings including outbuildings and a small orchard. The ranch is currently closed to the public and there are currently no plans for the future of the house and property. The surrounding area has been named after the ranch such as the housing subdivision and the shopping mall directly across the street from it. The ranch property has a fence that surrounds the entire property.

Brentwood, or “Corn Town”, is a city in Contra Costa County, California, United States. It is located in the East Bay region of the San Francisco Bay Area. The population is 66,854 as of 2022, an increase of 287% from 23,302 at the 2000 census.Brentwood began as a community in the late 19th century. The community is still known throughout the Bay Area for its agricultural products - primarily its cherries, corn and peaches. Due to urban sprawl many of the old farms and orchards have been replaced by suburban developments since 1990. Brentwood is increasingly residential, with the rate of population growth in the triple digits during the 1990s and 69% from 2000 through 2010. An official estimate showed the population increased nearly 21% during the period 2010 to 2016.