Contra Costa County, CA History Transcribed by Sally Kaleta This file is part of the California Genealogy & History Archives http://calarchives4u.com/ These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or presentation by other organizations. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material for non-commercial purposes, MUST obtain the written consent of the contributor, OR the legal representative of the submitter. All persons donating to this site retain the rights to their own work. SOURCE: The History of Contra Costa County, California Edited by: Frederick J. Hulaniski Publisher: Elms Pub. Co., Berkley, CA 1917 CHAPTER XIV MOUNT DIABLO Mount Diablo deserves and shall have a special chapter all to itself. Occupying almost the exact center of Contra Costa County, this mountain is one of the most conspicuous landmarks of the State. Its prominence arises not from its size - for it is but 3896 feet in height - but from its isolation. It is the only peak of any prominence in Contra Costa County, rearing its head above all surrounding hills. Whence arose the name Mount Diablo? The following version was given in a report to the legislature in 1850, by General Vallejo, that excellent authority on Californiana, quoted in a previous chapter: "In 1806 a military expedition from San Francisco marched against the tribe 'Bolgones,' who were encamped at the foot of the mount; as the victory was about to be decided in favor of the Indians, an unknown personage, decorated with the most extraordinary plumage, and making divers movements, suddenly appeared near the combatants. The Indians were victorious, and the incognito (puy) departed toward the mount. The defeated soldiers, on ascertaining that the spirit went through the same ceremony daily and at all hours, named the mount 'Diablo,' in allusion to its mysterious inhabitant, that continued thus to make his appearance until the tribe was subdued by the troops in command of Lieutenant Gabriel Moraga, in a second campaign of the same year. In the aboriginal tongue 'puy' signifies 'evil spirit'; in Spanish it means 'diablo,' and doubtless it signifies 'devil' in the Anglo-American language." Referring to Mount Diablo, in the same report General Vallejo said: "It was intended so to call the county, but both branches of the legislature, after warm debates on the subject (the representatives of the county opposing the said name), resolved on the less profane one of 'Contra Costa.' " There are at least half a dozen other legends woven around Mount Diablo. A tale which is said to have been culled from the archives of one of the old missions is about as follows: When, in 1769, the Spanish padres came to found missions among the aborigines, the Indians brought them gifts of gold nuggets from a high mountain not far from San Francisco Bay. This peak, according to their traditions, had once belched forth fire and smoke. The padres, fearing that gold might prove "the root of all evil" to these primitive people, determined to forestall further search for the precious metal. Secretly poisoning all the gold in their possession, the padres placed it in a tub of water, from which they bade the Indians make their dogs drink. When all the dogs died the superstitious fear of the Indians was aroused and they were diverted from using gold as a medium of exchange and never again sought it in the mountains. Thenceforth the mountain from which the gold was obtained became known as Monte Diablo, or Devil's Mountain. Still another story comes from the pen of Bret Harte. He relates that the worthy padre from the old mission San Pablo climbed the now historic promontory, seeking new converts, or striving in some similar manner to extend the dominion of the church. On reaching the summit he encountered no less a personage than the Evil One himself in the corporeal form of a gigantic bear. Changing from bear to human form in a most disconcerting manner, the demon attacked the padre and all but slew him. When the padre escaped and related his unusual experience, the mountain was named El Monte Diablo. With one more tale we will leave the domain of legend and take up the later aspects of Mount Diablo. The following account is quoted in full from an early historical work: "The mountain is also said to take its name from a marvelous phenomenon witnessed amongst its wild and precipitous gorges, at a time when, in the language of an old trapper, 'Injuns war plenty and white women war not.' It is related that once , in an expedition against the horse-thief tribes who inhabited the valley of the San Joaquin, as far down as the base of the mountain, the native Californians came up with a party of the freebooters, laden with the spoils of a hunt, and immediately gave chase, driving them up the steep defiles which form the ascent of the mountain on one side. Elated with the prospect of securing and meting out punishment to the robbers, they were pressing hard after them, when lo! from a cavernous opening in their path there issued forth such fierce flames, accompanied by so terrible a roaring that, thinking themselves within a riata's throw of the principal entrance to his Infernal Majesty's summer palace, the astonished rancheros, with many 'Carajos!' and "Carambas!' and like profane ejaculations, forgot their hostile errand and, turning tail, scampered down the mountain faster than they had gone up. Reciting the adventure to their fellow-rancheros on their return, it was unanimously agreed that the Devil and his chief steward had fixed their abode in the mountain and, in compliment to the great dealer in hoof and horns, they gave the present name of Mount Diablo to the scene of their late terrific exploit and discomfiture. As for the Indians, who, as they declared, all mysteriously disappeared as the flames rose in view, of course the Dons afterwards insisted that they were the favored children of the Devil!" Mount Diablo was once a volcano. The outline of part of the crater can still be traced, and bits of lava and igneous rock can be found in the canons from the top of this picturesque peak to the bottom. The central mass of Mount Diablo is composed of metamorphic sandstone, and is about six miles long and one and a half miles wide. Large quantities of jasper rock filled with fine quartz are found near the summit. Throughout are found a considerable amount of other minerals, including serpentine and siliceous slate. In reality Mount Diablo comprises two peaks, which can be viewed to best advantage from the northwest or southeast. The two peaks are about three miles apart, the southwestern peak comprising Mount Diablo proper. The other mount is known as the North Peak, and is about two hundred and sixty feet lower than Mount Diablo. Innumerable oyster-shells and petrified shell-fish, resembling those now found on the shores of the Atlantic, are scattered about its summit, all of which indicate that long ago Mount Diablo occupied the floor of the ocean instead of its present eminence. The summit of Mount Diablo was selected in 1876 as the initial point for a continental triangulation survey. A station was established by Professor Davidson, of the Coast Survey party, after taking careful measurements to establish a base-line of eleven miles on the plains of Yolo County. The trans-continental survey established an absolutely accurate basis for future surveys by the United States. The view from the top of the mountain is awe-inspiring. A grand panorama, covering not less than forty thousand square miles, or an area nearly equal to the state of New York, is spread out before the beholder. A scope of country four hundred miles from north to south is plainly visible on a clear day. Away to the west is the broad Pacific. To the east the view extends to the very crest of the Sierras. It is an excellent point from which to study the topography of a large portion of California, from twelve to fifteen counties often being visible. The vast interior valley of the State appears like a relief map. The most northern point visible is Lassen's Buttes, two hundred miles distant, and Mount Hamilton, upon which is located the Lick observatory, is discernible in the south. Each time the eye encircles the horizon new scenes and added grandeur are discovered. Turning again to the east, one beholds the Sacramento and San Joaquin valleys, with their magnificent rivers. On the south the broad expanse of San Francisco Bay comes into view. Across the bay to the west lies San Francisco, enthroned, like Rome, among her hills, her streets plainly visible. A nearer view discloses Yerba Buena Island, Alcatraz, and the Golden Gate. Close at hand is San Pablo Bay and all its inlets. Out upon the Pacific the eye rests upon the Farallones de las Grayles, twenty miles beyond the Golden Gate. Reverting to the north, Martinez, the Straits of Carquinez, Benicia, Vallejo, and Mare Island swing into view. One might multiply this description indefinitely, but the foregoing will suffice as a partial delineation of the magnitude of the view from this summit. Those who care to gain first-hand information will find a journey to the top of Mount Diablo distinctly worth while. Due largely to the energy of one man, R. N. Burgess, a Contra Costa product, the Mount Diablo Scenic Boulevard, now winds to the top by easy stages, and it is not a difficult matter to climb this historic peak. Mr. Burgess saw the wonderful possibilities for home-building in the picturesque vales that nestle about Mount Diablo. He interested New York capitalists, and they invested $1, 095,000, founding the Mount Diablo Villa Homes Association, which controls the Mount Diablo estate of ten thousand acres. These men say that the next few years will see ten thousand people living in magnificent villas among the sheltering crags of old Mount Diablo. Their plans also include an appropriately designed tavern, in which cloisters and stairways will be the dominant note, clinging to the very top of the mountain. Closely following the contour of the peak, from a distance the buildings will appear to be a part of the mountain itself. Towering over all will be an observatory with a large telescope. To those who gaze through the giant lens the beautiful surrounding country will seem to be close at hand. And now we will leave Mount Diablo with an observation that possibly should have been made earlier in the chapter - that the grizzled old sentinel was first seen by white men in the remote days of 1772. Father Juan Crespi, friend and associate of Father Junipero Serra, the mission builder, first glimpsed its peak while exploring San Francisco Bay, after that great harbor was discovered from the land side by Don Gaspar de Portola. Father Crespi was accompanied by Captain Don Pedro Fagis, of the Presidio of Monterey. The late S. J. Bennett, of Martinez, in the late '70's drove the first stage that ever reached the top of this mountain. The road at the time was kept in good condition, the expenses of its up-keep being defrayed with the toll exacted from passengers and teams. Up the mountain slopes on either side were groves of oak and pine, and at times they were green with chaparral. As one continued to ascend, the declivities became more bold and broken. Making up the sides were many wild glens, dark with vines and shrubbery. At an elevation of twenty-five hundred feet was a neat, well-kept hotel, open the year around, with good accommodations for travelers. Parties could leave their teams here, and, if they desired to do so, could make the remainder of the way to the top on foot. However, in the early days there was no difficulty in reaching the summit with a good team. At about five hundred feet from the top was a never-failing spring of pure soft water. Besides grand old Mount Diablo, there are other peaks of considerable elevation: Rocky Mound, 1921 feet, and Redwood Peak, 1635 feet high, both in the range of Contra Costa Hills; Bushy Knob, 1742 feet, and Gray's Peak, 1921 feet.