Antioch is the oldest city in Contra Costa County, California, having been established in 1849. It was originally part of the county that included all of the land in present-day Alameda County, and its Spanish name Contra Costa translates to “the coast off San Francisco”. In 1853, Alameda County separated from Contra Costa County, leaving most of the coast off San Francisco, including Oakland and Berkeley. The development of coal mines in the hills south of the city around 1860 was the impetus for Antioch to become a city in a real sense. Until recently, Antioch had a reputation for having the poorest streets of any city in the state; however, it is now known everywhere for having some of the best roads anywhere of equal size in California, and it is believed that its streets are not surpassed by any city of its kind in the United States. In 1915, the Contra Costa Gas Company obtained a franchise and extended its lines to this city, and it now supplies very high-quality gas for both lighting and fuel. More asparagus is shipped from this location than from any other city in the world and more celery than anywhere else in the United States. The Griswolds house, next to the lobby, is said to be the oldest residential building in Contra Costa and is believed to be the oldest house in Antioch.
This building is made of white sandstone brick, with Romanesque architecture, and is one of the most beautiful church buildings in Contra Costa County. Abbott succeeded Townsend as editor and owner of the General Book, and during the eleven years that this skilled journalist ran it, it was an important factor in state and county politics. It measures five by eight inches, is printed on one side only, and its only news is a report and an editorial comment about a meeting for women's suffrage that had just been held in the city. Meanwhile, people had slowly learned that the land east of Contra Costa was very productive if worked properly. Antioch is one of the oldest cities in California, originally founded in 1850, a year after the discovery of gold, and has a fascinating history as interesting and romantic as that of any of the first settlements in the Golden State.
