Pinole (
Spanish
Spanish might refer to:
* Items from or related to Spain:
**Spaniards are a nation and ethnic group indigenous to Spain
**Spanish language, spoken in Spain and many Latin American countries
**Spanish cuisine
Other places
* Spanish, Ontario, Can ...
for "
cornmeal
Cornmeal is a meal (coarse flour) or a cell membrane ground from dried corn. It is a common staple food, and is ground to coarse, medium, and fine consistencies, but not as fine as wheat flour can be.Herbst, Sharon, ''Food Lover's Companion'', ...
") is a city in
Contra Costa County, California
) of the San Francisco Bay
, subdivision_type = Country
, subdivision_name = United States
, subdivision_type1 = State
, subdivision_name1 = California
, subdivision_type2 ...
, United States. The population was 18,390 at the 2010 census.
History
The name derives from "
pinole
Pinole, also called pinol or pinolillo, is roasted ground maize, which is then mixed with a combination of cocoa, agave, cinnamon, chia seeds, vanilla, or other spices. The resulting powder is then used as a nutrient-dense ingredient to make di ...
", a
Nāhuatl
Nahuatl (; ), Aztec, or Mexicano is a language or, by some definitions, a group of languages of the Uto-Aztecan languages, Uto-Aztecan language family. Varieties of Nahuatl are spoken by about Nahuas, Nahua peoples, most of whom live mainly in ...
word for a kind of flour made from the seeds of
maize
Maize ( ; ''Zea mays'' subsp. ''mays'', from es, maíz after tnq, mahiz), also known as corn (North American and Australian English), is a cereal grain first domesticated by indigenous peoples in southern Mexico about 10,000 years ago. Th ...
,
chia, and various other grasses and annual herbs. An expedition under
Pedro Fages
Pedro Fages (1734–1794) was a Spanish soldier, explorer, first Lieutenant Governor of the Californias under Gaspar de Portolá. Fages claimed the governorship after Portolá's death, acting as governor in opposition to the official governor ...
was said to have run out of provisions while exploring the area, and to have been fed pinole by a local village, and so the Spaniards named their camp "El Pinole".
In 1823,
Ygnacio Martínez, commandant of the
Presidio of San Francisco
The Presidio of San Francisco (originally, El Presidio Real de San Francisco or The Royal Fortress of Saint Francis) is a park and former U.S. Army post on the northern tip of the San Francisco Peninsula in San Francisco, California, and is part o ...
, received a land grant of
Rancho El Pinole from the Mexican government. Martinez built a
hacienda
An ''hacienda'' ( or ; or ) is an estate (or ''finca''), similar to a Roman ''latifundium'', in Spain and the former Spanish Empire. With origins in Andalusia, ''haciendas'' were variously plantations (perhaps including animals or orchards), ...
in Pinole Valley at the present site of Pinole Valley Park. During the 1850s, Bernardo Fernandez, a Portuguese immigrant, started a trading facility on the shores of
San Pablo Bay
San Pablo Bay is a tidal estuary that forms the northern extension of San Francisco Bay in the East Bay and North Bay regions of the San Francisco Bay Area in northern California.
Most of the Bay is shallow; however, there is a deep water ch ...
and eventually built the historic
Fernandez Mansion, which still stands today at the end of Tennent Avenue. From these early beginnings, a small but thriving community grew into the city now known as Pinole.
The settlement grew with the coming of the
Southern Pacific Railroad
The Southern Pacific (or Espee from the railroad initials- SP) was an American Class I railroad network that existed from 1865 to 1996 and operated largely in the Western United States. The system was operated by various companies under the ...
in 1878 and the establishment of the
California Powder Works
California Powder Works was the first American explosive powder manufacturing company west of the Rocky Mountains. When the outbreak of the Civil War cut off supplies of gunpowder to California's mining and road-building industries, a local manufac ...
in nearby
Hercules
Hercules (, ) is the Roman equivalent of the Greek divine hero Heracles, son of Jupiter and the mortal Alcmena. In classical mythology, Hercules is famous for his strength and for his numerous far-ranging adventures.
The Romans adapted the Gr ...
. During this period, this city had an active waterfront and was a regional commercial and banking center. The first post office also opened in 1878.
The City of Pinole was
incorporated in 1903.
Pinole and the surrounding area grew rapidly during the post-World War II boom. With the coming of
Interstate 80
Interstate 80 (I-80) is an east–west transcontinental freeway that crosses the United States from downtown San Francisco, California, to Teaneck, New Jersey, in the New York metropolitan area. The highway was designated in 1956 as one o ...
in 1958, the town evolved into a suburban
bedroom community
A commuter town is a populated area that is primarily residential rather than commercial or industrial. Routine travel from home to work and back is called commuting, which is where the term comes from. A commuter town may be called by many o ...
within the San Francisco/Oakland commuter belt. Much of its original industry was displaced during this time, and the town became predominantly residential.
Today, the town is locally known for its "big box" shopping store district along Fitzgerald Drive, and
Pinole Vista Shopping Center
Pinole (Spanish for "cornmeal") is a city in Contra Costa County, California, United States. The population was 18,390 at the 2010 census.
History
The name derives from "pinole", a Nāhuatl word for a kind of flour made from the seeds of ...
, which is contiguous with
Richmond's Hilltop Area. The downtown area still retains much turn-of-the-century building stock and is being preserved by the city's development agency as a historic area.
Geography
According to the
United States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau (USCB), officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the U.S. Federal Statistical System, responsible for producing data about the American people and economy. The Census Bureau is part of the ...
, the city has a total area of . of it is land, and of it (60.79%) is water.
The city of Pinole has habitat areas that support the
endangered species
An endangered species is a species that is very likely to become extinct in the near future, either worldwide or in a particular political jurisdiction. Endangered species may be at risk due to factors such as habitat loss, poaching and inv ...
Santa Cruz Tarweed
''Holocarpha macradenia'', commonly known as the Santa Cruz tarplant, is an endangered plant endemic to Northern California. on the
California coastal prairie
California coastal prairie, also known as northern coastal grassland, is a grassland plant community of California and Oregon in the temperate grasslands, savannas, and shrublands biome. It is found along the Pacific Coast, from as far south as L ...
ecosystem
An ecosystem (or ecological system) consists of all the organisms and the physical environment with which they interact. These biotic and abiotic components are linked together through nutrient cycles and energy flows. Energy enters the syste ...
. A colony of this
rare plant was discovered during preparation of an
Environmental Impact Report for a proposed
shopping center
A shopping center (American English) or shopping centre (Commonwealth English), also called a shopping complex, shopping arcade, shopping plaza or galleria, is a group of shops built together, sometimes under one roof.
The first known collec ...
on the east side of
I-80
Interstate 80 (I-80) is an east–west transcontinental freeway that crosses the United States from downtown San Francisco, California, to Teaneck, New Jersey, in the New York metropolitan area. The highway was designated in 1956 as one o ...
in the late 1980s. Subsequently, a plan was developed by the city to conduct replanting of this tarweed on the slopes within the right-of-way of Interstate Highway 80. Also running through is
Pinole Creek.
Demographics
2010
At the
2010 census Pinole had a population of 18,390. The population density was . The racial makeup of Pinole was 8,488 (46.2%) White, 2,458 (13.4%) African American, 147 (0.8%) Native American, 4,220 (22.9%) Asian, 64 (0.3%) Pacific Islander, 1,741 (9.5%) from other races, and 1,272 (6.9%) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 4,005 persons (21.8%).
The census reported that 18,322 people (99.6% of the population) lived in households, 53 (0.3%) lived in non-institutionalized group quarters, and 15 (0.1%) were institutionalized.
There were 6,775 households, 2,202 (32.5%) had children under the age of 18 living in them, 3,500 (51.7%) were
opposite-sex married couples living together, 1,012 (14.9%) had a female householder with no husband present, 363 (5.4%) had a male householder with no wife present. There were 325 (4.8%)
unmarried opposite-sex partnerships, and 76 (1.1%)
same-sex married couples or partnerships. 1,529 households (22.6%) were one person and 676 (10.0%) had someone living alone who was 65 or older. The average household size was 2.70. There were 4,875 families (72.0% of households); the average family size was 3.19.
The age distribution was 3,764 people (20.5%) under the age of 18, 1,674 people (9.1%) aged 18 to 24, 4,325 people (23.5%) aged 25 to 44, 5,779 people (31.4%) aged 45 to 64, and 2,848 people (15.5%) who were 65 or older. The median age was 42.6 years. For every 100 females, there were 90.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 87.0 males.
There were 7,158 housing units at an average density of ,of which 6,775 were occupied, 4,861 (71.7%) by the owners and 1,914 (28.3%) by renters. The homeowner vacancy rate was 1.5%; the rental vacancy rate was 8.0%. 13,210 people (71.8% of the population) lived in owner-occupied housing units and 5,112 people (27.8%) lived in rental housing units.
2000
At the
2000 census there were 19,039 people in 6,743 households, including 5,057 families, in the city. The population density was 1,413.7/km (3,662.3/mi²). There were 6,828 housing units at an average density of 507.0/km (1,313.4/mi²). The
racial makeup
A race is a categorization of humans based on shared physical or social qualities into groups generally viewed as distinct within a given society. The term came into common usage during the 1500s, when it was used to refer to groups of variou ...
of the city was 54.39% White, 11.11% Black or African American, 0.57% Native American, 21.71% Asian, 0.37% Pacific Islander, 5.81% from other races, and 6.03% from two or more races. 13.75% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.
Of the 6,743 households 34.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 56.6% were married couples living together, 13.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 25.0% were non-families. 20.2% of households were one person and 7.9% were one person aged 65 or older. The average household size was 2.79 and the average family size was 3.23.
The age distribution was 25.0% under the age of 18, 7.8% from 18 to 24, 28.3% from 25 to 44, 26.0% from 45 to 64, and 12.9% 65 or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females, there were 92.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 87.6 males.
The median household income was $62,256 and the median family income was $70,172. Males had a median income of $47,335 versus $38,019 for females. The per capita income for the city was $25,170. About 3.5% of families and 5.0% of the population were below the
poverty line
The poverty threshold, poverty limit, poverty line or breadline is the minimum level of income deemed adequate in a particular country. The poverty line is usually calculated by estimating the total cost of one year's worth of necessities for t ...
, including 5.5% of those under age 18 and 8.0% of those age 65 or over.
Arts and culture
The Pinole Community Players have been performing in Pinole since 1986.
Government
On February 10, 2019, Pinole has 11,347 registered voters. Of those, 6,365 (56.1%) are registered
Democrats, 1,525 (13.4%) are registered
Republicans, and 2,993 (26.4%) have
declined to state
Decline to State (DTS) was an affiliation designation on the California voter registration form that allows voters to register to vote without choosing a party affiliation. It is similar to what in other states would be called declaring oneself as ...
a political party.
Notable people
*
Bernardo Fernandez was an early leader in the town's cattle industry
*
Gary Holt of the thrash metal band Exodus lives in Pinole.
* 1992
Heisman Trophy
The Heisman Memorial Trophy (usually known colloquially as the Heisman Trophy or The Heisman) is awarded annually to the most outstanding player in college football. Winners epitomize great ability combined with diligence, perseverance, and hard ...
winner
Gino Torretta
Gino Louis Torretta (born August 10, 1970) is a former American football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for five seasons. He played college football at the University of Miami, won the Heisman Trophy in 1992, and w ...
is from Pinole.
*
Ray Kremer
Remy Peter "Ray" Kremer (March 23, 1895 – February 8, 1965) was an American professional baseball player. He played his entire career in Major League Baseball as a right-handed pitcher for the Pittsburgh Pirates from 1924 to 1933.
Early life ...
(1893–1965), who pitched 10 seasons for the
Pittsburgh Pirates
The Pittsburgh Pirates are an American professional baseball team based in Pittsburgh. The Pirates compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) Central division. Founded as part of the American Associati ...
, winning 143 games, lived and died in Pinole.
In popular culture
* Much of
Philip K. Dick's ''
The Days of Perky Pat
"The Days of Perky Pat" is a science fiction short story by American writer Philip K. Dick, first published in 1963 in ''Amazing'' magazine.
Plot
In this novel, survivors of a global thermonuclear war live in isolated enclaves in California, ...
'' is set in an underground bunker located at the site of what was once Pinole, California, ten years after a devastating nuclear war.
See also
*
Amtrak California
Amtrak California is a brand name used by the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) Division of Rail for three state-supported Amtrak commuter rail routes in Californiathe ''Capitol Corridor'', the ''Pacific Surfliner'', and the ...
References
*
External links
*
{{authority control
Cities in Contra Costa County, California
San Pablo Bay
Incorporated cities and towns in California
Populated places established in 1903
1903 establishments in California
Cities in the San Francisco Bay Area
Populated coastal places in California