There's a lot to know about Tri-Valley, whether you're a first-time visitor or a seasoned tour organizer. History, fun facts and even famous movie locations make Tri-Valley one of the most attractive destinations for any group. We've made getting to know Tri-Valley a little easier with these articles, so during your stay, you'll be able to spout off expert information like "This is the worlds oldest continually operating light bulb."

HISTORY OF TRI-VALLEY

A Natural Wonderland ?Those who say California suburban communities have little history don't know Tri-Valley.  The Tri-Valley has an interesting story.  Mastodons, Native Americans, early Rancheros, California missions, the Transcontinental Railroad, hops fields, wild times in the wild west, infamous bandits, silent movies, a world boxing champion, World War II, a Nobel-prize winning playwright, quality wines, nuclear science, and a ruinous rock concert are all part of Tri-Valley's colorful history.

The three valleys of the Tri-Valley are - Amador, Livermore, and San Ramon.  Five communities lie within these valleys - the cities of Pleasanton, Livermore, Dublin, San Ramon, & the town of Danville.  Tri-Valley was part of a permanent settlement of Indians who came to the area approximately 4,000 years ago.  The Indians called themselves the" People."  Their settlements were part of the largest concentration of Native Americans in North America.  The People lived a relatively constant life until Spanish soldiers claimed California as a Spanish colony.

 When the Spanish arrived in the area, the Indians had never before seen horses, mules, woven fabric, armor or guns, and their first reactions reflected their astonishment.  They ran away, shouting and panic-stricken, and were relieved to find that these strange visitors alighting from horses were human beings. These new and obviously powerful people were fascinating to the Native Americans.  For their part, the Europeans were pleased to find the Indians to be friendly. Trade began immediately with food, furs, feathers, arrows and baskets offered by the Indians and bells, fabric and beads coming from the Spanish.

When Mission San Jose was founded in the late 1700s, Tri-Valley was primarily used for the mission's agricultural needs and for grazing lands.  When Mexico won its independence from Spain, the Mexican government awarded land grants to prominent California citizens.  Many of the grants included land within Tri-Valley.

The California Gold Rush brought an influx of travelers through Tri-Valley on their way to and from the gold country, and left an indelible mark on the region.  But the real changes began with the completion of the transcontinental railroad.  What had been small trading settlements soon became real towns.  The region's agricultural industry thrived, opening up markets across the country for locally produced grains, hops and wines.

As one of California's oldest wine regions, the Livermore Valley's wine odyssey began in 1840 with the planting of the region's first commercial grapes.  (Missionaries had planted the first vines in the 1700s, but these weren't used for commercial purposes).   It was wine from Livermore Valley that won a Grand Prix award at the 1889 Paris Exposition, beating out wines from France and other nations.  This was the first honor of its kind ever awarded to a U.S. wine and brought assurance to California wine growers that they could grow wines comparable to the finest in the world.  Even through Prohibition, Livermore wines continued to survive, as two of the region's leading winemakers, C.H. Wente and James Concannon, began producing sacramental wine.  Today, the vast majority of California Chardonnays can be traced back to vines originating in Livermore Valley.

In the early 20th century, World War II influenced Tri-Valley's history in another way.  The city of Dublin became home to Camp Parks, at the time the largest inland naval air station in North America.  Commissioned in January 1943, Camp Parks functioned as home to the Navy Seabees returning from the Pacific Theatre of Operations. Directly adjacent to Camp Parks was Camp Shoemaker, which housed a Naval Hospital and Naval Training and Personnel Distribution Center.  Collectively the area was known as Fleet City.  After being closed in 1946, Camp Parks was transferred to the Air Force, then back to the Navy, and eventually in 1959 to the Army, which maintains jurisdiction today.  Currently, the base's mission is similar to its World War II mission, to serve as a mobilization and training center in the event of war or natural disaster, only now for Reserve Components.  Today, thousands of National Guard and Army Reserve Soldiers-and even some Naval Reserve Seabees - train at Camp Parks. 

About Pleasanton

Pleasanton is considered to be the jewel of the Amador Valley.  In the 1850s, the town was nicknamed "The Most Desperate Town in the West" and bandits and desperados ruled it.  Main Street shootouts were not uncommon.  Pleasanton was located on one of the main routes to the gold fields and quickly became a mercantile stopover for miners seeking their fortune in the Mother Lode.  Banditos such as Joaquin Murrieta, upon whom the legend of Zorro is based, would ambush prospectors on their way back from the gold rush fields and then seek refuge in Pleasanton.  Blessed with rich soil, Pleasanton became the agricultural center for the Amador Valley and home to the oldest horseracing track in the nation.   Legendary thoroughbred champion Seabiscuit trained at the racetrack in Pleasanton.   Famous horses from around the country continue to be sent there to train because of the excellent soil and training facilities.  In the late 1800's Pleasanton was one of the world's largest hop producers, and its hops were sought by many of the largest beer producers in the United States and Europe.  In the late teens and early twenties, Pleasanton was one of the primary places to make movies.  With the Essanay movie studios located in nearby Niles, Pleasanton worked well as the location for many films because of its historic downtown and rural environs, eventually becoming known as the "Hollywood of the North".  Some of the movies made here include, "Tom Sawyer," starring Jack Pickford, "Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm" starring Mary Pickford, and "It Ain't Hay" with Abbott and Costello.  Rudolph Valentino & Charlie Chaplin were also among the screen luminaries who appeared in Pleasanton-shot productions.  The city was home to Phoebe Apperson Hearst - mother of American newspaper magnate William Randolph Hearst.  She lived in a 50-room mansion on a 2,000 acre estate in the hills above the city.  Today, Pleasanton is home to the headquarters of Safeway Inc., Shaklee and Ross Stores.  Pleasanton's rural character was maintained through the late 1950's while other cities in the Bay Area grew rapidly, often routinely bulldozing blocks of historic buildings in the name of "progress."  Pleasanton "the City of Planned Progress", manages to preserve its "turn of the century" flavor while promoting growth and progress.

About Livermore

Before its incorporation under the Roman Catholic Mission San Jose in 1796 and prior to the arrival of the Spanish in the 18th century, the Livermore area was primarily used as grazing land for Mission San Jose's thousands of cattle and sheep until Mexican land grants opened great amounts of land. Rancher Robert Livermore, a naturalized Mexican citizen of English birth, received one of the largest land grants. The town was actually founded by William Mendenhall and named after Robert Livermore, whom Mendenhall met while marching through the valley with General John C. Frémont's California Battalion.  After the discovery of gold in California, Livermore became a popular 'first day' stopping point for prospectors headed for the Mother Lode country.  Spanish missionaries planted the first wine grapes in the Livermore Valley in the 1760s, but Robert Livermore signaled the birth of Livermore Valley Wine Country - one of California's oldest wine regions - by planting the first commercial vines in the 1840s.  Livermore is the home of two national laboratories - the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, the location of the world's most powerful laser and the world's second most powerful supercomputer, and Sandia National Laboratories.  Both labs conduct research and programs to address our nation's security requirements.  Livermore is noted for one world record - housing the Centennial Light Bulb - verified by the Guinness Book of World Records as the longest burning light bulb in the world.   The 108-year-old 4-watt light bulb has been burning continuously at the fire station since 1901 with the exception of power failures and three station moves.  A prominent son of Livermore is one-time Heavyweight Champion of the World Max Baer.  Nicknamed "Livermore Larupper" and  "Madcap Maxie", Baer considered Livermore his hometown, even though he was a young child when he moved there.  Since 1918 Livermore has hosted the Livermore Rodeo, called the "World's Fastest Rodeo," per claims it has more riders per hour than any other event of its type.

About Dublin

Dublin has long been known as the "crossroads" of the Bay Area, as it sits at the intersection of two major highways: Interstate 580 and Interstate 680.  However, the significance of the "crossroads" dates back over two hundred years when Dublin served as the crossroads of two important stage routes - one from the Bay Area to Stockton and the other from Martinez to San Jose.  A spring located in the Dublin area provided a place for early travelers to change horses and freshen up before continuing their journey.  Dublin has a rich history dating back to 1772 when an expedition of 16 mounted men on a journey in search of a land route to the San Francisco Bay traveled through the area.  It wasn't until approximately 1822 when building began in the area.   In 1852 brothers-in-law and natives of Ireland, Michael Murray and Jeremiah Fallon arrived in the area.  They purchased 1,000 acres of land and built homes for their families. The area began to grow as many Irish settled in the area.  One site of unique historical significance in Dublin is the old Pioneer Cemetery where members of the Donner Party Expedition are buried.  The city is known for its Saint Patrick's Day Parade, which is followed by an all-weekend fair.  Dublin is home to the headquarters of Sybase and Arlen Ness Motorcycles.

About San Ramon

About 10 million years ago, fast-moving waters and seasonal floods swept around the Tri-Valley region, and over time, once the water stopped flowing, bones and debris were deposited in San Ramon hills - just 1100 feet above where homes of the wealthy now exist.  Fossils of mastodons, rhinoceros, camels, carnivores and seashells are still being found in the area.  Millions of years later in the late 1700s, the first westerners traveled through San Ramon.  In his diary, a missionary said that they "came to three villages with some little grass houses".   It is said that San Ramon Valley was named for a Native American worker named Ramon who became mayor domo (supervisor) of the Indians at Mission San Jose. The "San" was added to conform to the custom of the day.  From 1850 to 1950 the major business in the San Ramon Valley was agriculture.  Livestock and dairies, grains, beets, vegetables, almonds, walnuts, grapes, plums and pears were among the bounty produced there.  Early pioneers to San Ramon included Travis Boone, a direct descendant of Daniel Boone.  Bequeathed to the city by Ruth Boone in memory of her husband Travis, Forest Home Farms, the Boone's 16-acre family farm, functions today as a museum and features the Boone's Dutch colonial residence, circa 1900, a separate Victorian home (the Glass house), and an antique tractor museum.  Annually each spring, Forest Home Farms hosts Sheep Shearing Day where visitors can watch the sheep get their Spring haircuts.  The Glass home located on the Boone Estate, has ties to Butch Cassidy and the Sundance kid.  Two of the Glass sons started a mining operation in Bolivia, where they hired two guards named Robert LeRoy Parker and Harry Longabaugh, more famously known as Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid.  The two became reliable employees, and Butch was even trusted with the payroll, even though the bosses learned who the two really were. Interestingly, the same year that Butch and Sundance were killed in a South American shootout, one of the Glass brothers mysteriously died from a shot to the head.  Today, San Ramon is home to the corporate headquarters of the Chevron Corporation.

Town of Danville

For over 130 years, Danville's history has been one of change and growth. Often referred to as the "Heart of the San Ramon Valley," Danville was first populated by Indians who lived next to the creeks and camped on Mount Diablo in the summer. Later it was part of Mission San Jose's grazing land and a Mexican land grant called Rancho San Ramon.   Danville was settled and named by Americans drawn here by the California Gold rush. Daniel and Andrew Inman bought 400 acres of Old Town Danville with their mining earnings in 1854, after living here for a summer two years earlier. By 1858, the community boasted a blacksmith, a hotel, a wheelwright and a general store and the townsfolk wanted a post office.  But what should the community be called?  Town founders Daniel and Andrew Inman rejected "Inmanville," finally settling on Danville.  According to the modest Dan, the name was chosen as much or more out of respect for Andrew's mother-in-law who was born and raised near Danville, Kentucky.  The twentieth century found Danville affected by the wars, the Spanish flu, the depression and new immigrants.  The Valley became a melting pot of Chinese, Portuguese, German, and Japanese immigrants.  They often began working in the hay fields or as cooks and gardeners, later becoming blacksmiths, landowners, teachers and storekeepers.  Danville continued to be farm country well into the 1940's.  Today, Danville is one of the wealthiest suburbs in the San Francisco Bay Area, with some of the most expensive and exclusive country clubs and houses in the country.  It still preserves the characteristics of a town, being compact, largely self-sufficient as far as shopping goes, and having only a couple of commercial centers.  Its downtown is noted for its somewhat rustic charm.  Prominent Danville residents include Chesley B. "Sully" Sullenberger" pilot of U.S. Airways Flight 1549 who made an emergency water landing in the Hudson River and is credited with saving the lives of all 155 crew and passengers.

Tao House (pronounced Dao)

In 1937, America's only Nobel Prize winning playwright Eugene O'Neill and his third wife Carlotta discovered 158 acres in the Las Trampas Hills above Danville and decided to build there at the climax of his career.  The O'Neills loved the site not only because of the beauty of the countryside Eugene described as "corduroy hills," but also because of its isolation.  For the O'Neills, it was an advantage to be away from the world, escaping from the publicity and notoriety the successful playwright had attracted after receiving the Nobel Prize for literature in the previous year.  They lived in the home they named Tao House (from the Taoist philosophy meaning "the right way of life") from 1937 to 1944. The house Eugene called his "final harbor" was at once a home, a working place and a fortress, built high on the hill where few visitors were welcomed.  Carlotta protected Eugene from the outside world, and he was able to write his most famous plays isolated behind three doors that closed off his study from the rest of the house.  Secluded from the world and within the walls of his home, O'Neill wrote his final and most memorable plays: The Iceman Cometh, Long Day's Journey Into Night, and A Moon for the Misbegotten.  O'Neill plays are presented in the estate's old barn twice a year by The Eugene O'Neill Foundation. O'Neill's daughter, Oona, became Mrs. Charlie Chaplin at the age of 18.  Chaplin was 36 years her senior.

Wente Vineyards - California's 2010 Winery of The Year

Founded more than 125 years ago, Wente Vineyards is the country's oldest, continuously owned and operated family winery.  After learning about winemaking from Charles Krug, Wente, a first-generation immigrant from Germany, founded his own winery in 1883.  Recognizing that the warm days, cool nights and gravelly soils of the Livermore Valley were ideal for growing grapes, he purchased 48 acres and planted vineyards. In 1918, Wente's sons Ernest and Herman joined the business, with Ernest managing the vineyards and Herman acting as winemaker.  In 1935 Ernest and Herman, introduced California's first varietal wine label, Sauvignon Blanc.  The company was later passed on to Ernest's only son Karl, and in 1977, Karl's young son Eric took the helm.  Continuing the 125-year legacy, today the winery maintains its leadership role in California winegrowing under ownership and management by the Fourth and Fifth Generations of the Wente family.  The efforts of the Wente family have helped to establish the Livermore Valley as one of the premier wine-growing areas of California.  Blending traditional and innovative winemaking practices, the winery draws from approximately 3,000 acres of sustainably-farmed Estate vineyards to create an outstanding portfolio of fine wines.  In Early June 2010, the California Travel Industry Association recently named Wente Vineyards Winery of the Year.  Beyond being recognized for their excellent wine, the award was also based on the winery's contribution to developing the California tourism brand, and recognizes innovation, success and commitment to the travel industry.  Wente CEO Carolyn Wente has a speaking role in one of the California tourism television ads that features celebrities and Governor Schwarzenegger.  Her line was "...the fruits of our labor."  Look for her the next time a California ad is on TV!

The Olivina

Olive oil is perhaps one of the most romanticized and valued crops in history. For centuries it has been utilized not only for food, but also as a beauty aid, ceremonial chrisms, currency, and fuel.  Today the Livermore Valley is home to more than eight commercial olive growers and over 15 olive orchards.  The Olivina is the area's premiere oil orchard and producer of "liquid gold".  An early pioneer in the California olive oil industry, Julius Paul Smith, (one of the Smith Brothers who developed a borax mining claim in Nevada into an industry whose product became known as the world famous Twenty Mule Team Borax) carved out 2000 acres of the beautiful Livermore Valley in 1881 and committed the land to cultivating wine grapes, walnuts and olives.  Mr. Smith's ranch was aptly dubbed Olivina and a stone gateway with "Olivina" written in wrought iron marked the entrance to his fruitful property.  The gateway still stands today as a tribute to the importance of olive oil in the Livermore Valley.   When current owner Charles D. Crohare purchased a large portion of the estate in the 1940s, the land was utilized primarily for cattle operations until he entered the olive oil business full time.  A modern-day "The Olivina" was established, which the Crohare family continues to own and operate.  Nearly 11,000 olive trees representing 6 varieties are planted on the property, including 100 majestic Mission olive trees that are over 100 years old yet still produce quality oil.  All of the olive oil from Olivina is milled on-site and unfiltered for the highest quality, flavor and aroma.  The olive fruit from The Olivina is picked by hand because, although time consuming, it's the best way to keep the flavor intact.  The Crohare's love their olive oil and enjoy sharing that passion with visitors to the ranch.

Niles Canyon Railway

The history of trains in Niles Canyon dates back to the building of the original transcontinental railroad. The first Western Pacific Railroad Company (formed in 1862) started construction in San Jose towards Sacramento.  It built twenty miles of track that reached into Alameda Creek canyon.  In September 1869, four months after the famous golden spike ceremony at Promontory Summit, Utah, the Central Pacific Railroad completed the transcontinental rail link between Sacramento and the San Francisco Bay, finishing the track through the Niles Canyon.  The rail line through Niles Canyon was amongst the earliest to be built in California and provided the first rail connection between San Francisco Bay and the rest of the nation.  Steam locomotives pulled trains through Niles Canyon for eighty years before diesels took over in the 1950's.  In 1984, after twelve decades of railroading in the canyon, the Southern Pacific ceased operating trains on the right-of-way, pulled up the tracks, and deeded the land to Alameda County.  The Pacific Locomotive Association entered into an agreement with the County and began rebuilding the rail line in 1987.  The all-volunteer association worked for over a year on the first part of the track reconstruction.  On May 21, 1988, almost 122 years after the first Western Pacific excursion, the Pacific Locomotive Association brought railroad passenger operations back to life in Niles Canyon through its heritage railway "living museum" that operates along a portion of the original Transcontinental Railroad route.  During the holiday season, the Niles Canyon Railway's Train of Lights is a spectacle not to be missed.  Tens of thousands of lights and decorations adorn the vintage rail cars - both inside and out - for a nighttime trip through the Canyon.

Essanay Silent Film Museum

It was a Monday, the first of April in the year 1912, when the town of Niles - population 1400 - was invaded by a small army. The fifty-two members of the Essanay Film Manufacturing Company had arrived by train to set up shop in the sleepy township. Twenty years before, the moving picture profession had been non-existent. But by 1912, it was transforming the nation and the world with a universal language printed on film.   George K. Spoor and his partner Gilbert M. Anderson - more famously known as "Broncho Billy" Anderson, the world's first western movie star.   were the "S" and "A" of Essanay.  They started their film company in Chicago, Illinois, but the harsh winters drove the ever-restless Anderson west in search of the perfect location.  By the time the company arrived in Niles, they had already been responsible for more than two hundred films.  Each week, a minimum of two fifteen minute one-reelers were produced in Niles. The whole community provided the backdrop for these productions, and local residents frequently stood in front of the cameras as part-time actors. Often, neighbors often found the property master at their doorsteps, asking for anything from bric-a-brac to a kitchen stove. On at least one occasion, infants were borrowed!

During Essanay's years in Niles, the company increased its staff to eighty. Their combined annual salaries added up to $200,000. The cost to make each film averaged $800 and brought in as much as $15,000. But the equation changed in December 1914, when Essanay signed a new up and coming talent. His name was Charlie Chaplin. Chaplin's yearly income, including a bonus, was a staggering $75,000. However, each of his films brought in around $125,000.  By 1915, the times were clearly changing, and Essanay and the other old-time companies were facing competition from independent upstart producers and studios such as Metro, Universal and Paramount. When Chaplin's contract came up for renewal in December 1915, Spoor rejected Chaplin's salary demands - $10, 000 a week plus $150,000 to sign his name on the contract. Chaplin went elsewhere.  Anderson was also ready to move on and Spoor bought him out. On February 16, 1916, the Niles Essanay studio received a telegram, ordering it to shut down. The doors were closed and locked.  It was the end of an era. The Niles Essanay Silent Film Museum is more than just a repository of photographs and artifacts.  It offers a way for visitors to rediscover America's movie pioneers and see their remarkable work in an authentic setting - a theatre where Charlie Chaplin and Broncho Billy Anderson watched themselves and their contemporaries on the screen.  The Museum keeps the spirit of the silent film era alive.

Altamont Speedway Free Festival - (This would be good to talk about as you cross the Altamont Pass - where the windmills are).  The Altamont Speedway Free Festival was an infamous rock concert held in December 1969, at the Altamont Speedway between Tracy and Livermore.  Headlined and organized by The Rolling Stones, the concert also featured rock and folk stars of the day including Santana, Jefferson Airplane, and Crosby, Stills & Nash.  The Grateful Dead were also scheduled to perform, but declined to play shortly before their scheduled appearance due to the increasing violence at the venue.   Approximately 300,000 people attended the concert, and some anticipated that it would be a "Woodstock West."  Filmmakers shot footage of the event and incorporated it into a documentary film entitled Gimme Shelter (1970).  The concert is best known for having been marred by considerable violence, including one homicide and three accidental deaths.  Four births were reported during the event as well.  The concert originally was scheduled to be held at Golden Gate Park in San Francisco.  However, a previously scheduled San Francisco 49ers football game made that venue impractical.   The move to Altamont resulted in numerous logistical problems including a lack of facilities such as portable toilets and medical tents.  Because the stage was only four feet high, members of the violent Hells Angels motorcycle gang were asked to surround the stage to provide security.  Although peaceful at first, over the course of the day, the mood of both the crowd and the Angels became progressively agitated, intoxicated and violent.  The Angels had been drinking all day in front of the stage, and most were highly drunk.  Fueled by drugs, the crowd had also become antagonistic and unpredictable, attacking each other, the Angels, and the performers. By the time the Rolling Stones took stage in the early evening, the mood had taken a decidedly ugly turn as numerous fights had erupted between Angels and crowd members and within the crowd itself.  The Altamont Speedway Free Festival came to be viewed as the end of the hippie era and the conclusion of late-1960s American youth culture.

Livermore Valley Wine Country

One of California's oldest wine regions, the Livermore Valley played a pivotal role in shaping California's wine industry.  Spanish missionaries planted the first wine grapes in the Livermore Valley in the 1760s.  In the 1840s, California pioneers looking for outstanding vineyard sites began planting grapes in the region. Robert Livermore planted the first commercial vines in the 1840s. Pioneer winemakers C. H. Wente, James Concannon, and Charles Wetmore recognized the area's winegrowing potential and founded their wineries in the early 1880s. Livermore Valley captured America's first international gold medal for wine in 1889 at the Paris Exposition, putting California on the world wine map. Livermore Valley wineries were the first to bottle varietal labeled Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc and Petite Sirah. Nearly 80% of California's Chardonnay vines trace their genetic roots to a Livermore Valley clone. Livermore Valley also boasted more than 50 wineries until Prohibition and contributed significantly to the state's enology and viticulture that lives on today. Innovations developed in the Livermore Valley include overhead irrigation, mechanical harvesting and roller crushing in the vineyard. Attracted to the rich winemaking tradition, climate, soil and geography, new winemakers and vineyardists are working alongside fifth generation winegrowers to create this Livermore Valley wine renaissance. The region now has over 45 wineries and more than 5,000 acres of vineyards. Wineries vary in size from limited release, 100-case labors of love to 400,000-case industry heavyweights, and grapes range from familiar Merlot and Chardonnay to Italian, Rhone and Spanish varieties. Welcoming tasting rooms showcase award-winning wines and offer year around activities. In addition to the myriad happenings at individual wineries, the Livermore Valley Winegrowers Association sponsors several consumer events each year, showcasing the talent, energy and fine wines of the region.

Lake Del Valle

Deep in a valley framed by oak-covered hills, with sailboats and sailboards skimming over its waters, Del Valle is like a lakeside resort only 10 miles south of Livermore. The centerpiece of the park is a lake five miles long with all kinds of water-oriented recreation, surrounded by approximately 5,000 acres of beautiful land for hiking, horseback riding, and nature study. Del Valle also is the eastern gateway to the Ohlone Wilderness Trail, 28 miles of scenic back country trail. Lake Del Valle was built in 1968 by the state along with the Bethany Reservoir as part of the South Bay Aqueduct Project.  The Hetch Hetchy pipeline, built well before the reservoir, goes under the lake, and also under the road leading to the lake.  It does not connect to the lake in any way, however.

Ravenswood Historic Site

The 1885-era Victorian country estate, Ravenswood, was built as a summer home by Christopher A. Buckley Sr., known as the "Blind Boss" of San Francisco politics in the 1870s and 1880s.  Son of an Irish immigrant stonemason, Buckley was a saloonkeeper and a major force within the Democratic party in San Francisco.  He influenced campaign outcomes and state affairs, as well as counseled the president on various issues.  Buckley was routinely accused in the newspaper of corruption, bribery, and even felonious crime.  Though never holding public office he was politically very powerful.  According to one historian, of all the bosses who have dominated San Francisco, "the most notorious and shameless was ‘Blind Boss Buckley".  After joining the Democratic party Buckley became blind, earning him his nickname of Blind Boss.  His blindness caused him to compensate by memorizing city ordinances, contracts, and other documents after having them read to him.  He was able to recognize people just by their handclasp when shaking hands.  While Ravenswood served as a summer home for the Buckley family from 1885 to 1920, it was also one of the larger early vineyards in the Livermore Valley, with 100 acres in grapes and winery production of 500,000 gallons per year.  In 1931, nine years after Buckley's death, the estate was acquired by a Catholic order, the Redemptorist Fathers.  Called "Villa San Clemente" by the priests, Ravenswood served as their religious retreat for more than 30 years.  In 1968, Ravenswood was purchased by a private developer who gave the core 32.6 acres to the City of Livermore be used as a park.  The 1891 Main House and 1885 Tank House and Cottage were restored by the Livermore Area Parks & Recreation Department.  Ravenswood is a very popular site for weddings and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, is a State of California Historical Point of Interest, and is a City of Livermore Historic Preservation Landmark Site. The non-profit Ravenswood Progress was formed in 1997 to conduct fund raising activities to acquire furniture and accessories for the site, restore and maintain the facility, and to support public tours, historical programs, and community and cultural special events.  The two annual community events held at Ravenswood are the Old-Fashioned Ice Cream Social in August and the Victorian Yuletide in December.

Alden Lane Nursery

Since 1955, Alden Lane Nursery has been a destination for peaceful inspiration.  Two dozen magnificent valley oaks shade the grounds of the nursery, each more than 400 years old. Hundreds of blossoming fruit trees and thousands of roses make this the very definition of a destination nursery.  The nursery's displays are laid out in wide circular arcs perfect for browsing.  Native plants, fruit trees (including multi-variety trees, popular this year), and roses each have dedicated sections. Graced with the shade of historic valley oaks and nourished by an active garden community, Alden Lane Nursery has grown and matured as a knowledgeable and friendly business that cultivates your every gardening aspiration. Owner Jacqueline Williams- Courtright continues to operate Alden Lane Nursery with the same dream her parents followed over 45 years ago.  Williams-Courtwright's ancestors came to Livermore in 1912 and she grew up around the distinctive trees and several other leafy oaks on the nursery property.  She fancied one oak in the front of the center so much, the nursery built a circular pathway around the nearly 400-year-old tree to further highlight it.  However, forceful storms a few years ago battered the tree, and it collapsed. The Alden Lane community mourned the loss, but the loss was turned into a lasting gift for the community.  Local artists picked up pieces of the fallen tree and new life was crafted from them.  Bowls, smooth vessels, and even a carousel horse were created from the once mighty oak. Alden Lane Nursery hosts a number of exciting community events each year from Quilt shows to Daffodil shows and many "mini" events in between.