Blackhawk, California
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Blackhawk is an unincorporated area located in Contra Costa County, California, east of Danville. The United States Census Bureau combines Blackhawk with the adjoining Tassajara area to form the census-designated place of Blackhawk-Camino Tassajara, and all census data are tabulated for this combined entity.
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Blackhawk Ranch, 1917-1979
(All 1917-1979 information is from "Blackhawk & The Mountain–A Twentieth Century History (http://www.mdia.org/blackhawkhistory.htm)," an article in the Fall 1998 issue of the Mount Diablo Review which is critical of post-1970s development.)
Blackhawk Ranch was established in 1917 by Ansel Mills Easton and his son-in-law William Q. Ward, in an area east of the San Ramon and Sycamore Valleys. The name came from a famous Irish racehorse named Blackhawk that Easton's family had once owned. The land passed through the hands of several owners, including Raymond Force (the owner of the Caterpillar Tractor Company), a business called Castle and Cook Ltd., and Howard Peterson (owner of Peterson Tractor).
In 1975, Peterson sold the land to Florida developer Kenneth Behring, who planned a housing development of 4800 dwelling units over 4200 acres of land. Critics charged that the plan would have various negative impacts, related to urban sprawl, environmental damage, and violations of the County General Plan. A group of environmentalists and local residents called Amigos de Diablo organized against the Blackhawk Development Corporation, but were sued for libel. The Blackhawk Development Corporation finally reduced the number of homes planned to 2400 and offered more than 2000 acres of open space to Mount Diablo State Park.
Blackhawk Country Club
Opened in 1979, Blackhawk Country Club is a 4,800 acre (19 km²) country club community where luxurious residential neighborhoods are surrounded by thousands of acres of permanent open lands.
Blackhawk is divided into seven individual neighborhoods, the largest being Country Club West and Country Club East.
Athletic Facilities
In the middle of Country Club West is the 6,904 yard (6,313 m) Lakeside golf course, designed by Bruce Devlin and Robert Von Hagge. The newer 6,700 yard (6,126 m) Falls golf course, designed by Ted Robinson, winds through Country Club East. Blackhawk's Tennis Club includes 20 tennis courts, a clubhouse and a pro shop. The Blackhawk Swim Club includes a competition-sized pool, a spa, and dressing rooms, and offers instructional programs. The 25 acre Sports and Recreation Center includes basketball courts, outdoor volleyball courts, a children's play park, Olympic-sized pool, sports fields, and an amphitheater.
Blackhawk Plaza
Blackhawk Plaza is a shopping center located outside the Blackhawk Country Club. It includes retail stores, a movie theatre, and two museums, including the Blackhawk Automotive Museum.
Land Use
- 4,800 acres (19 km²) total
- 2,000 acres (8 km²) contiguous designated for expansion of adjacent Mt. Diablo State Park
- 1,000 acres (4 km²) for natural hillside, parks, golf courses, and sports fields
- 2,400 home sites total
- 45 acres (182,000 m²) developed as a 450,000 square foot (42,000 m²) commercial center
Related Topics
- Blackhawk-Camino_Tassajara, California (includes census data)
- Danville, California
References
Lane, Beverly (Fall 1998). Blackhawk & The Mountain–A Twentieth Century History (http://www.mdia.org/blackhawkhistory.htm). Mount Diablo Review.
External links
- Blackhawk Country Club (http://www.blackhawkcc.org/)
- Blackhawk Auto Museum (http://www.blackhawkauto.org/)
- Blackhawk Plaza (http://www.theshopsatblackhawk.com/)