If you're curious of where to start on the trail or want to know where specific points of interest are, Transit & Trails includes a detailed map with descriptions of each point on the map.
Thursday, April 11, 2013
Important Points on the Trail
Saturday, April 6, 2013
References
East Bay Regional Park District. (2012). Black Diamond Mines
Regional Preserve. Retrieved
from http://www.ebparks.org/parks/black_diamond#activities.
from http://www.ebparks.org/parks/black_diamond#activities.
Every Trail. (2013). Black Diamond
Mines Regional Preserve. Retrieved from
http://www.everytrail.com/destination/black-diamond-mines-regional-preserve.
http://www.everytrail.com/destination/black-diamond-mines-regional-preserve.
Todd, Gail. (September 26, 2012). San Francisco Chronicle.
Black Diamond Mines Regional
Preserve. Retrieved from http://www.sfgate.com/outdoors/urbanoutings/article/Black
Diamond-Mines-Regional-Preserve-3896914.php#photo-3504439.
Preserve. Retrieved from http://www.sfgate.com/outdoors/urbanoutings/article/Black
Diamond-Mines-Regional-Preserve-3896914.php#photo-3504439.
Transit & Trails. (2013). Black
Diamond Mines Regional Preserve.
Retrieved from
http://www.transitandtrails.org/parks/black-diamond-mines-regional-preserve/
http://www.transitandtrails.org/parks/black-diamond-mines-regional-preserve/
Rose Hill Cemetery
Located at one of the highest points of the park, Rose Hill
Cemetery is a popular hiking destination for visitors. Buried there are the women who died in child
birth, men who died in mining disasters,
and children who died of typhoid and scarlet fever. Unfortunately due to vandalism only 80
gravestones remain, although the park district is working hard at restoring and
preserving the cemetery to its original state.
Although many of the gravestones have been destroyed, as you enter the cemetery
there is a list of all known burials along with their location. It is fascinating to pay respects to early inhabitants of what is now Antioch, California. Many of the tombstones include the cause of death on them, forcing visitors to be more grateful for their own health and the health of their children. Visiting Rose Hill Cemetery, though it may seem creepy to some, is a peaceful and beautiful location that overlooks all of Black Diamond Mines and the gorgeous golden hills of California, making it the perfect place to sit and reflect on life.
Mine Tours
From March
through November tours of the Hazel-Atlas Mine are offered from noon to 3:00 PM
on weekends, or one can call for advanced reservations for larger private
tours, like schools, church groups, or families with a 15-person minimum (510.544.2750). Due to safety reason, visitors can only enter
the mines through guided tours, children must be age seven or older and have a
parent/guardian with them. Tours are $5
per person with tickets being purchased at the Greathouse Visitor Center.
A Look At BDM History
Attention history buffs, Black Diamond Mines Regional
Reserve holds rich history spanning throughout the 1700, 1800, and 1900s and gives a good look into a bit of California history. Native Americans inhabited the Bay Area for
thousands of years including the Chupcan, Volvon, and Ompin tribes who spoke
the Bay Miwok language. These tribes
lived in the Antioch, Pittsburgh, and Concord, California area and did so until
Spanish, Mexican, and American settlers arrived, changing the way of life in
1772.
With new settlers came a new means
of living. Beginning in the 1860s coal
mining encompassed the livelihood of five towns, harvesting almost four million
tons of coal from the earth, industrializing California. In the 1920s sand mining began and was used in glass
making by the Hazel-Atlas Glass Company in Oakland, as well as the Columbia
Steel Works with foundry sand.
Altogether more than 1.8 million tons of sand had been mined out of BDM by the time the mines closed in 1949.
Black Diamond Mines
When I'm looking for a place to spend the afternoon, I look for a place that can appeal to all my senses. Black Diamond Mines Regional Reserve is a beautiful historical gem tucked away in the hills of Antioch, California in the East Bay Area. There is plenty to do and see for visitors of all ages from picnicking, hiking, and guided mine tours. Whether you're spending time with the friends or family, looking to take a hike with the dogs, or a school field trip, BDM is a great location that has a little bit of everything for everyone. The rich history of its early inhabitants mixed with the beauty of the surroundings makes Black Diamond Mines the perfect destination for an afternoon away.
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