Martinez, California

Martinez is the county seat of Contra Costa County, California. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 35,866. The downtown is notable for its large number of preserved old buildings. Martinez is located on the south side of the Carquinez Strait in the San Francisco Bay Area, directly facing the city of Benicia.

Related Topics:
County seat - Contra Costa County, California - 2000 - Carquinez Strait - San Francisco Bay Area - Benicia

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Originally established in 1849 as a way station for the California Gold Rush, it became the county seat in 1850, but could not incorporate at the time because it lacked the 200 registered voters required, and only became a city in 1876.

Related Topics:
1849 - California Gold Rush - 1850 - 1876

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Martinez was the home of John Muir from 1890 until his death in 1914. The building is now the John Muir National Historic Site. Joe DiMaggio was born in 1914 in the town. In 1915 Shell Oil built an oil refinery near Martinez, which sparked a building boom in the area. Martinez's oil refineries can still be seen today from Interstate 680, and it continues to be a significant port and petroleum processing center.

Related Topics:
John Muir - 1890 - 1914 - John Muir National Historic Site - Joe DiMaggio - 1915 - Shell Oil - Oil refinery - Interstate 680

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