Pinole began as the cornerstone of a massive land grant nearly 200 years
ago and grew to become an economic center of early Contra Costa County.
Today it is a diverse and public-spirited small city with a high regard
for, and interest in, its heritage. Pinole was named for the gruel
(penole or pinolli) made from seeds, grain, and acorns given by
welcoming Native Americans to explorers in the Pedro Fages expedition in
1772. Pinole's rich commercial and farming history--made possible by its
access to San Pablo Bay and by the convergence of two railroads that ran
through the heart of the community--is chronicled here with numerous
photographs from the latter part of the 19th century through 2009,
recalling buildings, people, and events that still live in the hearts of
the city's modern-day residents.