Pinole holds the unique distinction of having the oldest name in Contra Costa County. The area’s first fast food, “pinolli,” originated here with the 1772 Spanish discovery. Since then, the landscape has changed from nineteenth century cattle round-ups in Pinole Valley to twenty-first century round-ups of laptops, iPads, and smartphones at local eateries. The last grizzly bear disappeared from here in 1848. But, the last dinosaur still exists from the extinct Pinole Midget Golf course.

Pinole’s appealing geography of bay, fertile valleys, and favorable climate has attracted a multi-cultural stream of newcomers through time.

From gala Fourth of July parades of the early 1900s to the Fiesta del Pinole pageants of the 1960s, Pinole has always known how to celebrate its heritage and the contributions of its citizens. This book captures the images of many people and places as Pinole emerged from a sleepy village into a dynamic city.