On concerts, walks and history -

The best lineup of bands in memory highlight the “Concerts in the Grove” summer series, and the weekly summer series of Saturday shows begins May 7. Our Classic Car Shows and mid-week concerts move to Wednesday nights, with seven car shows and four concerts scheduled. The Clayton Business and Community Association’s popular Art and Wine Festival takes place April 30 and May 1. Find details for these events at www.ci.clayton.ca.us.

The City Council approved concept designs to enhance the appearance of seven subdivision entry medians. Our maintenance department now must prepare detailed competitive-bid packages to include options for power and light features. Also, the drought’s water restrictions mean “hardscape” renovations figure to be the only ones approved within the approved budget of $300,000. Future funds under this pay-as-you-go improvement plan depend heavily on voter continuation of the Citywide Landscape Maintenance District parcel tax that appears on the June 2016 local ballot.

My wife, Debbie, and I really appreciated the seven new bridge tops during our walk on the Cardinet Trail the other day. The bridge tops were installed recently and were funded by our Trails and Landscape Tax. During the walk, we came across people walking their pets, in groups, on bicycles and jogging. It was an awesome way to get exercise, greet fellow Claytonians and enjoy the early spring weather.

The City Council reviewed the City’s mid-year budget in detail and accepted it without modifications. An analysis of our General Fund status at the mid-year budget revealed actual revenues exceeding revenue projections by $251,000. This one-time infusion of revenue by Contra Costa County and the state of California brings the possibility of an operation surplus for fiscal year 2015-16.

Clayton History Continued:

In 1864, fires destroyed most of downtown Clayton’s wooden buildings, which were heated by coal and wood stoves and lit by kerosene lamps. The only water available to put out the fires came from wells, and the fires spread rapidly. The town rebuilt quickly.
Joel Clayton died in 1872 from pneumonia. He caught the fatal bug trying to save a calf during the cold spring rains. His wife died in 1908, and only four of their nine children survived both parents. The Claytons were buried in Concord’s Live Oak Cemetery.
In 1890, with coal mining and agriculture flourishing, 111 students attended the two-room Mt. Diablo School, the largest student enrollment ever recorded there. Nine hundred people populated the city.
Horseback delivered mail to the “Coal Mine Area.” George and Jack Atkinson built horse-drawn wagons with large wooden wheels in 1898 to navigate the rugged roads in the rainy season. The roads linked Martinez, Pacheco, Concord, Clayton and Antioch. They carried passengers, money, freight and the regular mail. Drivers were armed with .45-caliber Colt revolvers, as required by U.S. Mail contract regulations. Coal (“black diamond”) production in the area declined when cheaper, better coal became available. After that, cattle and dairy ranching; hay and grain production; orchards; vineyards, and farms became a mainstay in the valley.
Clayton vineyards produced wines that won state, national and international awards until infected vineyards and the start of the Prohibition Era in 1919 combined to end that run. Almond and walnut orchards replaced the vineyards.

Stay tuned to hear about Clayton’s residential building boom of the 1960s.
As always, e-mail questions or thoughts to hgeller@ci.clayton.ca.us