El Sobrante, California

El Sobrante is a census-designated place (CDP) in Contra Costa County, California, United States. The population was 12,669 at the 2010 census. The Spanish name "El Sobrante" translates to "the leftovers", "remainder" or "surplus land" in English.

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the CDP has a total area of 2.8 square miles (7 km²), all of it land.

El Sobrante is unincorporated and lies within Contra Costa County. Main roads include San Pablo Dam Road (a major road running from Richmond and San Pablo, through El Sobrante, past EBMUD's San Pablo Reservoir), Valley View Road and Appian Way. San Pablo Dam Road and Appian Way both connect to Interstate 80 to the west.

El Sobrante also contains San Pablo Creek, running behind the library, ACE hardware store and many homes in El Sobrante.

History

Between 5000 and 1000 BC, an indigenous tribe of people called the Huichin, an Ohlone people, came to the East Bay, including El Sobrante. One of the Huichin villages was located where the El Sobrante Library now stands. The Huichin left a now-buried shell mound beside San Pablo Creek.