Pinole Creek
Pinole Creek is a creek in western Contra Costa County, California originating on Costa Peak on the west side of Briones Regional Park and flowing 10 miles (16 km) westerly through the town of Pinole, California, and emptying into the San Pablo Bay, 4 miles (6.4 km) east of Pinole Point. It is one of the last watersheds in the San Francisco Bay Area to retain a mostly rural lifestyle.
History
The name Pinole is from the Spanish term for "parched corn", which the Mexicans ground for eating. In 1823, the Mexican government granted 17,000 acres (69 km2) of land to a Commandant of Presidio San Francisco, Don Ignacio Martinez. The land grant was initially known as El Rancho de La Nuestra Sonora de Merced and later named Rancho El Pinole. He built the first adobe in Pinole Valley and brought his family to settle the property with livestock and orchards.
Watershed
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