Antioch is the third-largest city in
Contra Costa County, California
) of the San Francisco Bay
, subdivision_type = Country
, subdivision_name = United States
, subdivision_type1 = State
, subdivision_name1 = California
, subdivision_type2 ...
, United States. Located in the
East Bay region of the
San Francisco Bay Area
The San Francisco Bay Area, often referred to as simply the Bay Area, is a populous region surrounding the San Francisco, San Pablo, and Suisun Bay estuaries in Northern California. The Bay Area is defined by the Association of Bay Area G ...
along the
Sacramento–San Joaquin River Delta
The Sacramento–San Joaquin River Delta, or California Delta, is an expansive inland river delta and estuary in Northern California. The Delta is formed at the western edge of the Central Valley by the confluence of the Sacramento and Sa ...
. The city's population was 115,291 at the
2020 census.
The city has grown substantially more diverse since the 1970s.
History
Early history
Antioch is one of the oldest towns in the region. The town has been variously named East Antioch, Smith's Landing, and Marsh's Landing,
prior to its current name.
In 1848,
John Marsh, owner of
Rancho Los Méganos
Rancho Los Méganos was a Mexican land grant in the southwestern Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta region of present-day Contra Costa County, California.
It was given in 1835 by Governor José Castro to José Noriega. "Méganos" means "sand dunes" ...
, one of the largest ranches in California, built a landing on the
San Joaquin River in what is now Antioch. It became known as Marsh's Landing, and was the shipping point for the rancho. It included a pier extending well out into the river, enabling vessels drawing of water to tie up there in any season of the year. The landing also included a slaughterhouse, a smokehouse for curing hams, rodeo grounds, and a -story dwelling, embellished with fretwork, that was brought around the Horn to serve as a home for the
mayordomo
Mayordomo or Chocolate Mayordomo is a brand of Mexican (English: "table chocolate") produced by the company Chocolate Mayordomo De Oaxaca, S. De R.L. De C.V., and based in Oaxaca, Oaxaca, Mexico. The company manufactures mole sauce in additio ...
and his wife.
In 1849, twin brothers Rev. William Wiggins Smith and Rev. Joseph Horton Smith sailed from Boston, purchased land from John Marsh and founded a town slightly west of Marsh's Landing, and named it Smith's Landing. During the town picnic on July 4, 1851, William, the town's new minister, persuaded the residents to change the name of the town to Antioch, for the
biblical
The Bible (from Koine Greek , , 'the books') is a collection of religious texts or scriptures that are held to be sacred in Christianity, Judaism, Samaritanism, and many other religions. The Bible is an anthologya compilation of texts of ...
city of
Antioch
Antioch on the Orontes (; grc-gre, Ἀντιόχεια ἡ ἐπὶ Ὀρόντου, ''Antiókheia hē epì Oróntou'', Learned ; also Syrian Antioch) grc-koi, Ἀντιόχεια ἡ ἐπὶ Ὀρόντου; or Ἀντιόχεια ἡ ἐπ� ...
,
"in as much as the first settlers were disciples of Christ, and one of them had died and was buried on the land, that it be given a Bible name in his honor, and suggested 'Antioch' (an ancient Syrian town where two important rivers meet and where the followers of Christ were first called Christians), and by united acclamation it was so christened."
Around 1859, coal was discovered in several places in the hills south of Antioch, and coal mining formed the first substantial business apart from farming and dairying for the inhabitants of this community. This new industry resulted in the founding of the towns of Nortonville, Somersville, Stewartville, and Black Diamond (now
Pittsburg), and added greatly to the economic activity of the Antioch area. The Empire Coal Company was formed by John C. Rouse and George Hawxhurst in 1876, which built a railroad that passed from Antioch toward the mines over what is now "F Street" (formerly Kimball Street). However, later on, both the mine and the railroad passed into the hands of the Belshaw brothers. The mines have long since ceased operation, and the railroad tracks have been dug up, though the building that served as the Antioch terminus of the railroad still stands on the corner of F Street and Fourth Street, and the grading and trestles still remain much as they were in those early days.
In 1863, a great excitement arose over the discovery of
copper
Copper is a chemical element with the symbol Cu (from la, cuprum) and atomic number 29. It is a soft, malleable, and ductile metal with very high thermal and electrical conductivity. A freshly exposed surface of pure copper has a pink ...
ore near Antioch. Smelting works were built at Antioch, and the ore fetched $15 to $25 per ton. The copper bubble eventually burst, to the dismay of the citizens, and petroleum was first drilled for near Antioch in 1865, but not enough oil was found to make a decent profit.
The Antioch Post Office was opened in 1851, closed in 1852, reopened in 1855, closed again in 1862, and has operated continuously since reopening in 1863.
The city of Antioch was
incorporated in 1872.
The ''
Antioch Ledger'' was first issued on March 10, 1870. To commemorate the paper's formation, a copy of its first issue has been framed and hangs over the desk of the present editor. The sole news item is a report with editorial comment on a women's suffrage meeting that had just been held in the town. The ''Ledger'' later merged with the ''
Contra Costa Times'' and printed its last issue in 2005. The Time's weekly publication, the Antioch News, which is an expansion of the Brentwood News is published each Friday. The Antioch Press published its first issue in January 2001, direct mailing newspapers to all homes and businesses in the city twice monthly, and then weekly from September 2005 until the 2008 economic crash. It continued to publish and distribute only in racks and stacks throughout town until June 2012. It was then only published online until 2020 when it was combined with the Brentwood Press, Oakley Press and Discovery Bay Press into one paper, distributed in stacks and racks throughout the city as, The Press (www.thepress.net). The Antioch Herald (www.AntiochHerald.com) was first launched online in October 2010 and then expanded to print in May 2011, mailing to homes and businesses in Antioch each month. As of 2021, due to the impacts on businesses from the COVID-19-related government health orders, the "Herald" is only available online. A strictly online news source, EastCountyToday.net was launched in July 2012 covering Antioch and the other three cities and five unincorporated communities in eastern Contra Costa County.
The city's historic Chinese community, which was forcibly segregated, was estimated to number in the hundreds in the late 1800s. The city's early history included banning Chinese residents from walking the streets after sundown. In 1876, the Chinatown was burned down due to arson; the fire department refused to put out the fire. For nearly 100 years, virtually no Chinese lived in Antioch. The 1960 census showed that only 12 residents were Chinese.
Antioch is mainly a bedroom community, with most adults working in larger cities toward
Oakland and
San Francisco
San Francisco (; Spanish for " Saint Francis"), officially the City and County of San Francisco, is the commercial, financial, and cultural center of Northern California. The city proper is the fourth most populous in California and 17t ...
. The town has grown in the last 30 years, as the population of the Bay Area continues to grow, and real estate prices force families to move towards the outskirts of the Bay Area.
21st century
In January 2001, the Antioch Press was established by publisher and former Antioch Mayor Pro Tem and Councilman Allen Payton; he sold it in 2005 to the Brentwood Press and Publishing Company. Between 2001 and 2008,
Gateway Generating Station was constructed in northern Antioch; the 530
MW combined-cycle
A combined cycle power plant is an assembly of heat engines that work in tandem from the same source of heat, converting it into mechanical energy. On land, when used to make electricity the most common type is called a combined cycle gas turb ...
natural gas-fired power station, owned and operated by
Pacific Gas & Electric
The Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) is an American investor-owned utility (IOU). The company is headquartered in the Pacific Gas & Electric Building, in San Francisco, California. PG&E provides natural gas and electricity to 5.2 milli ...
, began providing power to customers in January 2009.
In late 2009, Antioch received significant media attention following the news of kidnap victim
Jaycee Lee Dugard being discovered near the city limits, and became the focus of several news stories regarding its 1,000 registered
sex offenders. The ''
Los Angeles Times
The ''Los Angeles Times'' (abbreviated as ''LA Times'') is a daily newspaper that started publishing in Los Angeles in 1881. Based in the LA-adjacent suburb of El Segundo since 2018, it is the sixth-largest newspaper by circulation in the ...
'' ran a story titled "Sex offenders move to Antioch area 'because they can'," ''
The Independent
''The Independent'' is a British online newspaper. It was established in 1986 as a national morning printed paper. Nicknamed the ''Indy'', it began as a broadsheet and changed to tabloid format in 2003. The last printed edition was publish ...
'' ran a story titled "How
Jessica's Law
Jessica's Law is the informal name given to a 2005 Florida law, as well as laws in several other states, designed to protect potential victims and reduce a sexual offender's ability to re-offend. A version of Jessica's Law, known as the Jessica ...
turned Antioch into a paedophile ghetto", and
CNN's
Anderson Cooper and
Larry King both did similar stories for television; the latter with commentary by TV judge
Judy Sheindlin. However, the ''
Contra Costa Times'' and affiliated newspapers contradicted their claim: "Disturbing, if true. Only it's not, according to a
Bay Area News Group analysis of sex offender addresses and census data." The report concluded that the 94509 zip code ranked only 39th
in the state with 1.5 sex offenders per 1,000, with
Oakland,
San Francisco
San Francisco (; Spanish for " Saint Francis"), officially the City and County of San Francisco, is the commercial, financial, and cultural center of Northern California. The city proper is the fourth most populous in California and 17t ...
,
San Jose,
Bethel Island and
Vallejo ZIP codes ranked in the top ten.
Monte Rio
Monte Rio (Spanish: ''Monte Río'', meaning "River Mountain") is a census-designated place (CDP) in Sonoma County, California along the Russian River near the Pacific Ocean. The town of Guerneville lies northeast of Monte Rio, and Jenner is ...
ranked first with 4.5 per 1,000.
The city was attempting in 2012 to annex an adjacent 678-acre area of unincorporated land, which includes a
GenOn Energy
GenOn Energy, Inc., based in Houston, Texas, United States, was an energy company that provided electricity to wholesale customers in the United States. The company was one of the largest independent power producers in the nation with more than ...
760-megawatt power plant, to include the plant within city limits. In October 2010, Allen Payton returned to the news business and established the Antioch Herald, first online, then in May 2011 he began publishing a monthly print edition.
Increasingly tied to the greater economy of the
San Francisco Bay Area
The San Francisco Bay Area, often referred to as simply the Bay Area, is a populous region surrounding the San Francisco, San Pablo, and Suisun Bay estuaries in Northern California. The Bay Area is defined by the Association of Bay Area G ...
, a
Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART)
station opened in the city in May 2018.
Mayor Lamar Thorpe announced on April 14, 2021, that the city would establish a Chinatown historic district in the downtown and acknowledge the city's racist past.
Geography
Antioch is located along the
San Joaquin River–
Stockton Deepwater Shipping Channel
California’s Green Trade Corridor, is part of the Stockton Deepwater Shipping Channel
Stockton Deepwater Shipping Channel also called the Baldwin-Stockton Deepwater Shipping Channel or Stockton Deep Water Channel is a manmade deepwater water ...
at the western end of the
San Joaquin–Sacramento River Delta.
According to the
United States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau (USCB), officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the U.S. Federal Statistical System, responsible for producing data about the American people and economy. The Census Bureau is part of th ...
, the city has a total area of , of which is land and , comprising 2.52%, is water.
Climate
Antioch has a
semi-arid climate
A semi-arid climate, semi-desert climate, or steppe climate is a dry climate sub-type. It is located on regions that receive precipitation below potential evapotranspiration, but not as low as a desert climate. There are different kinds of semi ...
(
Köppen climate classification
The Köppen climate classification is one of the most widely used climate classification systems. It was first published by German-Russian climatologist Wladimir Köppen (1846–1940) in 1884, with several later modifications by Köppen, nota ...
: ''BSk'') with hot, dry summers, and mild winters with modest rainfall. There is a considerably higher degree of
diurnal temperature variation in the summer than in the winter.
Demographics
2010
The
2010 United States Census
The United States census of 2010 was the twenty-third United States national census. National Census Day, the reference day used for the census, was April 1, 2010. The census was taken via mail-in citizen self-reporting, with enumerators serving ...
reported that Antioch had a population of 102,372. The population density was . The racial makeup of Antioch was 50,083 (48.9%)
White
White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no hue). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully reflect and scatter all the visible wavelengths of light. White ...
, 17,667 (17.3%)
African American
African Americans (also referred to as Black Americans and Afro-Americans) are an ethnic group consisting of Americans with partial or total ancestry from sub-Saharan Africa. The term "African American" generally denotes descendants of ens ...
, 887 (0.9%)
Native American, 10,709 (10.5%)
Asian (5.7% Filipino, 1.4% Chinese, 0.9% Indian, 0.7% Vietnamese, 0.2% Korean, 0.2% Japanese, 0.1% Laotian, 0.1% Pakistani, 0.1% Cambodian), 817 (0.8%)
Pacific Islander
Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, or rarely Pacificers are the peoples of the Pacific Islands. As an ethnic/ racial term, it is used to describe the original peoples—inhabitants and diasporas—of any of the three major subregions of O ...
, 14,310 (14.0%) from
other races, and 7,899 (7.7%) from two or more races.
Hispanic
The term ''Hispanic'' ( es, hispano) refers to people, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or Hispanidad.
The term commonly applies to countries with a cultural and historical link to Spain and to viceroyalties for ...
or
Latino of any race were 32,436 persons (31.7%); 22.6% of Antioch is Mexican, 2.2% Salvadoran, 1.2% Nicaraguan, 1.2% Puerto Rican, 0.7% Peruvian, 0.4% Guatemalan, and 0.2% Cuban.
The Census reported that 101,708 people (99.4% of the population) lived in households, 404 (0.4%) lived in non-institutionalized group quarters, and 260 (0.3%) were institutionalized.
There were 32,252 households, out of which 14,664 (45.5%) had children under the age of 18 living in them, 17,010 (52.7%) were
opposite-sex married couples living together, 5,718 (17.7%) had a female householder with no husband present, 2,295 (7.1%) had a male householder with no wife present. There were 2,384 (7.4%)
unmarried opposite-sex partnerships, and 306 (0.9%)
same-sex married couples or partnerships. 5,296 households (16.4%) were made up of individuals, and 1,781 (5.5%) had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.15. There were 25,023
families (77.6% of all households); the average family size was 3.52.
The population was spread out, with 28,807 people (28.1%) under the age of 18, 10,593 people (10.3%) aged 18 to 24, 27,459 people (26.8%) aged 25 to 44, 26,515 people (25.9%) aged 45 to 64, and 8,998 people (8.8%) who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 33.8 years. For every 100 females, there were 94.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.7 males.
There were 34,849 housing units at an average density of , of which 32,252 were occupied, of which 20,751 (64.3%) were owner-occupied, and 11,501 (35.7%) were occupied by renters. The homeowner vacancy rate was 2.7%; the rental vacancy rate was 8.2%. 64,284 people (62.8% of the population) lived in owner-occupied housing units and 37,424 people (36.6%) lived in rental housing units.
2000
As of the
census
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording and calculating information about the members of a given population. This term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common censuses inc ...
of 2000, there were 90,532 people, 29,338 households, and 23,177 families residing in the city. The population density was . There were 30,116 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 65.33%
White
White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no hue). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully reflect and scatter all the visible wavelengths of light. White ...
, 22.12%
Hispanic
The term ''Hispanic'' ( es, hispano) refers to people, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or Hispanidad.
The term commonly applies to countries with a cultural and historical link to Spain and to viceroyalties for ...
or
Latino of any race, 9.75%
Black
Black is a color which results from the absence or complete absorption of visible light. It is an achromatic color, without hue, like white and grey. It is often used symbolically or figuratively to represent darkness. Black and white ha ...
or
African American
African Americans (also referred to as Black Americans and Afro-Americans) are an ethnic group consisting of Americans with partial or total ancestry from sub-Saharan Africa. The term "African American" generally denotes descendants of ens ...
, 0.93%
Native American, 7.40%
Asian, 0.40%
Pacific Islander
Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, or rarely Pacificers are the peoples of the Pacific Islands. As an ethnic/ racial term, it is used to describe the original peoples—inhabitants and diasporas—of any of the three major subregions of O ...
, 9.23% from
other races, and 6.97% from two or more races.
There were 29,338 households, out of which 46.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 60.3% were
married couples living together, 13.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 21.0% were non-families. 15.9% of all households were made up of individuals, and 5.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.07 and the average family size was 3.42.
In the city, the population was spread out, with 32.3% under the age of 18, 8.2% from 18 to 24, 32.4% from 25 to 44, 19.8% from 45 to 64, and 7.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 32 years. For every 100 females, there were 96.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.0 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $60,359, and the median income for a family was $64,723. Males had a median income of $50,152 versus $34,203 for females. The
per capita income
Per capita income (PCI) or total income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. It is calculated by dividing the area's total income by its total population.
Per capita i ...
for the city was $22,152. About 6.5% of families and 8.5% of the population were below the
poverty line
The poverty threshold, poverty limit, poverty line or breadline is the minimum level of income deemed adequate in a particular country. The poverty line is usually calculated by estimating the total cost of one year's worth of necessities for ...
, including 11.3% of those under age 18 and 6.3% of those age 65 or over.
Economy
Top employers
According to the city's 2021 Annual Comprehensive Financial Report, the top employers in the city are:
Arts and culture
Antioch has four Historic Places or Buildings on the
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the United States federal government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures and objects deemed worthy of preservation for their historical significance or "great artistic ...
: the
Black Diamond Mines,
Roswell Butler Hard House,
Riverview Union High School Building and the
Shannon-Williamson Ranch.
The historic El Campanil Theatre opened on November 1, 1928, in downtown Antioch. It now presents a wide variety of entertainment opportunities, including classic films, live theatre, concerts, symphony, ballet, comedy and is host to numerous local dance and community-based organizations, such as the Antioch Rivertown Theatre Group.
The Arts & Cultural Foundation of Antioch organizes education in graphic arts, sculpture, pottery, and performance arts for various age groups. It also hosts the Saturday Summer Concert Series, Delta Blues Festival, and Holiday De Lights, along with other community events.
Run by the Antioch Historical Society, the Antioch Historical Society Museum is in the
Riverview Union High School Building. This high school was the first high school constructed in
Contra Costa County.
The Lynn House Gallery houses exhibits throughout the year, with an emphasis on providing opportunities for local artists.
Rivertown Art Center is housed in a historic bank building built in 1923. It is administered by the Arts & Cultural Foundation of Antioch and was created to allow local artists additional opportunities to exhibit their art and to conduct art classes.
The ESPACE Academy is located within
Deer Valley High School and includes a planetarium.
The Contra Costa County Fairgrounds are located in Antioch. The fairgrounds hosted the first two editions of the Genesis ''
Super Smash Bros.'' tournament.
Open space and wildlife
Parks and trails
Antioch is home to 3
parkscovering a total of
310 acres (130 ha) with an additional
600 acres (240 ha) of city-owned open space. It also has
of walking paths connecting communities to parks and schools.
Within its boundaries it has
Contra Loma Regional Park
Contra Loma Regional Park is a regional park in Contra Costa County, California. It is part of the East Bay Regional Parks system. It is located in the city of Antioch and includes an reservoir.
The U.S. Bureau of Reclamation is updating its ...
, the
Antioch/Oakley Regional Shoreline and
Black Diamond Mines Regional Park, and th
Mokelumne Coast to Crest Trailan
Delta de Anza Regional Trail. According to th
East Bay Regional Parks District these three parks take up , approximately 38% of Antioch's total land area. Just outside Antioch city limits is the
Round Valley Regional Preserve
Round Valley Regional Preserve is a regional park just outside Antioch, CA and Brentwood, CA that is part of the East Bay Regional Parks (EBRPD) system. It is on Marsh Creek Road, approximately west of the intersection with Vasco Road. The p ...
.
Established in 1980,
Antioch Dunes National Wildlife Refuge was the first national wildlife refuge in the country established for the purpose of protecting endangered plants and insects, specifically the ''
Apodemia mormo langei'' known by the common name Lange's metalmark butterfly, Antioch Dunes evening primrose, and Contra Costa wallflower. It is located on the south shore of the
San Joaquin River in Antioch. The refuge and a few acres of surrounding lands contain most of the remaining habitat for these three species and are all that remain of a of sand dunes formed during glaciation periods.
The city has a municipal marina, along with other private marinas, boatyards, and yacht clubs. There is a public fishing pier in town, and another out near the
Antioch Bridge
The Antioch Bridge (officially the Senator John A. Nejedly Bridge) is an automobile, bicycle, and pedestrian bridge in the western United States. Located in northern California, it crosses the San Joaquin River- Stockton Deepwater Shipping Chann ...
.
There is fishing in the
San Joaquin River along the Antioch/Oakley Regional Shoreline, located just upstream from Highway 160's
Antioch Bridge
The Antioch Bridge (officially the Senator John A. Nejedly Bridge) is an automobile, bicycle, and pedestrian bridge in the western United States. Located in northern California, it crosses the San Joaquin River- Stockton Deepwater Shipping Chann ...
(also known as Nejedly Bridge).
Burrowing owl protection
In late 2008,
western burrowing owls (''Athene cunicularia'') moved into a housing development slated for construction. In November 2009 the
California Department of Fish & Game
The California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW), formerly known as the California Department of Fish and Game (CDFG), is a state agency under the California Natural Resources Agency. The Department of Fish and Wildlife manages and protect ...
gave the developer permission to evict the owls before nesting season begins in February 2010. The birds regularly reuse burrows for years, and there is no requirement that suitable new habitat be found for the owls. Despite being listed as a
Species of Special Concern (a pre-listing category under the
Endangered Species Act) by the
California Department of Fish and Game in 1979, California's population declined 60 percent from the 1980s to the early 1990s, and continues to decline at roughly 8 percent per year. In 1994, the
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service nominated the western burrowing owl as a federal Category 2 candidate for listing as endangered or threatened, but loss of habitat continues due to development of the flat, grassy lands used by the owl. According to
The Institute for Bird Populations, there has been a 50 percent decline in burrowing owl populations in the Bay Area in the last 10 to 15 years. Their status protects them from disturbance during nesting season or killing at any time, but does not guarantee them a permanent home, as outside of breeding season, owls can be removed. In November 2009, a local resident tallied 11 owls in the area, including four pairs. Antioch is the first East Bay city to designate habitat
protected by deed for burrowing owls, since residents pushed for protections for those displaced by the community center at Prewett Park. Despite organized protests at Kiper Homes' Blue Ridge property by
''Friends of East Bay Owls'', one-way doors were installed in the birds' burrows so that the owl families could not return to their nests. A 1992–1993 survey reported no breeding burrowing owls in
Napa,
Marin, and
San Francisco
San Francisco (; Spanish for " Saint Francis"), officially the City and County of San Francisco, is the commercial, financial, and cultural center of Northern California. The city proper is the fourth most populous in California and 17t ...
counties, and only a few in
San Mateo and
Sonoma. The
Santa Clara County
Santa Clara County, officially the County of Santa Clara, is the sixth-most populous county in the U.S. state of California, with a population of 1,936,259, as of the 2020 census. Santa Clara County and neighboring San Benito County together ...
population is declining and restricted to a few breeding locations, leaving only
Alameda
An alameda is a street or path lined with trees () and may refer to:
Places Canada
* Alameda, Saskatchewan, town in Saskatchewan
** Grant Devine Dam, formerly ''Alameda Dam'', a dam and reservoir in southern Saskatchewan
Chile
* Alameda (Santia ...
,
Contra Costa, and
Solano counties as the remnant breeding range. To assist the displaced Antioch owls in finding new homes a group of local residents and the environmental group Friends of Marsh Creek Watershed constructed six artificial burrows at a designated burrowing owl habitat preserve in the hills north of Prewett Water Park.
Government
City Council
As of 2020, Antioch's City Council consists of:
*
Mayor
In many countries, a mayor is the highest-ranking official in a municipal government such as that of a city or a town. Worldwide, there is a wide variance in local laws and customs regarding the powers and responsibilities of a mayor as well ...
(at-large) Lamar Thorpe
* District 1: Tamisha Torres-Walker
* District 2: Michael Barbanica
* District 3: Lori Ogorchock
* District 4: Monica E. Wilson (Mayor
pro tempore)
The following people have been elected Mayor of Antioch since the city's incorporation:
Antioch maintains a
council–manager form of government with a Mayor elected at-large, who serves as chair of the council and is elected in years divisible by four, and four Councilmembers elected in
district
A district is a type of administrative division that, in some countries, is managed by the local government. Across the world, areas known as "districts" vary greatly in size, spanning regions or counties, several municipalities, subdivision ...
elections. Districts 1 and 4 elect their Councilmembers in years divisible by four, while districts 2 and 3 elect their Councilmembers in even-numbered years not divisible by four. Antioch historically elected its Councilmembers in
at-large elections, but in response to threats of a lawsuit alleging violations of state law and underrepresentation of
people of color, the Antioch City Council voted to switch to district elections in 2018, holding the first such elections in 2020.
Public safety
The city is protected by Contra Costa Fire and the
Antioch Police Department
The Antioch Police Department is a police department serving the East Bay city of Antioch, California in the San Francisco Bay Area.
History
The police department was created in 1872 to handle security and law enforcement in the coal mining tow ...
.
Politics
According to the
California Secretary of State, as of February 10, 2019, Antioch has 54,528 registered voters. Of those, 28,773 (52.8%) are registered
Democrats, 8,096 (14.8%) are registered
Republicans, and 15,012 (27.5%) have
declined to state a political party.
Education
Public schools
Public schools are run by the
Antioch Unified School District
The Antioch Unified School District serves approximately 17,000 students in the city of Antioch, California, and a portion of the neighboring city of Oakley.
History
The Antioch Unified School District was formed in 1921 from the Antioch and L ...
, which consists of three high schools, four middle schools, and numerous elementary schools that follow a single-track schedule, with school starting in late August or early September and concluding in June.
The three high schools are:
*
Antioch High School
Antioch High School is a public high school located in Antioch, California, United States. It is located at 700 West 18th Street between G and L streets. It is a comprehensive high school for grades 9-12. There are about 120 teachers, and 20 m ...
*
Deer Valley High School
*
Dozier-Libbey Medical High School
Dozier-Libbey Medical High School is a public school located in Antioch, California
Antioch is the third-largest city in Contra Costa County, California, United States. Located in the East Bay region of the San Francisco Bay Area along the Sa ...
The four middle schools are:
*Antioch Middle School
*Park Middle School
*Black Diamond Middle School
*Dallas Ranch Middle School
Private schools
The private schools are primarily religious. The private high schools are:
*Heritage Baptist Academy (K-12)
*Delta Christian High School
*Promised Land Christian High School
The private primary and middle schools are:
*Holy Rosary Elementary School
*Hilltop Christian School
*Kinder Care Learning Center
*Antioch Christian School
*Golden Hills Christian School
*Great Beginnings Elementary School
The charter schools are:
Antioch Charter Academy (est. 1998)
Antioch Charter Academy II (est. 2007)
Antioch is also home to
Western Career College, located on Lone Tree Way. Also Antioch has one school for CPR and First Aid Training, Event First Aid & Safety Services located at 201 G Street, 2nd and G streets.
Public libraries
The Antioch branch of the
Contra Costa County Library
The Contra Costa County Library is the public library system in Contra Costa County, California, United States. There are 26 community libraries including the NRHP-listed Martinez Library, access to electronic information via a website, over 45 ...
is located in Antioch, across the street from Antioch Middle School and Antioch High School.
The Prewett Library also serves Antioch and is located inside the Antioch Community Center, across the street from Deer Valley High School.
Media
Antioch is served by the Antioch Press, published by Brentwood Press & Publishing Corporation. Antioch Press is a weekly newspaper that is published every Friday. The current circulation is just over 4,000.
Infrastructure
Transportation
Roads
Antioch's primary surface transportation link is via the freeway
State Route 4, both westward a half-hour's drive to
Interstate 80 and the road network of the
Bay Area
The San Francisco Bay Area, often referred to as simply the Bay Area, is a populous region surrounding the San Francisco, San Pablo, and Suisun Bay estuaries in Northern California. The Bay Area is defined by the Association of Bay Area Gov ...
, or alternatively eastward to connect with
Interstate 5 at the
Central Valley city of
Stockton, California
Stockton is a city in and the county seat of San Joaquin County in the Central Valley of the U.S. state of California. Stockton was founded by Carlos Maria Weber in 1849 after he acquired Rancho Campo de los Franceses. The city is named after R ...
.
State Route 160 leads north from Highway 4, crossing the
San Joaquin River via the
Antioch Bridge
The Antioch Bridge (officially the Senator John A. Nejedly Bridge) is an automobile, bicycle, and pedestrian bridge in the western United States. Located in northern California, it crosses the San Joaquin River- Stockton Deepwater Shipping Chann ...
and through the Delta to
Sacramento
)
, image_map = Sacramento County California Incorporated and Unincorporated areas Sacramento Highlighted.svg
, mapsize = 250x200px
, map_caption = Location within Sacramento ...
.
Public Transit
Antioch is served by both the
Antioch-Pittsburg Amtrak station, and access to
Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) is available at the
Antioch eBART Station. Although public transportation agency
Tri-Delta Transit
Tri Delta Transit, formally the Eastern Contra Costa Transit Authority, is a joint powers agency of the governments of Pittsburg, Antioch, Oakley, Brentwood, and Contra Costa County that provides bus service for the eastern area of Contra Costa ...
is the predominant provider of public transportation in the Antioch area, County Connection bus #93X also serves Antioch going to John Muir Medical Center, Mitchell Park n' Ride, Railroad Castlewood, Delta Fair Sommersville and Hillcrest Park 'n Ride. This is in addition to the city's 50-cent-per-ride senior shuttle.
However, due to budget cuts in 2011 a proposal was made to eliminate the $275,000 subsidy for this program.
Airports
Antioch's closest airport with commercial service is
Buchanan Field Airport, though its sole airline is
JSX and only flies to
Burbank and
Orange County. Through BART, Antioch is directly connected to
San Francisco International Airport, though through the use of BART transfers, Antioch is also connected to
Oakland Airport
Oakland International Airport is an international airport in Oakland, California, United States, 10 miles (16 km) south of downtown located in the San Francisco Bay Area. It is owned by the Port of Oakland and has domestic passenger fli ...
and through
VTA,
San Jose Airport.
Antioch is also equidistant from Oakland Airport to
Stockton Metropolitan Airport, though no transit services connects Stockton and Antioch.
Water
The
Sacramento–San Joaquin River Delta
The Sacramento–San Joaquin River Delta, or California Delta, is an expansive inland river delta and estuary in Northern California. The Delta is formed at the western edge of the Central Valley by the confluence of the Sacramento and Sa ...
has been a large source of fresh water for the city but increasing salinity levels have reduced the city's ability to use the river intake. In response, the city is building the first surface-water desalination plant in the Bay Area.
Notable people
Sports
*
Frank Beede, former
offensive lineman for the
Seattle Seahawks, now a coach at
Freedom High School
*
Paul Blackburn, pitcher for the
Oakland Athletics
*
T. J. Carrie, professional football player currently playing for the
Indianapolis Colts
*
David Douglas, professional
mixed martial artist
*
Najee Harris
Najee Jerome Harris (born March 9, 1998) is an American football running back for the Pittsburgh Steelers of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Alabama and was selected by the Steelers in the first round of the 202 ...
, professional football player for the
Pittsburgh Steelers
*
Taiwan Jones,
football cornerback
A cornerback (CB) is a member of the defensive backfield or secondary in gridiron football. Cornerbacks cover receivers most of the time, but also blitz and defend against such offensive running plays as sweeps and reverses. They create tur ...
and
running back
A running back (RB) is a member of the offensive backfield in gridiron football. The primary roles of a running back are to receive handoffs from the quarterback to rush the ball, to line up as a receiver to catch the ball,
and block. Th ...
for the
Buffalo Bills
The Buffalo Bills are a professional American football team based in the Buffalo metropolitan area. The Bills compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) East division ...
*
Maurice Jones-Drew, former
running back
A running back (RB) is a member of the offensive backfield in gridiron football. The primary roles of a running back are to receive handoffs from the quarterback to rush the ball, to line up as a receiver to catch the ball,
and block. Th ...
for the
Jacksonville Jaguars
*
Mike Lucky, former
tight end
The tight end (TE) is a position in American football, arena football, and Canadian football, on the offense. The tight end is often a hybrid position with the characteristics and roles of both an offensive lineman and a wide receiver. Lik ...
for the
Dallas Cowboys
The Dallas Cowboys are a professional American football team based in the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex. The Cowboys compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) East divis ...
*
Gino Marchetti, former All-American for the
Baltimore Colts
*
Aaron Miles, retired
Oakland A's second baseman
*
Sterling Moore
Sterling Moore (born February 3, 1990) is a former American football cornerback. He played college football at Southern Methodist University.
Early years
Moore attended Deer Valley High School, where he played as a wide receiver and defensive ...
,
football cornerback
A cornerback (CB) is a member of the defensive backfield or secondary in gridiron football. Cornerbacks cover receivers most of the time, but also blitz and defend against such offensive running plays as sweeps and reverses. They create tur ...
who played for the
Dallas Cowboys
The Dallas Cowboys are a professional American football team based in the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex. The Cowboys compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) East divis ...
*
Jeremy Newberry, former
center for the
San Francisco 49ers
The San Francisco 49ers (also written as the San Francisco Forty-Niners) are a professional American football team based in the San Francisco Bay Area. The 49ers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the league's Nationa ...
and
San Diego Chargers
*
John Olenchalk, Antioch High School 1973, Stanford 1977, played for the Montreal Alouettes and the Kansas City Chiefs.
*
Jeff Pico, pitching coach for the
Cincinnati Reds and former
Chicago Cubs pitcher
*
Evan Pilgrim, former offensive guard in the
National Football League
The National Football League (NFL) is a professional American football league that consists of 32 teams, divided equally between the American Football Conference (AFC) and the National Football Conference (NFC). The NFL is one of the majo ...
*
Ron Pritchard
Ronald David Pritchard (born April 2, 1947) is a former American football linebacker and professional wrestler. Pritchard played nine seasons with the Houston Oilers and the Cincinnati Bengals, first in the American Football League, then in the ...
, former football linebacker and professional wrestler, played nine seasons with the
Houston Oilers
The Houston Oilers were a professional American football team that played in Houston from its founding in 1960 to 1996 before relocating to Memphis, and later Nashville, Tennessee becoming the Tennessee Titans. The Oilers began play in 1960 a ...
and the
Cincinnati Bengals
The Cincinnati Bengals are a professional American football team based in Cincinnati. The Bengals compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) North division. The club's home ...
*
Alex Sanchez,
MLB pitcher for the
Toronto Blue Jays in 1989 and All-Pac-10 standout at
UCLA
*
Gary Sheide
Gary Sheide is a former American football quarterback for Brigham Young University. He was the first quarterback to come out of LaVell Edwards's BYU "quarterback factory."
Sheide was born on November 6th, 1952 and grew up in Antioch, California. ...
, a former football quarterback for Brigham Young University
*
Larry Silveira, a professional golfer who played on the PGA Tour and the Nationwide Tour
*
T. J. Ward
Terrell Ray "T. J." Ward Jr. (born December 12, 1986) is a former American football safety who played for eight seasons in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Oregon, and was drafted by the Cleveland Browns in the s ...
, former
football strong safety
Safety is a position in gridiron football on the defense. The safeties are defensive backs who line up ten to fifteen yards from the line of scrimmage. There are two variations of the position: the free safety and the strong safety. Their du ...
for the
Denver Broncos
The Denver Broncos are a professional American football franchise based in Denver. The Broncos compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) West division. The team is headquar ...
Miscellaneous
*
Chuck Billy, lead singer of metal band
Testament
*
Johnny Burke, lyricist
*
Ty Carter
Ty Michael Carter (born January 25, 1980) is a retired United States Army staff sergeant and a Medal of Honor recipient. He was awarded the United States Armed Forces' highest military honor for his actions during the 2009 Battle of Kamdesh in ...
,
United States Marine Corps
The United States Marine Corps (USMC), also referred to as the United States Marines, is the maritime land force service branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for conducting expeditionary and amphibious operations through c ...
and
United States Army
The United States Army (USA) is the land service branch of the United States Armed Forces. It is one of the eight U.S. uniformed services, and is designated as the Army of the United States in the U.S. Constitution.Article II, section 2, ...
veteran and
Medal of Honor
The Medal of Honor (MOH) is the United States Armed Forces' highest military decoration and is awarded to recognize American soldiers, sailors, marines, airmen, guardians and coast guardsmen who have distinguished themselves by acts of val ...
recipient
*
Donovan Cook
Donovan Ryan Cook III (born January 30, 1968) is an American film director, cartoon creator and producer, best known for creating, directing and producing the animated series ''2 Stupid Dogs'' and directing the Disney animated features ''Return ...
, film director and animator famous for creating ''
2 Stupid Dogs''
*
Mario "Mars" Delgado, national hip-hop recording artist, actor and entrepreneur known for his brand of
horrorcore rap music.
*
Carmen Dragon
Carmen Dragon (July 28, 1914 – March 28, 1984) was an American conductor, composer, and arranger who in addition to live performances and recording, worked in radio, film, and television.
Early years
Dragon was born in Antioch, California, ...
, conductor, composer and arranger; father of Daryl Dragon of the 1970s pop music duo
Captain & Tennille
*
Wade Harper
Wade Harper (born 1963/1964) is an American politician, the former mayor of Antioch, California. He is the first African American to be elected as mayor.
Biography
Harper was born and raised in Oakland, California, the youngest of three children. ...
, first African-American mayor of Antioch
*
Leah Laviano,
Miss Mississippi USA
The Miss Mississippi USA competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state of Mississippi in the Miss USA pageant. The pageant was directed by Premier Pageants from 2001 to 2010, before becoming part of Greenwood Product ...
in 2008
*
Ronald O. Loveridge, former mayor of Riverside, California
*
John Marsh, Builder of Marsh's Landing and instrumental in achieving California statehood
*
Lori McCreary, film producer and President of the Producers Guild of America
*
Mitchell brothers, Jim & Artie, strip club and pornography business owners until Jim was convicted of killing Artie in 1991
*
Kevin Pereira, former co-host of
G4's ''
Attack of the Show!
''Attack of the Show!'' (''AOTS'') is an American live television program and that aired on G4. AOTS features segments on pop culture, video games, and movies. After an initial run from 2005 to 2013 (which originally aired from 2005 until 2013 ...
'' and ''
Let's Ask America''
*
Mark L. Schneider, the 15th director of
Peace Corps
The Peace Corps is an independent agency and program of the United States government that trains and deploys volunteers to provide international development assistance. It was established in March 1961 by an executive order of President John ...
(1999–2001)
*
Tom Torlakson, California Superintendent of Public Education
*
Jerome R. Waldie, former
United States Representative
The United States House of Representatives, often referred to as the House of Representatives, the U.S. House, or simply the House, is the lower chamber of the United States Congress, with the Senate being the upper chamber. Together they ...
Sister cities
*
Chichibu
is a city located in Saitama Prefecture, Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 61,159 in 26,380 households and a population density of . The total area of the city is .
Geography
Chichibu is in the westernmost part of Saitama. Unl ...
,
Saitama, Japan, since September 16, 1967
*
Lázaro Cárdenas,
Michoacán, Mexico
References
*
External links
*
*
{{authority control
1872 establishments in California
Cities in Contra Costa County, California
Cities in the San Francisco Bay Area
Incorporated cities and towns in California
Sacramento–San Joaquin River Delta
Populated places established in 1850
1850 establishments in California
Populated places established in 1872
Populated places on the Sacramento River
Sundown towns in California