Unincorporated Town,
Contra Costa County
© McCormack's Guides
Zip Code: 94525
Village at
entrance to Carquinez Strait, about 3,200 residents. Well known because its two bridges cross the Carquinez Strait, where San Francisco and San Pablo bays move into the rivers that flow to Sacramento and the Delta. The bridges connect Crockett with Vallejo.
Famous also because of its sugar refinery, one of the largest in the continental U.S. Some old-timers called Crockett “Sugar City”.www.mccormacks.com
Used to be a
company town. C&H funded almost everything and almost everyone worked for
the refinery, which dominates the waterfront, but decades ago C&H pulled back. When the freeway came, many
workers moved out of Crockett.
Population slipped slightly in 1990s.
C&H is old industry, bewitchingly ugly, and much of the town’s housing, especially near the water,
was built over 60-70 years ago. But the views are great and residents love the
burg and work to make it better.
Click for regional or detailed map
Down through
years, many of the homes have been fixed up and remodeled, and some stores
converted into housing. If you want small-town charm on the water in a
blue-collar way Crockett does this very well.
Fairly new
homes located on top of Rolph Park Drive, a steep street. Great views of
Strait. But the hill streets are windy.
Most of Crockett is located near the water on gentle hills that are sheltered some what from the wind.
Moving back from the downtown, the hills get steeper.
Interstate 80 splits town. About 20 minutes to Bay Bridge when traffic moves, longer at peak
hours. www.mccormacks.com
New
suspension bridge, named for Alfred Zampa, Crockett native who helped build
earlier span. Other bridge to be retrofitted. Many improvements to freeway in
recent years. With the new bridge, a beautiful and graceful structure, Crockett
hopes to attract more visitors.
Antique
stores, art galleries, marina, fishing, few restaurants, convenience stores, saloons. Town
clock in a small square. Crockett Historical Museum. Old Homestead, one of
first homes built, is popular for weddings and celebrations. Town swimming pool
next to bocce courts. Usual activities for kids.
Regional park, recently expanded.
Fishing pier, picnic benches on east side. On weekends and evenings, joggers
and bikers take to the trails along the Carquinez Strait and in the hills. For
the unusual: hike the new bridge at dawn or sunset; great views.
Annual Sugar Festival. Farmers market. Poetry readings.
FBI doesn't track crime of unincorporated
towns but Crockett's falls within the range of suburban average.
Education by John Swett Unified School
District. Elementary kids go to Rodeo Hills school in Rodeo, which shares
district with Crockett. Carquinez Jr. High and John Swett High School are
located in Crockett. Catholic school in Rodeo.
Voters in 2002 okayed $10
million construction-improvement bond for all schools and in 2008 a bond for $20 million to renovate and modernize the high school. This work got underway in 2009 starting with outdoor jobs: new basketball courts and artificial turf for the playing field. Architects are working on plans for the buildings. See Schools.
Famous Crockett
native: Aldo Ray, movie star. www.mccormacks.com
Crockett was
named after a lawyer who in the 1860s took his fees in land, in this instance a
strip three miles long and one mile wide. In the late 1800s, Crockett was
famous as shipping port for wheat. Dotted along the shore are the rotting piles
that supported the wheat warehouses.
• The Crockett bridge collects its toll on the Vallejo side for traffic going north. South-bound travels toll free. The arrangement causes evening traffic jams at Crockett, especially on Fridays when many people take off for the mountains. Nonetheless, Crockett has to be considered a good commute.
If the bridge jams, residents can detour onto San Pablo Avenue, and circle around the congestion. Crockett, through its back roads, has quick access to Highway 4, the main road to jobs in Central Contra Costa.
• Park and Ride lot near the freeway.
• Environmental groups for decades have been purchasing parcels in the hills above and to the east of Crockett. Also along the shore to Martinez. If you are into hiking and biking, miles of trails are at your doorstep.
• In a minor way, Crockett has turned into restaurant destination. Contra Costa has few fish restaurants; Crockett, at its marina, has one, the Nantucket. Although the Bay Area and Contra Costa have many restaurants on bays and rivers, very few have sweeping vistas. Crockett, west of the bridge, has a large restaurant, the Dead Dog, built on a bluff that overlooks the strait; great views.
• One sight, rare in the Bay Area: big ships up close. Tankers and freighters, constantly nudged by giant tugs to keep them in the deep channel, navigate the Strait every day.
• School enrollments give some idea of how intimate small towns like Crockett can be. The school district includes Crockett, Rodeo and a small part of Hercules.
- Rodeo Hills Elementary, kinder through fifth, 710 pupils.
- Carquinez Middle, grades 6th to 8th, 419 students. This school is located across the street from the high school.
- John Swett High, 555 students. Or about 140 per grade level: 140 freshmen, 140 sophomores, etc.
- Willow Continuation, kinder to 12th, for kids who are struggling in the regular program. 46 students. Located in Crockett.
Chamber of commerce: www.crockettca-chamber.org
March 6, 2010
