Then & Now /
THE LONELY
MOUNTAIN
It’s hard to miss Mount
Diablo, rising over the
Tri-Valley to 3,849 feet.
Hikers, bikers or plain old
drivers can explore the
mountain on the trails and
roads in Mount Diablo
State Park. You can get
up the mountain via the
South Gate in Danville,
which takes you all the
way up to the summit.
Don’t miss the view from
the summit: On clear summer
days, you can see not
only the three valleys that
come together to create
the Tri-Valley but also the
Sierra and sometimes even
Half Dome in Yosemite!
parks.ca.gov
THE NAME GAME
FROM HISTORICAL NODS TO HOMAGES, THE NAMES OF THE
TRI-VALLEY’S CITIES TELL A STORY.
> Danville—The California Gold Rush brought Daniel and Andrew Inman to
the Danville area in 1854, where they used their mining earnings to buy
400 acres of what’s now Old Town Danville. The name Inmanville was
considered but ultimately rejected. Although the name chosen appears to
reference Daniel, it was actually an homage to Andrew’s mother-in-law,
who was born and raised near Danville, Kentucky.
> Dublin—Over the past couple of centuries, Dublin has changed its name
not once but twice. In 1854, it was dubbed Murray, after Irish immigrant
Michael Murray, who, along with fellow Irishman Jeremiah Fallon, had
purchased 1,000 acres of land in the area in 1850. In the late 1800s, the
city became known as Dougherty’s Station because all mail was delivered
to Dougherty Station Hotel. Soon after, it adopted its current moniker,
Dublin. The origin of the name is unknown, but most believe it to be a nod
to the Irish ancestry of the initial European settlers.
> Livermore—In 1839, Robert Livermore and Jose Noriega secured a land
grant of what would become present-day Livermore. When the Gold Rush
hit, their ranch became a popular rest stop for people on their way to Sacramento
and the Sierra. Livermore became known as an excellent host,
and in 1849, he used his profits to purchase a two-story home—believed
to be the area’s first wooden structure—for his family. He died in 1858, but
his legacy lives on in the town’s name.
> Pleasanton—Originally known as Alisal, the town underwent a name
change when settler John W. Kottinger decided to rename it after a
distinguished Civil War general, Alfred Pleasonton, in the late 1860s.
Allegedly, a recording error by a clerk in Washington, D.C., had
far-reaching consequences and led to the current—and more fitting—
spelling of the name.
V I S I T T R I VA L L E Y.COM 1 3
CO U R T E S Y O F M U S E U M O N M A I N
BRIGHT IDEA
The planet’s longest-burning light
bulb, according to Guinness World
Records, is a humble bulb inside
Livermore Fire Station No. 6 on
East Avenue. Turned on in 1901, the
bulb—nicknamed the Centennial
Light—has been switched off only
four times since then. Originally
a 60-watt light, it’s dimmed but
still hanging on at 4 watts. Visitors
are welcome, depending on the
availability of firefighters to let
them inside; the bulb is also visible
through one of the station’s windows.
centennialbulb.org
