About Richmond, CA

Richmond City is based in San Francisco around 60 miles’ northeast, with a total of 32 miles of shoreline, precisely across from the San Francisco Bay. Richmond City separates the San Pablo Bay (to the north) from San Francisco Bay. Richmond City has a total land area approximately 56.0 square miles. The water area measures 22.3 square miles while the land area is 33.7 square miles. The city is based near the primary metropolitan cities and primary new development areas. By freeway, San Francisco is located just 35 minutes from Richmond City.

The first people who settled in Richmond were the Ohlone Indians. It is believed that the Ohlone Indians, used to stay and live in the area for around 5, 000 years ago. Different tribes lived a peaceful and very stable life in an area, with very rich artistic creativity as well as with an environment based on strong community ties and spiritualism. The Ohlone used to be hunters and compilers that established extensive shell mounds over the Bay. When the Europeans arrived, the Ohlone way of abundant life started to change and was ruined.

Augustin S. Macdonald, in the year 1895, visited the Point Richmond area and had a plan of establishing a transcontinental rail terminal as well as ferry to offer a direct route to San Francisco from Richmond city. The great Macdonald shared his idea in the year 1899 to the Santa Fe Railroad, was built its terminus in Point Richmond. In the year 1900, the initial overland passenger entered Richmond City from the City of Chicago. The next year, (1991), the shops of Santa Fe were transferred to Richmond City and the Standard Oil Company established its refinery.

In the year 1905, Richmond city was incorporated and its population is approximately around 2,150. In the year 1909, the city charter was adopted and in the year 1910, a year after the town’s population increased to 7,500 people. A few years later, plenty of different substantial industries transferred to the City of Richmond. Stauffer Chemical Company, Pullman Palace Car Shops, Standard Sanitary Company, Winehaven, American Radiator and several others less well known. Town sites started to emerge around this business, as San Pablo’s Rancho huge fields of grains were separated into a nice and fine city lots.

The City of Richmond expanded in the mid-1920’s and mid-1930’s. Downtown Richmond used to emerge as the City’s retail center and business. Several hotels like the very elegant Carquinez Hotel was established in the year 1925 and as time passed by, it became the City’s civic life and social life. During this period, the establishment of shipping port terminals was started. The harbor establishment in the year 1907 was being endorsed and terminal construction and primary dredging was allowed by bond issue in the year 1912 and 1920. The population had increased to 23,600 from 2,150 in the year 1940.

Richmond City is 15 minutes away from Central Marin, directly across the San Rafael Bridge of Richmond. Direct access was provided by the freeways from Richmond to primary new growth locations with Interstate 80 east and north to Fairfield, Vallejo, and Sacramento. The population of a 30-mile radius away from Richmond is around 3.7 million people, and within 70 miles is around 7.8 million people. Richmond is located in Contra Costa Country. Richmond City is also the biggest city in the region of West Country with 5 cities consisting of Richmond, Hercules, San Pablo, El Cerrito, and Pinole. Richmond City is the Bay Area’s central hub. It has 2 freeways, Interstates which include Interstates 580 and 80. As of 2014, Richmond City is known as the biggest rail facilities close the US West Coast.