East Bay Real Estate: Danville Is Still Horse Country!
May 17, 2010 by Jim Walberg · 2 Comments
Have any of you wondered how The Bay Area Team became the top real estate group selling equestrian property in the East Bay? Well, the answer to that question began to unfold 40 years ago in Danville. OK, close your eyes and see if you can imagine the 40,000+ horses were packed into Contra Costa County in 1970 when I first arrived in Danville from Redondo Beach. In 1970 Contra Costa County had the highest number of horses per person than any other county in the U.S.A.! Surprised? Yep, I was, too. So, I decided that this “surfer kid” who loves all things connected to the ocean better get with the program and get into the world of horses, wells, septic tanks, fences, horseshoes, and hay. Within a short period of time I had two quarter horses and a big old draft horse. We kept them at a 40 acre horse boarding ranch owned by Mrs. Freitas. She and her family had owned the property since the 1870’s. It was about a half mile from the 680 freeway and Sycamore Valley Road.
That era in Danville was the very beginning of the development explosion that happened all over the East Bay. In 1970 the farthest out development in Danville was less than one mile from the 680 freeway. Flannigan’s Tack Shop right in front of the Big Oak Tree on Diablo Road was the largest retail store in town. Almost all of the horse community was Western riders. The Shoe Stable on Diablo Road owned by John May and his wife was THE place you would shop for women’s shoes, and the Village Theater on Front Street was actually showing featured films. The Rising Loafer on Hartz Avenue was the fire station, and Primo’s Pizza on the corner of Hartz Avenue and Diablo Road was a gas station. We would ride down town and tie our horses the hitching posts located all over town – even in front of Diablo Foods that is now BevMo. We would casually take off in the afternoons and ride all over Mt. Diablo State Park. How 40 years has changed the entire landscape and experience of our Valley.
Because of the speed of the housing boom within the San Ramon Valley, the horse community had to keep moving east of the freeway out to Tassajara Road in order to afford land for their horses and homes. Today, the Tassajara Valley is THE center of the horse world in Contra Costa and Alameda Counties. The access is now from three different directions – the 680 freeway coming from Danville, the 580 freeway coming from Pleasanton, and from Highland Road coming from Livermore. The horse country also changed to mostly Hunter/Jumping, Eventing, and Dressage events. The Western riding community is a small fraction of what it once was. But, you can still run into horse riders on Mt. Diablo who are training for the Tevis Cup – 100 mile endurance ride non-stop from Tahoe to Auburn.
Today when you drive out Tassajara Road or Highland Road you will still discover some of the most beautiful horse properties, gentlemen estates, and horse training centers in the Bay Area. Just for fun drive down the many of the roads off of Tassajara and be amazed at what you discover - Finley, Bruce, Johnston, Highland, and Marciel. If you are considering any aspect of horse property in the Bay Area, please contact us. We have represented the vast majority of the equestrian properties sold and purchased in the East Bay the last three years. We would be glad to be of service.
Related posts:
Comments
2 Responses to “East Bay Real Estate: Danville Is Still Horse Country!”Trackbacks
Check out what others are saying about this post...[...] finest art festivals in the Bay Area in this town that is still know for it’s fine dining and equestrian centers. Each year over 50,000 people come to Town to select art from this prestigious show. It happens to [...]
[...] years we have been fortunate to represent many of the equestrian and country properties in the East Bay. This is a special niche in our real estate community. Each of these properties [...]