Blackhawk, California

Blackhawk is an unincorporated master planned community located in Contra Costa County, California, east of Danville. The United States Census Bureau combines Blackhawk with the adjoining Tassajara area to form the census-designated place of Blackhawk-Camino Tassajara, and all census data are tabulated for this combined entity. The ZIP Code is 94526. The community is inside area code 925.

Blackhawk Ranch, 1917 to 1979

Blackhawk Ranch was established in 1917 by Ansel Mills Easton and his son-in-law William Q. Ward, in an area east of the San Ramon and Sycamore Valleys. The name came from a famous Irish racehorse named Blackhawk that Easton's family had once owned. The land passed through the hands of several owners, including Raymond Force (the owner of the Caterpillar Tractor Company), the Hawaii-based sugar and pineapple company Castle & Cooke and Howard Peterson (owner of Peterson Tractor). [cite web| title=Blackhawk & The Mountain–A Twentieth Century History | url=http://www.mdia.org/blackhawkhistory.htm | accessdate=2007-12-03]

In 1975, Peterson sold the land to Florida developer Ken Behring, who planned a housing development of 4800 dwelling units over 4200 acres (17 km²) of land. Critics charged that the plan would have various negative impacts, related to urban sprawl, environmental damage and violations of the County General Plan. A group of environmentalists and local residents called Amigos de Diablo organized against the Blackhawk Development Corporation, but were sued for libel. The Blackhawk Development Corporation finally reduced the number of homes planned to 2400 and offered more than 2000 acres (8 km²) of open space to Mount Diablo State Park. [cite web| title =Blackhawk - The Name, the Ranch, the Homes| url=http://www.museumsrv.org/srvm_History_Blackhawk.html | accessdate=2007-12-03]

Communities

Blackhawk is divided into six individual gated communities scattered along Blackhawk Rd, connected by a convert|3|mi|km|sing=on long jogging trail.

* Hidden Oaks consists of 206 homes and in 1978 was the first Blackhawk community to be completed. Most homes are half an acre.
* Oakridge, consists of medium sized homes ranging from 2000 to convert|3000|sqft|m2, though a few large estates reside on the top of a private court.
* Saddleback, the second community completed, is home to some of the most lavish homes in the entire Blackhawk development, most lots being no less than five acres in size.
* Silveroak, is an upscale condo complex.
* Silvermaple, is designed around one of the main Blackhawk Country Clubs's golf holes, though no roads connect it to the rest of the main Blackhawk Country Club. It consists of medium sized homes.
* Blackhawk Country Club ("Main Gates") is the largest of the six communities.

Blackhawk Country Club

Opened in 1979, Blackhawk Country Club is a highly exclusive 4,800 acre (19 km²) country club community at the base of Mt. Diablo where luxurious residential neighborhoods are surrounded by thousands of acres of permanent open lands. Eagle Ridge Dr. gives way to a separate gate which leads to extremely exclusive estates, including the convert|28673|sqft|m2|sing=on Behring estate.

In the middle of Country Club West is the 6,904 yard (6,313 m) Lakeside golf course, designed by Bruce Devlin and Robert Von Hagge. The Lakeside course annually hosts the Longs Drugs Challenge, an event on the LPGA Tour. The newer 6,700 yard (6,126 m) Falls golf course, designed by Ted Robinson, winds through Country Club East. Blackhawk's Tennis Club includes 20 tennis courts, a clubhouse and a pro shop. The Blackhawk Swim Club includes a competition-sized pool, a spa and dressing rooms and offers instructional programs. The 25 acre (100,000 m²) Sports and Recreation Center includes basketball courts, outdoor volleyball courts, a children's play park, Olympic-sized pool, sports fields and an amphitheater.

Land use

*4,800 acres (19 km²) total
*2,000 acres (8 km²) contiguous designated for expansion of adjacent Mt. Diablo State Park
*1,000 acres (4 km²) for natural hillside, parks, golf courses and sports fields
*2,400 home sites total
*45 acres (182,000 m²) developed as a 450,000 square foot (42,000 m²) commercial center

Blackhawk Plaza

Blackhawk Plaza is a shopping center located outside the Blackhawk Country Club. It includes retail stores, restaurants, a movie theater and two museums, including the Blackhawk Museum.

Notable Residents

* E-40 - Rapper
* John Madden - Football Commentator (former resident)
* Ken Behring
* Vince Neil - Vocalist from heavy metal band Mötley Crüe
* Gary Payton-NBA basketball player
* Chris Mullin-Retired NBA All-Star & current GM of the Golden State Warriors
* Jeff Tedford-College Football coach for the Bears

ee also

*Blackhawk-Camino Tassajara, California (includes census data)
*Danville, California

External links

* [http://www.blackhawkcc.org/ Blackhawk Country Club]
* [http://www.blackhawkauto.org/ Blackhawk Auto Museum]
* [http://www.theshopsatblackhawk.com/ Blackhawk Plaza]
* [http://localism.com/ca/blackhawk/ Blackhawk Community Info]