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San Ramon Valley historian Beverly Lane pens another great local book, along with researcher Sharon Burke

Time to read: about 2 minutes

Last weekend I poured over a new book, "Historic Tales of Alamo, California" by Beverly Lane with Sharon Burke, which answered questions I'd had since buying a house off Livorna Road in 1981.

For instance, where did the name Livorna Road come from?

This 192-page book has five pages of street name origins, including: "Livorna Farm, a large Leghorn chicken ranch owned by Harry and Marie Hunter from 1910 to 1920, was located at the northwest corner of Livorna Road and Danville Boulevard. Livorno is Italian for a Leghorn chicken."

I called author-historian Lane to get the inside scoop on the new book. She said she'd started giving walking tours of downtown Alamo toward the end of 2019, along with history buffs Burke, Anne Struthers and Alisa Corstorphine, for the Museum of the San Ramon Valley.

"The tour started at one corner of Stone Valley Road and Danville Boulevard, where they have a plaque remembering the elementary school," Lane explained. "From there we went across to see the shoe repair building from the 1930s, then the Hay and Grain."

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With the pandemic, tours were canceled. But by then Lane had interviewed scores of old-timers and researched Alamo at museums and in publications local and beyond. She contacted the History Press with the idea of publishing the information, and the rest is a history book.

Ace researcher Burke enthusiastically set to work on any topic suggested, Lane said, which is why she shares credit.

The book covers prehistory as well as the area's first people. When the Interstate 680 offramp at Stone Valley Road was excavated in 1962, a significant Indian site was unearthed, including artifacts more than 5,000 years old.

Alamo is the second oldest town in Contra Costa County, after Martinez, and its post office was established in 1852. I'd wondered why Alamo remained rural while Danville and Walnut Creek had thriving downtowns, and the book explains. The Alamo settlers were interested in farming and ranching their land rather than subdividing for businesses, so land speculators went to neighboring communities.

The book also covers the devastating floods of 1862 and a scourge of squirrels that resulted in a squirrel eradication district in Alamo. And it includes quotes by travelers on the railroad line that opened in 1891, thanks to the efforts of prominent resident August Hemme.

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"For a while Hemme lived in San Francisco," Lane said. "He would talk to (railroad barons) Crocker and Huntington and persuaded them to bring the train to the valley."

Lane has served on the East Bay Regional Park District Board of Directors since 1994 and led efforts to turn the Southern Pacific right of way into our wonderful Iron Horse Regional Trail after the trains stopped in 1977. This effort is detailed in the book, as is the latest effort to incorporate Alamo, which I covered in 2009.

Funny when stuff I personally have witnessed ends up in history books.

Lane, who won our Tri-Valley Heroes Life Achievement Award in 2014, also wrote "San Ramon Valley: Alamo, Danville, San Ramon"; "Vintage Danville: 150 Years of Memories"; and "San Ramon Chronicles: Stories of Bygone Days," and now is satisfied that the area's history is documented.

This Saturday, Lane and Burke will be selling and signing "Historic Tales of Alamo, California" ($21.99) at the Museum of the San Ramon Valley (during Danville farmers market) from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., then at Alamo Ace Hardware from 2-4 p.m. On Sunday morning, they will be at the farmers market in Alamo Plaza.

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A 3.4-magnitude earthquake shook the San Francisco Bay Area, the U.S. Geological Survey reported.

The 6-mile deep quake hit a mile from Alamo, California, at 7:44 a.m. on Aug. 15, according to the USGS.

Nearly 1,500 people from cities as far away as Walnut Creek and Redwood City reported feeling the tremor to the agency.

There were no immediate reports of injuries or structural damage.

Multiple people went to X, formerly known as Twitter, to share their experiences feeling the shake.

“Hard shake from #earthquake in Walnut Creek, CA,” one person tweeted.

“That was a pretty strong shake,” another person tweeted.

“Felt a low jolt here in cow hollow,” someone else wrote.

Alamo has a population of 13,864.

Magnitude measures the energy released at the source of the earthquake, the U.S. Geological Survey says. It replaces the old Richter scale.

Quakes between 2.5 and 5.4 magnitude are often felt but rarely cause much damage, according to Michigan Tech. Quakes below 2.5 magnitude are seldom felt by most people.

Earthquakes’ sudden, rapid shaking can cause fires, tsunamis, landslides or avalanches. They can happen anywhere, but they’re most common in Alaska, California, Hawaii, Oregon, Puerto Rico and Washington, according to the Department of Homeland Security.

If an earthquake strikes, it’s best to protect yourself right away. Here are tips from experts:

The best way to protect yourself during an earthquake is to drop, cover and hold on, officials say.

“Wherever you are, drop down to your hands and knees and hold onto something sturdy,” officials say. “If you’re using a wheelchair or walker with a seat, make sure your wheels are locked and remain seated until the shaking stops.”

Be sure to cover your head and neck with your arms, and crawl under a sturdy table if possible. If no shelter is available, crawl to an interior wall away from windows.

Once under a table, officials say you should hold on with one hand and be ready to move with it.

“There can be serious hazards after an earthquake, such as damage to the building, leaking gas and water lines, or downed power lines,” officials say. “Expect aftershocks to follow the main shock of an earthquake. Be ready to Drop, Cover, and Hold On if you feel an aftershock.”

This story was originally published August 15, 2023, 9:16 AM.

Project No.: 0662-6R4128Federal No.: HSIPL-5928(140)

Project Overview

Contra Costa County Public Works Department (CCCPWD) in collaboration with Contra Costa Transportation Authority (CCTA) and California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) will construct safety improvements for vehicle, bicycle and pedestrian traffic along Danville Blvd between Jackson Way and Stone Valley Road.

The project goal is to incorporate complete streets improvements along this corridor by improving sidewalks, bicycle facilities and providing curb extensions and curb ramps along this segment of Danville Blvd.

The project will also improve pedestrian crossings by shortening the overall length of the crosswalks and provide pedestrian refuge areas in the road medians.

A concrete and landscaped roundabout will be constructed at the Orchard Court intersection to reduce vehicle speeds and conflicts while maintaining movement of traffic through the intersection. The project will also include drainage improvements, utility relocations, landscaping improvements, new streetlights and electrical work. Staging of traffic will be required to maintain access to public roads and private driveways during the construction of the project.

For information on how to use a roundabout see "Rules of the Roundabout". Video courtesy of the Federal Highway Administration USDOTFHWA.

Phase 3 Paving

Final paving work at the Danville Boulevard and Orchard Court intersection will be completed over three days starting Monday, February 12, 2024, through Wednesday, February 14, 2024, weather permitting. Message Boards will be posted in advance to advise of the scheduled work. Drivers should expect delays up to 15 minutes near the area of work.

Monday, February 12, 2024, 8:00 pm to 6:00 am: Night-time work will include excavation of the existing pavement section and placement of the roadway base. One-way traffic control will be implemented, and flaggers will be present.

Tuesday, February 13, 2024, 7:00 am to 4:00 pm: Day-time work will take place for concrete improvements. One-way traffic control will be implemented at the Orchard Court entrance, and flaggers will be present.

Wednesday, February 14, 2024, 9:00 am to 9:00 pm: Day-time paving work will take place. One-way traffic control will be implemented, and flaggers will be present.

Phase 3 Paving Work Area Map

Project Schedule

Contra Costa County Public Works Department has awarded the construction contract to Ghilotti Bros., Inc. and work on site is anticipated to begin in early February 2023.

Construction Traffic Impacts

A minimum of one traffic lane in each direction will be kept open to the extent possible. Construction work will take place Monday through Friday between the hours of 7:00 am and 5:00 pm, with restrictions to minimize impacts during commute hours, weather permitting.

Please note this schedule is subject to change. During construction, every effort will be made to reduce the impact of construction activities on local residents and businesses. We appreciate your cooperation and apologize for any inconvenience as a result of the construction.

Phase 1A will construct curb ramp and driveway on west side Danville Blvd at Jackson Way.-Complete

Phase 1B will construct sidewalks, curb ramps, paved entrances, driveways and west half of the roundabout in front of the Alamo Plaza Shopping center. -Complete

Phase 2 will include construction of the remainder of the roundabout and the medians (splitter islands) along Danville Blvd - Complete

Phase 3 will complete all easterly sidewalk, curbs, and driveways and final pavement on Orchard Court and Final Surface Treatment within the project limits. –In Progress.

Driving through the Roundabout

ALAMO, CA — Alamo got closer to getting a traffic roundabout for a dangerous intersection on Tuesday, when the Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors unanimously approved a deal to acquire the necessary land through eminent domain.

The intersection of Danville Boulevard and Orchard Court, about a block north of Stone Valley Road, has had one of the county's 20 highest accident rates the past five years.

About 20,000 vehicles travel the intersection daily, co-mingling with one of the county's highest rates of pedestrians and bicyclists.

Supervisor Candace Andersen, whose District 2 includes unincorporated Alamo, said she remembers her first time driving through the intersection shortly after moving to the area in 1995.

"I felt like I was playing a game of chicken, and I just thought 'What on Earth ... who designed this roadway? It's frightening," Andersen said, during the virtual meeting.

Find out what's happening in Danvillewith free, real-time updates from Patch.

The county has worked on acquiring the necessary property from three property owners since 2019. A representative from the company owning Alamo Plaza, on the west side of the intersection, disagreed with the project report.

"The staff report says there was an amicable resolution in the design of the roundabout. There is not an amicable resolution at this time," said Taran Stokes, director of asset management, Northern California, for Donahue Schriber Reality Group.

Stokes said there were design options that limited how much parking lot his company would give up, and that an independent engineer told them the roundabout could be moved farther south. Anderson said that would entail removing a small building and at least one mature tree, which the county wants to avoid.

"I think a roundabout is going to be a great amenity that draws people into the shopping center rather than having to play a game of chicken in order to get there," Andersen said.

The collision rate at the intersection in recent years was approximately 2.5 times higher than the state average. Over the decade prior to the project's initial planning phase -- kicked off by supervisors in September 2018 -- there were at least 13 bicycle and three pedestrian collisions.

Stone Valley Road is about a block south and a major arterial on and off Interstate 680, which runs parallel to Danville Boulevard. Area traffic frequently comes to a standstill during commute hours. That stretch of Danville Boulevard has at least two lanes moving in each direction, plus various turn lanes and bicycle lanes on either side.

The one-lane roundabout will include curb extensions, curb ramps, and entry medians to reduce vehicle speeds and improve the pedestrian crossing. Nearby sidewalks will be re-constructed with ramps complying with ADA requirements.

The project still needs to go out for bid. The roundabout likely won't be finished until the end of 2022.

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ALAMO, CA — After almost three decades in Alamo, Don Jose’s Mexican Restaurant will close. Owner Jose Guillen Avelar said it took him months to finally make the difficult decision to sell the popular eatery. The restaurant will be open for Cinco de Mayo and will stay open a few more weeks.

"At the moment we still don't know the last day of the restaurant, because we need to transfer the liquor license, and it may happen around the middle of the month of May," Guillen Avelar told Patch.

The new owners will remodel the dining room and reopen under the name El Maguey, which refers to the leaves of an agave plant, according to Guillen Avelar. The new Mexican restaurant will feature a new menu with new dishes.

The Don Jose’s Mexican Restaurant in Castro Valley will remain open and several employees from the Alamo location are working there, according to employees. Don Jose’s Mexican Restaurant is located at 3168 Danville Blvd. in Alamo.

While it is sad to see an old favorite close, many other new businesses are sprouting up around the Tri-Valley area. A gourmet cupcake shop will soon be open in Danville. Smallcakes: Cupcakery & Creamery will celebrate their soft opening on May 5th at 10 a.m. They will host a grand opening event in June.

A new ingredient-driven casual American restaurant recently opened in downtown Pleasanton. Salt Craft Eatery initially suffered a few small setbacks following their grand opening but has since reopened, according to its Facebook page. The restaurant is owned by Texas native Matt Greco, the former Executive Chef at The Restaurant at Wente Vineyards in Livermore, and features many ingredients raised or grown in the Tri-Valley area.

In nearby Livermore, a new steak and seafood restaurant will soon open. Rusty Skinner, one of the owners of Hop Devine, announced the second restaurant earlier this month, according to the Livermore Downtown Association Facebook page. Rusty's Chop House will make its debut in downtown Livermore later this year. To get updates about the opening date, location and menu, follow them on Facebook.

Creamistry, an Irvine-based chain that specializes in made-to-order, liquid nitrogen ice cream using all-natural and organic ingredients, will open a new location in early May in Blackhawk Plaza in Danville.

More business news on Patch:

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