Hercules, California
Hercules, California | ||
---|---|---|
City of Hercules | ||
FIPS code 06-33308 | | |
GNIS feature IDs | 1658738, 2410746 | |
Website | www |
Hercules is a city in western Contra Costa County, California. Situated along the coast of San Pablo Bay, it is located in the eastern region of the San Francisco Bay Area, about 10 miles (16 km) north of Berkeley, California. As of the 2020 census, its population was 26,016,[10] according to the United States Census Bureau. The site of Hercules was first developed in 1881 as a manufacturing facility of the California Powder Works for the production of its patented dynamite formulation, Hercules powder. In 1882, the Hercules Powder Company was incorporated and assumed responsibility for the Hercules site. It was one of several explosive manufacturers that were active along the Pinole shoreline in the late 19th to the mid-20th century. The small company town that grew up near the facility subsequently became known as "Hercules", and was incorporated at the end of 1900. Starting in the 1970s, Hercules was heavily redeveloped as suburban bedroom community that lies along the I-80 corridor in Western Contra Costa County. It has a very ethnically diverse population.[11]
History
Prehistory through the 20th century
The land that would become Hercules was part of a tract of land known as “Pinole y Canada del Hambre” which was granted in 1823 to
The city's history was primarily shaped by the
Explosives manufacturing was indeed a hazardous industry in that era: in the first 38 years of operations in Hercules, 59 lives would be lost including 24 in a large explosion in February 1908. Later, further deadly explosions would plague the plant in 1944, 1948 and 1953.
The explosives manufactured at Hercules played a significant and decisive role in the
Between the 1890s and 1970s, Hercules was a company town of several hundred people. 36 buildings from this era still exist and were nominated to the National Register of Historic Places in 1980. Per this application, “Hercules was the area’s most desirable community to live in” with well-kept homes, a (male only) clubhouse, lighted tennis courts, and hospital.[20] However, all residents were company employees. Although Chinese workers were a large component of the company workforce before the 1910s, they were excluded from residency in the town beyond dormitories provided for them.[21]
By 1917, the Hercules plant had become the largest producer of
After
In 1966 the Pacific Refinery company started operation on the shores of Hercules and served as large employer until its closure in 1995. Its demise marked the end of 114 years of heavy industry in Hercules.
Starting in the 1970s Hercules created and has continuously updated its master plan to further its development. During the 1970s, Hercules was one of the first cities in the United States to develop a comprehensive Noise Element of the General Plan. This work included the production of noise contour maps for all major highways and arterial roads, as well as a citywide noise mitigation plan. Heavy development as a suburb continued through the 1980s through the present day.[17]
The town's population grew rapidly in the last decades of the 20th century. Per United States Census Bureau data, what was sleepy town of 252 in 1970 grew nearly 24-fold into a town of 5,963 by 1980 which tripled again into a town of 16,829 by 1990. By 2000, the town began to level out to its current population of approximately 25,000.
Recent history and development
In 2000, the City of Hercules chartered an urban-design-based land use planning effort. This plan attempted to balance the preservation of the city's undeveloped land against continued
In a national story in 2006, Hercules strongly opposed Walmart's attempt to build a new supercenter store on 17-acre (69,000 m2) property overlooking San Pablo Bay as many residents deemed it incompatible with the waterfront redevelopment project, and it was unneeded due to the close proximity of two other Walmarts in Richmond and Vallejo. On May 23, 2006, the Hercules city council voted unanimously to use its power of eminent domain to prevent Wal-Mart from building the supercenter.[27] In 2009, the city purchased the land back from Walmart.
In 2012, a state audit found that the City of Hercules had spent nearly $50 million on “questionable transactions” primarily centered on the city's
Geography
Location and surroundings
Hercules is located at 38°01′02″N 122°17′19″W / 38.01722°N 122.28861°W,[29] at the southeast shore of the San Pablo Bay. According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 18.2 square miles (47 km2), of which, 6.2 square miles (16 km2) is land and 12.0 square miles (31 km2) (65.87%) is water.
Hercules is on the southeastern shores of
The town is bisected by
Cityscape
The city has a predominantly
Climate
Hercules has a mild Mediterranean climate (Köppen climate classification Csb or "Warm-summer Mediterranean"), consistent with much of the northern San Francisco Bay Area. As Hercules is more inland, it is generally warmer than communities closer to the Golden Gate. Average rainfall is 23.35” concentrated from November to March. The average July high is 71 degrees and the average January low is 43 degrees.
Climate data for Hercules, California | |||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
Record high °F (°C) | 76 (24) |
88 (31) |
85 (29) |
94 (34) |
100 (38) |
106 (41) |
98 (37) |
98 (37) |
107 (42) |
100 (38) |
86 (30) |
83 (28) |
106 (41) |
Mean daily maximum °F (°C) | 57 (14) |
61 (16) |
63 (17) |
66 (19) |
68 (20) |
71 (22) |
70 (21) |
71 (22) |
73 (23) |
72 (22) |
64 (18) |
57 (14) |
66 (19) |
Mean daily minimum °F (°C) | 43 (6) |
45 (7) |
47 (8) |
48 (9) |
51 (11) |
54 (12) |
55 (13) |
56 (13) |
56 (13) |
53 (12) |
48 (9) |
43 (6) |
50 (10) |
Record low °F (°C) | 27 (−3) |
28 (−2) |
33 (1) |
31 (−1) |
38 (3) |
43 (6) |
44 (7) |
44 (7) |
46 (8) |
41 (5) |
34 (1) |
24 (−4) |
24 (−4) |
Average rainfall inches (mm) | 4.91 (125) |
4.41 (112) |
3.52 (89) |
1.35 (34) |
0.54 (14) |
0.17 (4.3) |
0.07 (1.8) |
0.09 (2.3) |
0.27 (6.9) |
1.25 (32) |
3.47 (88) |
3.30 (84) |
23.35 (593.3) |
Source: [31] |
Parks and recreation
Hercules has over 98 acres of parkland in six parks created as part of its master planning effort, the most central being Refugio Valley Park, and has over 950 additional acres of open space.) is roughly a half hour drive to the north.
Demographics
Race and ethnicity
Hercules has a diverse population. Per 2015 Census data, the town's population is 45.5% Asian, 22% White, 18.9% Black, and 14.6% Hispanic. 32.0% of the population is foreign born.[11]
Household income, education and occupations
Per 2014
Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
---|---|---|---|
1910 | 279 | — | |
1920 | 373 | 33.7% | |
1930 | 392 | 5.1% | |
1940 | 343 | −12.5% | |
1950 | 343 | 0.0% | |
1960 | 310 | −9.6% | |
1970 | 252 | −18.7% | |
1980 | 5,963 | 2,266.3% | |
1990 | 16,829 | 182.2% | |
2000 | 19,488 | 15.8% | |
2010 | 24,060 | 23.5% | |
2020 | 26,016 | 8.1% | |
U.S. Decennial Census[34] |
2010 US Census data
The
The Census reported that 24,005 people (99.8% of the population) lived in households, 17 (0.1%) lived in non-institutionalized group quarters, and 38 (0.2%) were institutionalized.
There were 8,115 households, out of which 3,175 (39.1%) had children under the age of 18 living in them, 4,675 (57.6%) were
The population was spread out, with 5,481 people (22.8%) under the age of 18, 2,064 people (8.6%) aged 18 to 24, 6,512 people (27.1%) aged 25 to 44, 7,473 people (31.1%) aged 45 to 64, and 2,530 people (10.5%) who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39.0 years. For every 100 females, there were 90.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 86.0 males.
There were 8,553 housing units at an average density of 470.5 per square mile (181.7/km2), of which 8,115 were occupied, of which 6,450 (79.5%) were owner-occupied, and 1,665 (20.5%) were occupied by renters. The homeowner vacancy rate was 2.3%; the rental vacancy rate was 6.2%. 19,067 people (79.2% of the population) lived in owner-occupied housing units and 4,938 people (20.5%) lived in rental housing units.
2000 US Census data
As of the
There were 6,423 households, out of which 41.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 60.8% were married couples living together, 13.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 22.2% were non-families. 17.8% of all households were made up of individuals, and 3.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.03 and the average family size was 3.46.
In the city, the population was spread out, with 26.6% under the age of 18, 8.5% from 18 to 24, 30.2% from 25 to 44, 27.3% from 45 to 64, and 7.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females, there were 90.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 86.2 males.
According to a 2007 estimate, the median income for a household in the city was $88,966, and the median income for a family was $93,294.
Economy
Overview
Hercules is primarily a suburban community, but is the headquarters of
Top employers
According to the city's 2020 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report,[26] the top 10 employers in the city are:
# | Employer | # of employees |
---|---|---|
1 | Bio-Rad Laboratories | 2,271 |
2 | West Contra Costa Unified School District | 238 |
3 | Home Depot
|
198 |
4 | Contra Costa County Social Services | 106 |
5 | Lucky Supermarkets
|
100 |
6 | Pacific Bio Labs Inc | 94 |
7 | City of Hercules
|
60 |
8 | Kinder's Meats & Deli BBQ & Catering | 40 |
9 | Benda Tool & Model Works Inc | 36 |
10 | Big Lots | 25 |
Government
Form
Hercules has a
Crime
Hercules has a generally low crime rate. Based on 2014 FBI Data, Hercules had 1.12 violent crimes per 1,000 and 13.27 property crimes per thousand, lower than national and state averages. Between 2000 and 2010, the city had only five murders. Another source, using the same data, classified Hercules as the 35th safest city in California in 2016, and 60th in 2017.[39]
Politics
In 2017, Hercules had 14,293 registered voters with 8,406 (58.8%) registered as Democrats, 1,743 (12.2%) registered as Republicans, and 3,703 (25.9%) decline to state voters.[40]
Education
Public schools
Hercules is served by two school districts: the
- Hercules Middle/High School serves as the main middle and high school in the city.
- Hanna Ranch Elementary serves the Trees and Mandalay area.
- Ohlone Elementary serves the Birds, Gems and the Hercules Avenue area.
- Lupine Elementary serves the Trees and Flowers area.
Public libraries
The Contra Costa County Library System operates the Hercules Public Library.[41]
Infrastructure
Transportation
Hercules is at the intersection of I-80 and State Route 4. I-80 is an interstate that is the principal route between San Francisco and Sacramento. Highway 4 lead to I -680 which provide access to Concord, California, Walnut Creek, California and the Tri-Valley Area. Per 2015 Census Data, 90% of Hercules’ workforce commutes via automobile to work, the average commute time is 39 minutes.[11]
Public transportation is available through the
The closest international airports are
The
Sister city
Hercules's sister city is Tsushima, Aichi Prefecture Japan.[44]
Notable people
- Willie McGee, former outfielder for the St. Louis Cardinals and the San Francisco Giants
- Claudell Washington, former outfielder for the MLB. Lived in Hercules during his year with the New York Mets and his first year with the Atlanta Braves.
References
- ^ "City of Hercules, California". City of Hercules, California. Retrieved September 4, 2012.
- ^ "California Cities by Incorporation Date". California Association of Local Agency Formation Commissions. Archived from the original (Word) on November 3, 2014. Retrieved March 27, 2013.
- ^ "City Manager". City of Hercules. Retrieved March 10, 2023.
- ^ "City Council". City of Hercules. Retrieved March 10, 2023.
- ^ "Senators". State of California. Retrieved March 10, 2023.
- ^ "Members Assembly". State of California. Retrieved March 10, 2023.
- ^ "California's 8th Congressional District - Representatives & District Map". Civic Impulse, LLC. Retrieved March 10, 2023.
- ^ "2019 U.S. Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved July 1, 2020.
- ^ "Population and Housing Unit Estimates". United States Census Bureau. May 24, 2020. Retrieved May 27, 2020.
- ^ "U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts: Hercules city, California". www.census.gov. Retrieved July 27, 2023.
- ^ a b c d US Census (2015). "QuickFacts Hercules CA 94547". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 21, 2017.
- ^ "Ohlone Elementary School Logo". Hercules Historical Society. 2017. Retrieved January 21, 2017.
- ^ J. P. Munro-Fraser, 1882, History of Contra Costa County, California, W.A. Slocum.
- ^ Images of America: Richmond, by Donald Bastin, Arcadia Publishing (SC), November 2003
- ^ Martinez Historical Society (2017). "History of Martinez". Martinez Historical Society. Retrieved January 21, 2017.
- ^ ISBN 978-0-7385-7440-0.
- ^ a b c d e City of Hercules (2017). "History & Background". City of Hercules. Retrieved January 21, 2017.
- ^ ISBN 1-884995-14-4.
- ^ "How the Army Worked to Save San Francisco, by Brigadier General Frederick Funston (U.S.A.)" (PDF). Cosmopolitan Magazine, July 1906.
- ^ Mariotti, Joseph (1980). "National Register of Historic Places Inventory – Nomination Form, Hercules Village" (PDF). Hercules Historical Society. Retrieved January 21, 2017.
- ^ Connelley, Ashley (2017). "City of Hercules Overview / Hercules Power and Chinese Labor". Hercules Historical Society. Retrieved January 21, 2017.
- ^ a b c Hercules Historical Society (2017). "City of Hercules Overview / Plant History". Hercules Historical Society. Retrieved January 21, 2017.
- ^ Wisniewski, Jeffrey. "Naming Contest Finalists". Waterfront Watch. Archived from the original on December 30, 2013. Retrieved December 29, 2013.
- ^ M. Papineau and C. Michael Hogan, Air quality analysis of stationary sources, Hercules, Ca., Earth Metrics inc. (1976)
- ^ Hallissy, Erin (June 8, 1995). "Refinery Will Quit Hercules Production / 142 workers have been given pink slips". San Francisco Chronicle.
- ^ a b "City of Hercules CAFR".
- ^ Hoge, Patrick (May 24, 2006). "HERCULES / Vote goes against Wal-Mart / Council OKs using eminent domain to block retailer". San Francisco Chronicle.
- ^ Buchanan, Wyatt (September 12, 2012). "Hercules misspent millions, audit finds". San Francisco Chronicle.
- ^ U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Hercules, California
- ^ "The Neighborhoods of Hercules". City of Hercules. 2017. Retrieved January 21, 2017.
- ^ "Intellicast | Weather Underground".
- ^ City of Hercules (2017). "About Hercules". City of Hercules. Retrieved January 21, 2017.
- ^ American Fact Finder (2017). "Hercules City, Selected Economic Characteristics 2011-2015 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 21, 2017.
- ^ "Census of Population and Housing". Census.gov. Retrieved June 4, 2015.
- ^ "2010 Census Interactive Population Search: CA - Hercules city". U.S. Census Bureau. Archived from the original on July 15, 2014. Retrieved July 12, 2014.
- ^ "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 31, 2008.
- ^ US Census Bureau official city fact sheet for Hercules, CA
- ^ "City Council". City of Hercules. 2017. Retrieved January 21, 2017.
- ^ a b Safewise (2015). "50 Safest Cities in California - 2016". Safewise. Retrieved January 21, 2017.
- ^ "Registration by Political Subdivision by County" (PDF). elections.cdn.sos.ca.gov. February 10, 2017. Retrieved July 13, 2020.
- ^ "Hercules Library Archived 2011-07-19 at the Wayback Machine." Contra Costa County Library. Retrieved on April 1, 2010.
- ^ Hercules Says No to BART, accessed October 3, 2015
- ^ A new commute option for Hercules/Rodeo, WETA, access date July 17, 2008
- ^ "Tsushima-Our Sister City | Hercules, CA".
Sources
External links
- Official website - government, business, library, recreation and more
- City-Data.com - comprehensive statistical data and more about Hercules