El Sobrante, California.
![]()
Hill View Center, El Sobrante's first strip mall, was constructed in 1960. Though the businesses have changed over the years, the appearance of the complex has changed very little. The "ranch house" architectural style was very popular during this era and its adaptation to commercial use on this center seemed perfectly compatible was the tracts of ranch-style homes being built in El Sobrante at the time.
(Industry & Commerce) Includes location, directions, 2 photos, GPS coordinates, map.
Hill View Center, El Sobrante's first strip mall, was constructed in 1960. Though the businesses have changed over the years, the appearance of the complex has changed very little. The "ranch house" architectural style was very popular during this era and its adaptation to commercial use on this center seemed perfectly compatible was the tracts of ranch-style homes being built in El Sobrante at the time. (Industry & Commerce) Includes location, directions, 2 photos, GPS coordinates, map.
El Sobrante gets its name from Rancho El Sobrante, "surplus land situated between existing ranchos that in 1841 was granted by the government of Mexico to brothers Juan Jose and Victor Castro. Curiously, El Sobrante's downtown is actually within Rancho San Pablo, an earlier Castro family grant. The Rancho El Sobrante boundary lies 1/4 mile east of and parallel to Appin Way. By the late 1800s, the Castros had lost or sold most of their land. Victor Castro's son, Patricio, continued ranching for most of his life on 100-acres along Castro Ranch Road. 
El Sobrante's first free-standing post office opened in this building in 1957, marking an important milestone in the town's development. The post office was previously located in the adjacent Lee's Variety Store (the Elks Lodge as of 2014) and before that was located in a local grocery store. The post office remained here until projected growth necessitated building a larger and more modern facility on Appian Way.
Western history owes the Carter Brothers a great debt, for they were the general contractors for the first six narrow gauge railroads in California. From 1874 to 1902 they built freight, passenger, cable and street cars. Their plant became Newark's first industry. Their cable cars are still in operation on San Francisco hills.
British Naval Blockade and Cape Henry Lighthouse
During the War of 1812, a British naval blockade along much of the U.S. East Coast disrupted foreign trade and interfered with commerce. On 4 Feb. 1813, the blockade was extended to the Chesapeake Bay. At that time, the light at the Cape Henry Lighthouse was extinguished to prevent British ships from using it as a navigational aid.
The British attacked the lighthouse early in Feb. 1813, and thereafter British scouting parties often visited the area to obtain fresh water from local wells. On 14 July 1813, Capt. Richard Lawson of the Princess Anne militia captured 20 British marines nearby.
(side 1)
Commissioned: 16 August 1943
This concrete circular gun mount remains as part of a 16 inch howitzer battery built to defend the entrance to the Chesapeake Bay. The battery was active until the final days of World War II when it was declared obsolete and scrapped. The below photo of gun number one of Battery Walke is a typical representation of a 16 inch howitzer battery.
A Native of Newport News - born March 29, 1918. Served as United States Delegate to the United Nations. Awarded First Order of Arts by President of Egypt. Appointed Ambassador of Love by President Nixon. Received the highest civilian honor - Medal of Freedom - from President Reagan for "meritorious cultural endeavors - world peace efforts - and important educational contributions for here country."
To provide emergency housing for war workers and their families during World War II, the U.S. government constructed a combined 5,200 unit project at Copeland and Newsome Park in 1943 on 1,174 acres between Briarfield Road and 39th Street. This project was reputed to be the largest public housing project in the U.S. during the war. Copeland-Newsome Park honored newspaperman Walter Copeland (1856-1928) and Lawyer Joseph Thomas Newsome (1869-1942).
Dedicated to
U.S.N. Armed Guard of World War II
