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In September of 1912, William Putcamp wrote to Miss Mable Barnes of Casper, Calif., “I am having lots of this now. There is a party almost every week. Please answer this and I will send you a letter.” East County historian Carol Jensen invites Press readers to supply more information about this month’s History Mystery card.<br>Photo courtesy of Carol Jensen</br>

History Mystery borders on risqué
As readers of Sinclair Lewis’ “Babbitt” can attest, boosterism played a vital role in attracting visitors and settlers to early 20th-century America. The S.B. & Co. postcard publishing company of C...

May 10, 2012 | 0

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The Brentwood Women’s Club clubhouse, now located on Second Street next to Cap’s Restaurant, is now utilized by Delta Community Services. The building was the first home economics classroom at Liberty High School.<br><I>Photo by Samie Hartley</i>

Women leave mark on Brentwood history
The names of Brentwood’s founding fathers are memorialized throughout the city on street signs and the sides of schools and landmarks, but many of the city’s earliest achievements can be traced bac...

Mar 29, 2012 | 0

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Antioch’s City Council agreed Tuesday to transfer the Roswell Butler Hard House to a group that plans to restore it to its 1869 standards.<br><i>Press file photo</i>

Hard House transferred to restoration group
One of the oldest and most dilapidated buildings in Antioch might be seeing a brighter future. Antioch’s City Council agreed on Tuesday to transfer the boarded-up Roswell Butler Hard House, locate...

Mar 15, 2012 | 0

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Pat McHenry of the East Contra Costa Historical Society readies the dilapidated, 19th-century Byron Hot Springs omnibus for transport after its discovery in a local barn.<br><i>Photo courtesy of Ginny Karlberg</i>

Historical carriage to be restored
Once upon a time, stagecoaches were considered one of the classiest ways to travel through East County. It’s hard to imagine what this area would have looked like as horse-drawn carriages powered d...

Mar 01, 2012 | 0

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A photo of Samuel, front row second from right, taken in 1935. The Holocaust survivor was part of Great Britain’s Kindertransport program during World War II. <br><i>Photo courtesy of Ralph Samuel</i>

Holocaust survivor to speak in Brentwood
In l939, 7-year old Ralph Samuel’s parents kissed their son goodbye, put him on a transport plane to England – and saved his life. It would be the last time the German Jew would see his father and ...

Feb 02, 2012 | 0

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The California State Parks and Recreation Commission is expected to rename the Cowell Ranch/John Marsh property – which includes the John Marsh House – “Los Meganos State Park.” <br><i>Photo courtesy of Carol Jensen</i>

State park project moves ahead
The next hurdle in the ongoing quest to secure 3,600 acres near Marsh Creek Road in Brentwood as a state historic park is nearly complete. But for some proponents of the John Marsh Historic Trust, ...

Dec 29, 2011 | 1

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On the cover: East County’s Vasco Caves is just one of hundreds of place names explained by historian Bill Mero in his new book, “Shadows on the Hills.” <br><i>Photo by Ger Erickson</i>

Shining light on the Shadows
The history of place names in Contra Costa

Dec 15, 2011 | 0

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History Mystery solved
History sleuths love a good mystery, as evidenced by the responses to last month’s History Mystery. The featured postcard showed an unpaved road lined with trees and white, horizontal-board buildin...

Dec 06, 2011 | 0

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This photo of the Liberty Union High School Student Body Class of 1911 is just one of many treasured historical photos that appear in the 2012 East Contra Costa Historical Society calendar. <br><i>Photos courtesy of ECCHS
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Stroll memory lane in ECCHS calendar
Back by popular demand and just in time for the holidays, the East Contra Costa Historical Society (ECCHS) calendar is now available for purchase, and this year’s edition is better than ever. “We’...

Dec 01, 2011 | 0

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A pair of visitors can be seen in this photo of the Rose Hill Cemetery at Black Diamond Mines. Taken in 1939 by Zelma Myrick, the photo looks east toward the Somersville town site.<br><i>Photo courtesy of Traci Parent</i>

New book about old cemetery
A book published this year by the East Bay Regional Park District documents the history of Rose Hill Cemetery, now a part of Black Diamond Mines Regional Preserve in Antioch. The book by Supervisin...

Nov 17, 2011 | 0

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