El Sobrante, Contra Costa County, California facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
El Sobrante
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San Pablo Dam Road, looking eastward through El Sobrante
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 El Sobrante, Contra Costa County, California
Location in California
El Sobrante, Contra Costa County, California
Location in the United States
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| Country |  United States |
| State |  California |
| County | Contra Costa |
| Area | |
| • Total | 2.765 sq mi (7.16 km2) |
| • Land | 2.765 sq mi (7.16 km2) |
| • Water | 0 sq mi (0 km2) 0% |
| Elevation | 187 ft (57 m) |
| Population
(2010)
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| • Total | 12,669 |
| • Density | 4,581.9/sq mi (1,769.1/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-8 (PST) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-7 (PDT) |
| ZIP codes |
94803, 94820
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| Area code(s) | 510, 341 |
| FIPS code | 06-22454 |
| GNIS feature IDs | 1658484, 2408062 |
El Sobrante is a community in Contra Costa County, California, United States. Its name comes from a Spanish word meaning "The Surplus." In 2010, about 12,669 people lived here. It is a "census-designated place" (CDP), which means it's a community that the government counts for the census, but it's not officially a city or town.
Contents
Exploring El Sobrante's Location
El Sobrante is located in Contra Costa County. It covers about 2.8 square miles of land. There is no water area within its borders.
The community is not an official city. It is part of Contra Costa County. Important roads include San Pablo Dam Road, Valley View Road, and Appian Way. San Pablo Dam Road goes through El Sobrante and past the San Pablo Reservoir. Both San Pablo Dam Road and Appian Way connect to Interstate 80 to the west.
The San Pablo Creek also runs through El Sobrante. It flows next to San Pablo Dam Road and the local library.
A Look Back: El Sobrante's History
Early People and Spanish Influence
Around 5,000 to 1,000 BC, the Huichin people lived in this area. They were an Ohlone tribe. One of their villages was located where the El Sobrante Library is today. The Huichin left behind a shell mound near San Pablo Creek. Ohlone people still live in the Bay Area today.
In the late 1700s, Spanish missionaries came to the area. They introduced Christianity to the Huichin people. Many Huichin became sick from European diseases. They also faced food shortages. This led to many deaths and escapes from the missions.
Land Grants and New Names
After Mexico became independent from Spain, land was given to Spanish colonists. One of these was Rancho El Sobrante. It was given to Juan Jose and Víctor Castro in 1841. The rancho's borders were tricky because they depended on other land grants. This is why it was called el sobrante, meaning "the remaining area" or "the surplus."
Legal problems about the land lasted for 40 years. Much of the land was sold to pay for court costs. Victor Castro ended up with 549 acres. He built a home in what is now El Cerrito. He was also one of the first members of the Board of Supervisors for Contra Costa County. Castro passed away in 1897 at age 90. Some of his family still live near Castro Ranch Road.
In 1887, El Sobrante was called "Oak Grove." This was when the California and Nevada Railroad built a track there. They used it to carry lumber from the hills. The name "Sobrante" was used later. The "El" was added when the first post office opened in 1941.
By the early 1900s, Rancho El Sobrante was divided into smaller ranches. As roads were paved and homes were built, El Sobrante changed. It went from a rural area to a semi-rural community.
Understanding El Sobrante's Population
| Historical population | |||
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| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| U.S. Decennial Census | |||
Population in 2020
The 2020 Census counted 15,524 people in El Sobrante.
- About 5,545 people were White.
- About 2,915 people were Asian.
- About 1,817 people were African American.
- About 292 people were Native American.
- About 100 people were Pacific Islander.
- About 2,603 people were from other races.
- About 2,252 people were from two or more races.
- About 4,646 people were of Hispanic or Latino background.
El Sobrante has a growing Sikh community. The Gurdwara Sahib of El Sobrante is a Sikh temple. It is known for its large golden dome. It sits high in the hills above San Pablo Dam Road.
Learning and Libraries in El Sobrante
El Sobrante is part of the West Contra Costa Unified School District. The Contra Costa County Library has a branch in El Sobrante. This library opened in 1961. It was made bigger in 1975, doubling its size.
Schools in El Sobrante include:
- Juan Crespi Middle School, named after Juan Crespí.
- Catalyst Academy.
- East Bay Waldorf School.
- Sheldon Elementary School.
El Sobrante in Pop Culture
El Sobrante has been mentioned in songs and has ties to famous people.
- Musician Les Claypool mentioned El Sobrante in his 1996 song "El Sobrante Fortnight."
- Green Day's former drummer, John Kiffmeyer, used "Al Sobrante" as his stage name.
- The band Jawbreaker calls the town "El Sob" in their song "Boxcar."
- Primus also mentions it in their song "Jerry Was a Race Car Driver."
Notable People from El Sobrante
Many talented people have lived in El Sobrante.
- Musicians: Kirk Hammett of Metallica, Les Claypool and Larry "Ler" LaLonde of Primus, and John Kiffmeyer (Al Sobrante) of Green Day all grew up here. Many of them went to De Anza High School. These musicians often have connections. For example, Hammett and Claypool were friends as kids.
- Comic Book Artists: Many famous comic book artists have come from El Sobrante. These include Joel Beck and Roger Brand. Later artists include Landry Walker, who worked on Batman and Star Wars comics. Eric Jones, who worked on Batman and Supergirl, also grew up here. Chris Fenoglio, a Star Wars comics artist, was raised in El Sobrante too.
- Other Notable Residents: Flo Allen, an artist's model, lived in El Sobrante. Judy Malloy, a pioneering writer of hypertext, lived here from 1995 to 2013. She wrote much of her work while living in El Sobrante.
Images for kids
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Gurdwara Sahib of El Sobrante
See also
In Spanish: El Sobrante (condado de Contra Costa) para niños
