Pittsburg, California facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Pittsburg
City
The Boardwalk
Flag
Nickname(s):  "P-World" "The Burg"
Motto(s):  Gateway to the Delta!
Location in Contra Costa County and the state of California
Pittsburg, California Location in the United States
Country	United States
State	California
County	Contra Costa
Incorporated	June 25, 1903
Government
• Type	General Law City
Area
• Total	19.71 sq mi (51.05 km2)
• Land	17.64 sq mi (45.69 km2)
• Water	2.07 sq mi (5.36 km2)  10.11%
Elevation	26 ft (8 m)
Population  (2020)
• Total	76,416
• Density	4,332/sq mi (1,672.5/km2)
Time zone	UTC-8 (PST)
• Summer (DST)	UTC-7 (PDT)
ZIP code	94565
Area code(s)	925
FIPS code	06-57456
GNIS feature IDs	1659783, 2411430

Pittsburg is a city in Contra Costa County, California, United States. It used to be called Black Diamond, New York Landing, and New York of the Pacific. Pittsburg is an industrial suburb located on the southern shore of the Suisun Bay. This area is part of the San Francisco Bay Area. In 2020, about 76,416 people lived here.

History of Pittsburg

Columbia Steel plant in Pittsburg, established in 1910

Camp Stoneman Gate

The area was first settled in 1839. It was known as “Rancho Los Medanos.” This land was given to Jose Antonio Mesa and his brother Jose Miguel. They received it from the Mexican Governor Juan Bautista Alvarado.

In 1849, during the California Gold Rush, Colonel Jonathan D. Stevenson bought the land. He was from New York. He planned a town and named it "New York of the Pacific." General William Tecumseh Sherman designed the first streets. This spot was a popular stop for schooners. These boats traveled from San Francisco to the gold country. Fishing, farming, and raising cattle were the main jobs then.

Coal Mining and Fishing Industries

In 1859, coal was found nearby in Nortonville. Pittsburg then became a port for coal. The Black Diamond Coal Mining Company started operations. They built the Black Diamond Coal Mining Railroad. This railroad moved coal to the docks. These docks were called "Black Diamond Landing." The coal boom ended in 1885.

In the 1870s, commercial fishing became important. The Black Diamond Cannery opened. By 1882, ten canneries were in the Sacramento Delta. Fishing became a big industry. Many Sicilian immigrants worked in fishing. Their families have lived here for many years. In 1957, California stopped commercial fishing in the Delta. This ended the local fishing industry.

Pittsburg's Industrial Growth

In 1900, C.A. Hooper bought the land. He started many factories. In 1903, he created the Industrial Center of the West. Hooper helped the Columbia Steel Company open. In 1910, their California steel plant opened in Pittsburg. It started with 60 employees. They made steel parts for different industries.

In 1903, the town became a city. People voted to name it "Black Diamond." This was after the mining company. But in 1909, a new name was suggested. On February 11, 1911, the city was renamed "Pittsburg." This honored Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Both cities had a history in steel and mining.

In 1930, Columbia Steel became part of U.S. Steel. The Pittsburg plant grew a lot. It had 5,200 employees by the early 1950s. Later, U.S. Steel joined with a Korean company. They invested a lot of money. The Pittsburg plant became a modern steel mill. It was renamed USS-Posco. In 1999, it had 970 workers. It shipped over 1.6 million tons of steel each year.

Pittsburg's Growth and Development

The original town was on the Sacramento/San Joaquin River Delta. This was because it was a river port. Since the early 1900s, the city has grown inland. It also spread along State Route 4. This road is now a freeway. It helps people travel to jobs in the San Francisco Bay-Oakland area. The town of Cornwall, California was absorbed as Pittsburg grew. In 2000, the city had 56,769 people.

Camp Stoneman was built in 1942. It was a big military base. The United States Army used it during World War II and the Korean War. It closed in 1954. The first post office opened in 1868 as Black Diamond. Its name changed to Pittsburg in 1911.

Geography and Climate

Pittsburg is next to Bay Point, California on the west. It borders Concord, California to the southwest. Antioch, California is to the east. The Suisun Bay is north of the city. It connects the San Francisco Bay to the Sacramento and San Joaquin rivers.

Pittsburg's Climate

Pittsburg has a hot summer Mediterranean climate. This means it has warm, dry summers. It has mild, wet winters. The Mt. Diablo mountain range affects the weather. It creates a "rain shadow." This makes East Contra Costa County drier.

Pittsburg's Population

Population in 2020

The 2020 United States Census showed Pittsburg had 77,572 people. This means about 4,323 people lived in each square mile. The population was made up of many different groups. About 27.3% were White. About 15.2% were African American. About 17.8% were Asian. About 1.2% were Native American. About 1.0% were Pacific Islander. About 7.2% were from other races. About 14.2% were from two or more races. People of Hispanic or Latino background made up 43.2% of the population.

Population in 2010

In 2010, Pittsburg had 63,264 people. The population density was about 3,303 people per square mile. The city's population was very diverse. About 36.5% were White. About 17.7% were African American. About 15.6% were Asian. About 0.8% were Native American. About 1.0% were Pacific Islander. About 21.0% were from other races. About 7.3% were from two or more races. People of Hispanic or Latino origin made up 42.4% of the population.

Most people (99.5%) lived in homes. There were 19,527 households. About 45.3% of these had children under 18. The average household had 3.22 people. The average family had 3.64 people. The median age in Pittsburg was 32.5 years.

Population in 2000

In 2000, Pittsburg had 56,769 people. There were 17,741 households. About 42.2% of households had children under 18. The average household size was 3.17 people. The average family size was 3.59 people. The median age was 31 years.

The median income for a household was $50,557. For a family, it was $54,472. About 11.5% of the population lived below the poverty line. This included 14.1% of those under 18.

Pittsburg's Economy

Pittsburg's economy has long been linked to coal mining and industry. Today, major companies like USS-POSCO Industries are here. This company is a partnership between US Steel and POSCO from South Korea. Corteva also has plants in Pittsburg.

Top Employers in Pittsburg

Here are the top employers in Pittsburg as of 2020:

Arts and Culture in Pittsburg

Museums and Theatres

The Pittsburg Historical Museum opened in 1961. Since 2003, it has been in the old Pittsburg Post Dispatch building.

California Theatre

The California Theatre opened in 1920. It first showed live vaudeville acts and silent films. Famous performers like Flash Gordon played there. Cowboy heroes like Ray “Crash” Corrigan also performed. The theatre closed in 1954. It was later renovated for $7.6 million in 2008. Another $2 million was spent in 2022. Today, it has 981 seats. It features beautiful ceiling decorations.

Pittsburg Festivals

• Pittsburg Seafood & Music Festival: This is an annual event. It happens every September. It started in 1984.
• Pittsburg Jazz, Blues and Funk Festival: A celebration of music.
• Pittsburg Car Show: Held from May to September each year. It features cool cars and live bands.
• Holiday Parade: An annual event in December. It includes city leaders and the Pittsburg High School Marching Band. There are also fun floats.

Public Libraries

Pittsburg has a library. It is part of the Contra Costa County Libraries system.

Sports in Pittsburg

The Pittsburg Diamonds was a professional baseball team. They played in the Pacific Association. This team played from 2014 to 2019. Their home games were at City Park Field #1. The team stopped playing in 2019. Now, Pittsburg does not have an independent baseball team.

Education in Pittsburg

Pittsburg is home to Los Medanos College. This is a two-year community college. It is part of the Contra Costa Community College District. The college's name comes from "Rancho Los Medanos." This was a land grant from Mexico. "Los Medanos" means "The Sand Dunes" in Spanish. The college was finished in 1974.

Public Schools in Pittsburg

Pittsburg High School

Schools in Pittsburg are managed by the Pittsburg Unified School District. They include:

Private Schools in Pittsburg

• The Christian Center
• School of Saint Peter Martyr
• Spectrum Center

Transportation in Pittsburg

Pittsburg/Bay Point BART Station

Pittsburg has two BART stations. One is the Pittsburg/Bay Point station. It is near Bailey Road and Highway 4. The other is the Pittsburg Center Station. It is on Railroad Avenue and Highway 4. Tri Delta Transit offers bus service in the area. California State Route 4 goes through the city from west to east.

Notable People from Pittsburg

Sister Cities

Pittsburg has sister city relationships with:

• Isola delle Femmine, Italy
• Pohang, South Korea
• Shimonoseki, Japan
• Yahualica de González Gallo, Mexico

See also

In Spanish: Pittsburg (California) para niños