Tormey, California facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Tormey
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 Tormey
Location in California
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| Country | United States |
| State | California |
| County | Contra Costa County |
| Elevation | 20 ft (6 m) |
| GNIS ID | 1660016 |
| FIPS code | 06-79058 |
Tormey, once known as El Cierbo, is a small community in Contra Costa County, California, United States. Its old name, El Cierbo, comes from the Spanish word for 'Elk'.
Tormey is located between the towns of Rodeo and Crockett. It sits right next to a large oil refinery in Rodeo. This community is about 6.5 miles (10.5 km) west-northwest of Martinez. It is only 20 feet (6 meters) above sea level. Not many people live here; there are fewer than twelve homes. The former offices of the John Swett Unified School District were also located here.
Tormey's Early Days
Tormey started as a "company town." This means it was built by a company for its workers and managers. The company was the American Smelting and Refining Company, and the town was for people working at their Selby Smelter.
The old U.S. Route 40, now called San Pablo Avenue, runs right through Tormey. There's also an Old County Road that leads to a water reservoir. The Union Pacific Railroad (which used to be the Southern Pacific Railroad) runs along the bay side of Tormey.
In the 1940s and 1950s, the Tormey Store was very important. It sold groceries and even had a single gas pump for the residents. The Hogg family managed this store for many years.
The town is named after Patrick Tormey. He bought the land from the Ygnacio Martinez Rancho El Pinole estate. A post office was open in Tormey for a short time, from 1891 to 1892.
Where is Tormey?
Even though Tormey is an unincorporated area, people often say it's part of the Crockett hills. It is usually considered to be part of the larger Crockett area. The ZIP Code for Tormey is 94525. The phone area code for the community is 510. The mouth of the Cañada del Cierbo Creek is also found in Tormey.
