Explore the hidden history of the black diamond mines in Antioch, California

ANTIOCH, CA — The Antioch Black Diamond Mines Regional Reserve offers visitors a unique opportunity to learn about California’s rich mining history.

“It’s not unusual to go to a park and go underground in a mine that was once a working mine,” said Jessica Koser, a naturalist with East Bay Regional Parks.

“Black Diamond Mines Provincial Preserve is definitely one of the hidden gems in the Bay Area, because it’s something most people have never seen before,” said Jacqueline Caldwell, a naturalist with East Bay Regional Parks.

Underground tours allow visitors to step back in time to explore how coal miners lived and worked.

“Working in a coal mine here was definitely a difficult and labor-intensive job,” Caldwell said.

“When you come in and see the rails on the floor, the wagons, the carriage offices, everything you see here is from the time period,” Cowser said. “Getting to experience what someone would have experienced almost a hundred years ago.”

Aside from coal, the Black Diamond Mines Reserve also shares an extensive sand mining history.

In 1920, Marvin Greathouse, president of the G. and M. Gravel Company, opened the Hazel Atlas Mine and began extracting silica sand for use in the glass industry.

“The sand here is high-quality silica sand that is not found in the beach sand common in the Bay Area,” Kauser said.

Whether it’s the history of coal or sand, the Black Diamond Mines provide visitors with an immersive experience. According to Caldwell, the mines still have more history to be discovered.

“One of the exciting things about this place is that we’re always learning more and discovering more history and sharing it with the public. I think that’s a really exciting thing that we get to do here,” Caldwell said.

Find more information here.