Castro Valley's History & Mysteries

Images Of America - Castro Valley, CA An officer in the Mexican army bequeathed his name to the crescent-shaped basin once known as Castro's Valley. Driven to ruin by squatters, drought, and gambling debts, he sold a portion of his cattle ranch to Methodist minister Zachariah Hughes, who built a church and school in what is now Crow Canyon. The one-room, redwood school Hughes christened Eden Vale educated about 50 children until a group from the burgeoning town to the south, "Hayward's," stole it by wagon in the dead of night. Undaunted, Castro Valley, delineated from its now friendly neighbors by hills, Lake Chabot, and an independent spirit, built and fully supported its own Redwood School. It has now developed into one of the most populous unincorporated areas in the United States.

This comprehensive book traces Castro Valley's transformation from Native American land to a modern commuter suburb, utilizing a wide range of online databases, local archives, and personal contributions from descendants of early settlers. It explores the area's complex history, from Guillermo Castro's acquisition of Rancho San Lorenzo to its evolution through agricultural changes, intense chicken ranching, and gradual suburbanization during World War II and beyond. The book also examines societal issues like racial discrimination and efforts to incorporate Castro Valley as a city. Richly illustrated with rare photographs, maps, and biographies, it offers detailed appendices on road names, subdivisions, and agriculture, supported by over 1,000 references for further research. The final chapter discusses preserved, lost, and at-risk historical elements and reflects on the town's uncertain future amid California's housing crisis.

The Hayward area is a region in California made up of a city, Hayward, and two unincorporated towns, San Lorenzo and Castro Valley. The three communities share a common history, but each has unique individual stories--such as failed gold miner and entrepreneur William Hayward, who established a stagecoach stop and boardinghouse in 1851 that quickly attracted a diverse group of settlers and led to the establishment of the city of Hayward. Other legendary locals include Castro Valley historian Lucille Lorge, whose grandfather owned the first business in Castro Valley; English sailor Harry Rowell, who jumped ship in San Francisco Bay and was later known as the "King of the Rodeo" for his rodeo stock; and San Lorenzo Village developer David Bohannon, who changed the San Lorenzo farming area into a sprawling suburban center and the first planned community during World War II.

Hayward Area Historical Society Feb 26, 1981 — Recently a couple of articles describing life in Castro Valley was it was many years ago...By Kathrine Kaye