Discovery Bay, CA

Discovery Bay is a coastal city located in the East Bay region of the San Francisco Bay Area, California. The population was 33,098 at the 2010 census. Discovery Bay is known for its natural beauty and rich history, as well as its affluent suburban neighborhoods and expensive homes.

The city's first inhabitants were the Ohlone people who lived there for thousands of years. In 1769, Spanish explorer Gaspar de Portolà led a party of Franciscan friars on an expedition to find a route to Monterey Bay. One of his men, José Joaquín Moraga, discovered the bay while exploring north of Point Reyes Station and named it after Juan Sebastián Elcano, viceroy of New Spain at the time. In 1839, American settler William Richardson erected a cabin on land he had purchased from Ygnacio Martínez de Anza. He called his property Rancho San Pablo y las Bolsas (Rancho San Pablo and Pouches). In 1850, John Dutton built a wharf at what became known as Richardson's Landing; this area became known as Dutton's Wharf. By 1851, several small businesses had opened in Discovery Bay including a general store operated by Charles Brown and a shipbuilding yard operated by Captain George Davidson.

In 1868–1869, during the American Civil War (1861-1865), Union forces under General Ulysses S. Grant occupied part of Discovery Bay while they built an extensive network of military roads throughout Northern California; this activity is commemorated by numerous historical markers throughout town. After the war ended in 1865, many former soldiers settled in Discovery Bay and began farming and ranching operations; this activity is commemorated by numerous historical markers throughout town.

In 1875–1876 James Lick built one of America's first major industrial plants in Discovery Bay: The Lick Manufacturing Company which produced soap products from lye obtained from salt marshes near Point Reyes Station (now Point Reyes National Seashore). By 1900 there were more than 1,000 residents living in Discovery Bay; most were employed in various related industries such as shipbuilding (Discovery Shipyards), soap production (Lick Manufacturing Company), fishing ( Pescadero Fish Company), agriculture (Richardson Farms), or retail sales (Richardson's Department Store).

During World War II (1939-1945) much development took place in nearby Berkeley due to wartime defense needs; however little new housing construction occurred within city limits until after World War II ended when families moved into newly constructed subdivisions such as Fairway Oaks and Woodcrest Heights near downtown Discovery Bay which had been developed between 1950-1960 by developers such as William Wrigley Jr., Harry Chandler Jr., Walter Hickel Sr., Joseph Eichler Jr., Donald Brenner Sr., Harold Kappelhoffer Sr., John Jovanovich Jr., Gordon Gettys etc.. Today much development has taken place outside city limits along State Route 1 adjacent to Highway 101 with prices escalating dramatically beyond reach for most average citizens with only wealthy professionals able to afford properties within city limits These developments have caused significant environmental concerns due to increased traffic congestion , water usage , waste disposal , loss of open space , etc...