A Walking Tour of Historic Dublin, California
By
Brandon Chapin, Boy Scout Troop 905
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Click map for larger view
Today Dublin, California is a growing city of over 35,000 people. But it wasn't always like this. Dublin's location at the intersection of two major stagecoach routes and later two major freeways has helped its growth as a residential and business community from the early days. Although East Dublin is growing faster than ever, there is a part of West Dublin that is full of historical significance. I have developed a short walking tour of this area for people to visit and learn about Dublin's early days.
To the left is a map that shows the location of the historic parts of my city, Dublin, California. Click on it fo a larger view.
Alamilla
Springs
Alamilla Springs (1)
Jose Maria Amador, born in 1784 at San Francisco Presidio, spent his early years in the Mexican Army as a soldier, explorer, Indian Fighter and was later administrator at Mission San Jose.
Amador was paid for his service with 18,000 acres of land. He received a grant stretching from what is now Danville on the north to Pleasanton, and from the crest of the western ridge to the crest of the east. It was known as "Amadors Ranch".
Amador Historical Marker
In 1826 Amador built his home about 300 feet west of the historical marker on the site of Alamilla Spring. He was the first settler in this valley and raised cattle, horses, grapes and grain on his "Rancho San Ramon".
He is the only man in California History to have a county, city, valley and school named after him. In 1883, Amador died and was buried in Gilroy, California.
Dublin started as a community in 1834. It was known as Amador's Ranch. It was made up of about 100 people, mostly Native American, that worked making blankets, soap, shoes, and leather goods for ranch use and for trade. They raised cattle, sheep, and food for the residents.
The Green Store
The Green Store (2)
The Green
store was built in 1860 by John Green. John Green came to Dublin from
New York. Mr. Green purchased Michael Murray's farm and built a mercantile
store and hotel. He became Dublin's first and leading businessman. By
1870 Dublin had two hotels, a store, a wagon and blacksmith shop, a shoemaker,
a school, a church, a Sunday school and was the crossroads for Bay Area
travelers. By 1878 the community was officially named Dublin, after Dublin,
Ireland.
This building has been in constant use as a business building. It began as a general store, changed into a neighborhood pub, was a restaurant and is now a church.
From 1914 - 1948 the northeast corner of the building was the Dublin Branch of the Alameda County Library.
In 1980 it was saved from destruction through the efforts of the Dublin Historical Preservation Association and was restored and expanded in 1984 by the Star Foods Corporation.
Old St. Raymonds Church
Old St. Raymond's Church (3)
Old St. Raymond's Church, built in 1859, is the oldest Catholic Church in the valley. Old St. Raymond's Church is the oldest Catholic Church building in Alameda and Contra Coata Counties. The land was donated as a church site by Michael Murray and Jeremiah Fallon who was one of the recuers of the ill-fated Donner Party in the Sierra.
In the 1940's the church went into disuse. In the 1980's upkeep and vandalism put the church again into disuse. Now the church is used for school field trips, weddings, baptisms, funerals, and celebrations.
Dublin Cemetery
Dublin Cemetery (4)
The Dublin Cemetery was established in 1859 when Tom Donlan fell to his death while building the Old St. Raymond's Church. It has today about 200 buried there.
James Dougherty and Dog (in front)
Many of Dublin's Founders who are buried in the Dublin Cemetery:
James
Dougherty
James Whitt Dougherty came to Dublin from Tennessee after several years
in Sacramento operating a store. He acquired 10,000 acres from Amador
and helped develop Dublin into a small farm community. By 1876 Dougherty
was the second largest landholder in Alameda County and was a member of
the Alameda county Board of Supervisors. When he died in 1907 he said
to have his dog buried at his feet. A small gravestone in front of his
marks his dog's burial spot.
Jeremiah Fallon
Jeremiah Fallon was born in 1815. Jeremiah was a shipbuilder and in 1838 he married Eleanor Murray. Two years later their son John was born and then three years later had twin daughters. One died at death and the other died of Measles at two. They had another daughter who they named Eleanor. When the baby was a year old they decided that they would move west with Michael Murray. They settled in Mission San Jose. In 1852 they decided to leave there and settled in the Dublin area. The Fallons bought 246 acres of land from Jose Maria Amador for $1,500. This land is now highway I 580. The Fallons had two more children, Ann and Daniel H. Fallon died in 1964.
Tom Donlon
Tom Donlan was born in 1834 in longford, Ireland. He pledged $50 dollars towards the making of the Old Saint Raymond's Church. In 1859 when he was building the church he slipped and fell to his death. He was 25. He was the first person buried in Dublin Cemetery, located right next to the church.
Michael Murray
Michael Murray came west with Jeremiah Fallon. He settled in Mission San Jose where he married Amelia and had three sons. In 1850 he bought 1000 acres from Jose Maria Amador. He had three schools, a school district, and a township named after him.
Old Murray School
Old Murray School (5)
In 1856 the Murray School District was formed and Murray School was built on Flanagan Way. It was soon apparent to the settlers that the ground it was on (which is where the Stoneridge Mall in Pleasanton is today) was subject to flooding. Soon thereafter, horses and oxen moved the schoolhouse to Dublin Canyon Road. Here it stood for 100 years. Eventually there were too many children for the one-room schoolhouse so more schools were built. With the widening of I-580 in the 1970's the schoolhouse was moved to a third and final destination in what is now the Dublin Heritage Center. It now serves as a museum.