Marsh Creek State Park (California)

Marsh Creek State Park
John Marsh House in Marsh Creek State Park, California
Photo date August 30, 2012.
LocationContra Costa County, California
Nearest cityBrentwood, California
Area3,659 acres (14.81 km2)[1]
DesignationState Historic Park
DesignatedJanuary 27, 2012 (2012-01-27)
Governing bodyCalifornia Department of Parks and Recreation
www.parks.ca.gov?page_id=525

Marsh Creek State Park is a State Historic Park in east Contra Costa County, California, United States.[2] about 3.3 miles (5.3 km) south of downtown Brentwood. The park, named for the creek flowing through the property, contains the historic stone John Marsh house, ranching buildings, and numerous pre-historic archaeological sites. The creek is named for the ranch's former owner and California pioneer John Marsh (1799–1856), who was a doctor, rancher, landowner and the first non-Hispanic European to settle in what is now Contra Costa County, California.[3] The park is not yet open to the public.

The park is significant for many reasons. It represents the Mexican period in California history, was an important site for the Miwok and other Native American people, was home of vaqueros, was the end point of the California Trail (with the first party over the Sierra Nevada coming directly to the John Marsh rancho at his invitation), and its archaeological site has produced artifacts going back 7,000 years. It has been identified by the Sacramento Archaeological Society as being the most important archaeological site in the California State Park system.[4][5][6][7]

  1. ^ California Department of Parks and Recreation (January 2012). "Marsh Creek General Plan and Program Environmental Impact Report" (PDF).
  2. ^ "Marsh Creek State Park." California Department of Parks and Recreation." January 27, 2012. Retrieved January 2015.
  3. ^ King, Paula. "State's newest park near Brentwood is named Marsh Creek State Park." Contra Costa Times. January 27, 2012. Retrieved January 25, 2015.
  4. ^ Lyman, George D. John Marsh, Pioneer: The Life Story of a Trail-Blazer on Six Frontiers, pp. IX, 209, 231, The Chautauqua Press, Chautauqua, New York, 1931.
  5. ^ Winkley, John W. Dr. John Marsh: Wilderness Scout, pp. 60-2, Contra Costa County Historical Society, Martinez, California, 1962.
  6. ^ Marsh Creek State Park General Plan and Program Environmental Impact Report," California Department of Parks & Recreation/City of Brentwood, California, January 2012. (https://www.parks.ca.gov/pages/21299/files/mcsp%20final%20gp.pdf). Accessed February 22, 2020.
  7. ^ "Marsh Creek – Ancient Stratigraphy at a Windmiller site – April 2010." Sacramento Archaeological Society, Inc. Accessed March 5, 2017.