The Blackhawk Community, California
Blackhawk, an unincorporated community of Danville, noted for its magnificent homes and famous residents, is located in the rolling hills of Tassajara Valley and boasts sweeping views of Mt. Diablo and the surrounding valleys. Built around the Blackhawk Country Club, Blackhawk is comprised of a luxury gated golf course community, plus six individual gated communities. While the homes in Blackhawk are mostly known for their grandeur, there are also condos, townhouses, and smaller tennis villas that are part of the community. In addition, Blackhawk is home to a convenient shopping plaza that offers residents fine dining options, boutique stores, a movie theatre and the world-renowned Blackhawk Auto Museum, which houses numerous classic cars as well as traveling exhibits from the Smithsonian. The community's magnificent homes and unmatched views make it quite a place to call home.
Blackhawk Ranch was established in 1917 by Ansel Mills Easton and his son-in-law William Q. Ward, in an area east of the San Ramon and Sycamore Valleys. The name came from a famous Irish racehorse named Blackhawk that Easton's family had once owned. The land passed through the hands of several owners, including Raymond Force (the owner of the Caterpillar Tractor Company), the Hawaii-based sugar and pineapple company Castle & Cooke and Howard Peterson (owner of Peterson Tractor).
In 1975, Peterson sold the land to Florida developer Ken Behring, who planned a housing development of 4800 dwelling units over 4200 acres (17 kmē) of land. Critics charged that the plan would have various negative impacts, related to urban sprawl, environmental damage and violations of the County General Plan. A group of environmentalists and local residents called Amigos de Diablo organized against the Blackhawk Development Corporation, but were sued for libel. The Blackhawk Development Corporation finally reduced the number of homes planned to 2400 and offered more than 2000 acres (8 kmē) of open space to Mount Diablo State Park.
Blackhawk is divided into six individual gated communities scattered along Blackhawk Rd, connected by a 3-mile (4.8 km) long jogging trail.
- Hidden Oaks consists of 206 homes and in 1978 was the first Blackhawk community to be completed. Most homes are on half-acre lots.
- Oakridge consists of medium sized homes ranging from 2000 to 3,000 square feet (280 m²), though a few large estates reside on the top of a private court.
- Saddleback, the second community completed, is home to some of the most lavish homes in the entire Blackhawk development, most lots being no less than 5 acres (20,000 m²) in size.
- Silveroak is an upscale condo complex.
- Silvermaple is designed around one of the main Blackhawk Country Clubs's golf holes, though no roads connect it to the rest of the main Blackhawk Country Club. It consists of medium sized homes.
- Blackhawk Country Club ("Main Gates") is the largest of the six communities.
Opened in 1979, Blackhawk Country Club is a highly exclusive 4,800 acre (19 kmē) country club community at the base of Mt. Diablo where luxurious residential neighborhoods are surrounded by thousands of acres of permanent open lands. Eagle Ridge Dr. gives way to a separate gate which leads to extremely exclusive estates, including the 28,673-square-foot (2,663.8 m²) Behring estate.
In the middle of Country Club West is the 6,904 yard (6,313 m) Lakeside golf course, designed by Bruce Devlin and Robert Von Hagge. The Lakeside course annually hosts the CVS Pharmacy LPGA Challenge, an event on the LPGA Tour. The newer 6,700 yard (6,126 m) Falls golf course, designed by Ted Robinson, winds through Country Club East. Blackhawk's Tennis Club includes 20 tennis courts, a clubhouse and a pro shop. The Blackhawk Swim Club includes a competition-sized pool, a spa and dressing rooms and offers instructional programs. The 25 acre (100,000 mē) Sports and Recreation Center includes basketball courts, outdoor volleyball courts, a children's play park, Olympic-sized pool, sports fields and an amphitheater.
- 4,800 acres (19 kmē) total
- 2,000 acres (8 kmē) contiguous designated for expansion of adjacent Mt. Diablo State Park
- 1,000 acres (4 kmē) for natural hillside, parks, golf courses and sports fields
- 2,400 home sites total
- 45 acres (182,000 mē) developed as a 450,000 square foot (42,000 mē) commercial center
Blackhawk Plaza is a shopping center located outside the Blackhawk Country Club. It includes retail stores, restaurants, a movie theater and two museums, including the Blackhawk Museum.