COLLEGE HISTORY TOUR

Click on an image to see a larger version of it.

Contra Costa Junior College District was established in a special election on December 14, 1948. State Assemblyman George Miller, Jr. was instrumental in obtaining the use of Kaiser Shipyard No. 3 and surrounding buildings from the U.S. Maritime Commission.
Byron O. Wilson, the County Superintendent of Schools, appointed the first governing board: Bert Coffey, Fred Abbott, Elton Brombacher, George Gordon and O.J. Wohlgemuth.

Drummond McCunn, the first superintendent of the District. The District Board of Governors, circa 1956.

Classes began at Contra Costa Junior College, West Campus on February 14, 1950. Beginning enrollment was 500 students.

The campus consisted of an assortment of wooden buildings, no grass, lots of blacktop, and a parking lot with a railroad line running through it (talk about problem parking!). It also had views of Point Richmond's hills and of the ships moving through the adjacent canal.

The cafeteria is the sole remaining building at the old campus. A commemorative plaque was mounted on February 14, 2000 - the fiftieth anniversary of the first classes held at "Shipyard Tech."

The lack of grassy slopes didn't impede student life. Students still held sports rallies,

found an audience for jazz band performances,

and participated in student government.

Faculty from the shipyard campus retained fond memories of working together in close quarters to get the new college started.

Text/photographs courtesy of the College Archives; THE ADVOCATE; John Diestler, Graphics Dept.; and Barb Ross, Public Information Officer.

Go to College Homepage
Last updated: 26 June 2002
Website maintained by Ellen Geringer egeringer@contracosta.cc.ca.us

	Contra Costa Junior College District was established in a special election on December 14, 1948. State Assemblyman George Miller, Jr. was instrumental in obtaining the use of Kaiser Shipyard No. 3 and surrounding buildings from the U.S. Maritime Commission. Byron O. Wilson, the County Superintendent of Schools, appointed the first governing board: Bert Coffey, Fred Abbott, Elton Brombacher, George Gordon and O.J. Wohlgemuth.
Drummond McCunn, the first superintendent of the District.	The District Board of Governors, circa 1956.
	Classes began at Contra Costa Junior College, West Campus on February 14, 1950. Beginning enrollment was 500 students.
	The campus consisted of an assortment of wooden buildings, no grass, lots of blacktop, and a parking lot with a railroad line running through it (talk about problem parking!). It also had views of Point Richmond's hills and of the ships moving through the adjacent canal.
	The cafeteria is the sole remaining building at the old campus. A commemorative plaque was mounted on February 14, 2000 - the fiftieth anniversary of the first classes held at "Shipyard Tech."
	The lack of grassy slopes didn't impede student life. Students still held sports rallies,
	found an audience for jazz band performances,
	and participated in student government.
	Faculty from the shipyard campus retained fond memories of working together in close quarters to get the new college started.