Port Chicago

Images of America: California

by Dean L. McLeod

Port Chicago was an all-American town and naval facility. Forged at the beginning of the 20th century on Suisun Bay in Contra Costa County, the navy town met its end during the Vietnam War, when it was sacrificed to preserve national security. Port Chicago was a place where no one locked their doors. It was a place of family, education, and religionand of parades and patriotism. When the town was built, nearly everyone who lived there was from somewhere else. But between 1908 and 1968, the residents created a close-knit community, which, despite the dissolution of the town through
eminent-domain proceedings, still survives today. Starting with the ports early days, continuing through the disastrous and mysterious explosion and subsequent mutinies in 1944, and ending with rumors of nuclear weapons and the controversial 1960s, this book traces the singular journey of a port town through the best and worst times of the 20th century.

128 pages, Paperback

First published September 17, 2007

Reviews

[Jim Blessing · Rating 2 out of 5]

The town of Port Chicago, CA had a terrible explosion during World War II that killed over 600 workers on the naval post (they were loading ships). It is likely that the huge explosion was at least partly due to the port's involvement with nuclear material from the Manhatten Project. The town of Port Chicago was taken over by the Navy in 1968 and destroyed probably due to unsafe materials.