Marsh Creek State Park (California)

Marsh Creek State Park is a State Historic Park in east Contra Costa County, California, United States. 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. 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.