Friends,
Let me first state that I believe East Bay Native population estimates are grossly understated.
In my opinion, there were Indians everywhere there was fresh water flowing.
Take a moment to look at this map of the San Pablo Dam Sites between Orinda and San Pablo that was produced sometime in the early 1970s by the Marin County Archaeological Society before the Reservoir was filled.
We were recently hiking near the cluster of 11 San Pablo Dam Sites sites that are now all underwater and wondering how many people could have been living in what would have been an idyllic environment along that 4-5 mile stretch of San Pablo Creek.
These sites were all still visible in the late sixties, and would have been inhabited until the late 1700s.
We think several hundred people could have easily been living year round In this area alone for thousands of years.
Assume as we do that all the Major East Bay Sites listed are only a small fraction of what actually existed pre-contact and extrapolate from there.
Riparian Corridor Splendor
Today, and for thousands of years.
Oaks, Bays, Sycamores and more. Fish and game galore.
Very nice walking and hiking all around the San Pablo Reservoir. You can even rent boats.
