Nortonville

Nortonville is a ghost town in eastern Contra Costa County, California, founded in 1861 by Noah Norton. It was one of five towns that grew up around the Mount Diablo Coalfield, alongside Somersville, Stewartville, Judsonville, and West Hartley. The arrival of coal miners and their families driven by the opening of the Black Diamond Mine pushed the town's population up quickly, with activity reaching its height around 1882 before the local coal industry declined.

Visitors today find a ghost town site rather than a living community. The history of the place — its coal-mining roots, its role among the Mount Diablo Coalfield settlements, and its relatively brief arc from founding to abandonment — makes it a compelling stop for anyone interested in California's industrial and frontier past. Photography and quiet exploration of the historic setting are the realistic draws here.