Point Pinole, California

Point Pinole is a 2,300 acre park on the site of a large explosives plant. In 1892, after disastrous explosions at two San Francisco sites, and another at the relocated plant in Albany (the current site of Golden Gate Fields), the Giant Powder Company relocated here and stayed until 1960. Giant was the first American company licensed to use Alfred Nobel's newly patented product: Dynamite. In 1915 Giant was bought by the Atlas Powder Company. With the invention of ammonium nitrate explosives in the 1940's, the plant slowly became obsolete. Walt Disney bought the narrow gauge railway that moved explosives around the plant, and installed it at his new amusement park, Disneyland. When the plant finally closed in 1961, NASA considered building its mission control center here, though Houston was ultimately chosen. Bethlehem Steel bought the site, intending to build a large steel plant, a plan which came to naught as well. Instead, it was sold to the regional park district, in 1971. Ruins of the various components of the delicate explosives manufacturing process remain throughout the park, mostly earthen explosion deflection berms and railway roadbeds.