The City of Brentwood Gets its Start

As it is today, the town of Brentwood in the 1940s was the most prosperous community in eastern Contra Costa County. Its residents were looking for better police protection, cleaner streets, better fire protection, better public health, and beautification of the town. The county seat and center of county services, then and now, was Martinez located more than 50 miles from Brentwood. A group of prominent citizens spearheaded the effort to incorporate under the auspices of the Brentwood Improvement Association.

The ad hoc association began its campaign to sign up the necessary number of property owners representing 25 percent of the assessed property valuation within the proposed boundaries.

Incorporation as a City is a legal process outlined under the Municipal Corporation Act of 1883, 6th Class. The procedure outlined in the 1883 statute (Channel 49, section 3, page 95), was still the methodology followed 65 years later by the members of the Brentwood Improvement Association and living within the 1878 Township of Brentwood. A petition signed by a minimum of 100 electors within the proposed boundary area was presented to the Board of Supervisors and approved.

An election was subsequently held within the Township of Brentwood. Citizens rallied to the idea and voted overwhelmingly “For Incorporation” in early January 1948. The Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors subsequently met the following Monday, Jan. 26, 1948, to validate the election by Board Resolution. That resolution was recorded by the California Secretary of State resulting in our community’s incorporation as the City of Brentwood effective Jan. 21, 1948.

There was one small problem. The attorney fees, cost of conducting an election, County Recorder’s fees and Secretary of State

Contributing Writers

Chase Wheeler

Carol A. Jensen

Julian Nixon

Rene De Amaral document filing fees totaled $100. Who was to pay? There was no tax or levy mechanism as yet for the town of Brentwood to assess its residents. Where to get the money? Bear in mind that $100 in 1948 is the equivalent to $1,241.37 in buying power today.

County Deputy District Attorney W. Blair Rixon was approached by the Improvement Association for ideas on how to acquire the necessary fees. He had an inspired idea. One afternoon, Attorney Rixon and Constable Charlie Barkley visited a local Brentwood madam at her place of business. The Deputy District Attorney let it be known to the proprietress that the two men had reason to believe there were illegal activities going on at the premises. The madam could either make a donation of $100 toward the incorporation costs and fees, or Barkley would arrest her then and there. Her appearance and conviction before the County Superior Court would probably result in a $100 fine and jail time. The woman surveyed the faces of the two men, opened the bottom drawer of her desk and reached for her purse.

Problem solved, money supplied, documents filed, costs paid and cityhood conferred.

[A true story as told to Kathy Leighton by Blair Rixon after his 1974 retirement as City Court/ Brentwood and Municipal Court Pittsburg/Brentwood Judge.]

Enjoy more history and stories about Brentwood in the 75th Anniversary Edition of Brentwood Through Time by Carol A. Jensen. The expanded edition covers the history of your home town with expanded coverage of the City of Brentwood as we enjoy it today. More than 150 original images that illustrate the 19th to 21st century resident experience. Available at the East Contra Costa Historical Society, Amazon and Barnes & Noble beginning mid-August 2023.