1842History
This grant was reconfirmed in 1842 as Rancho El Pinole.
1848Culture
In 1848, this area became part of the United States with the rest of California.
1850History
Contra Costa County was created in 1850 as one of California's original 27 counties.
1874Economy
The city's history was primarily shaped by the Hercules Powder Company, named after its main product “Hercules powder”, a specially patented (1874) formulation of dynamite, in t...
1879Architecture
In 1879, the company, backed by DuPont and the Laflin & Rand Powder Company created the Hercules Powder Company which purchased land for a new plant that opened in 1881.
1881History
The site of Hercules was first developed in 1881 as a manufacturing facility of the California Powder Works for the production of its patented dynamite formulation, Hercules pow...
1882Government
In 1882, the Hercules Powder Company was incorporated and assumed responsibility for the Hercules site.
1899Infrastructure
The Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railroad came through the area around 1899.
1900Government
The small company town that grew up near the facility subsequently became known as "Hercules", and was incorporated at the end of 1900.
1906Disaster
The explosives manufactured at Hercules played a significant and decisive role in the United States Army's efforts to contain the fires started by the 1906 San Francisco earthqu...
1908Disaster
Explosives manufacturing was indeed a hazardous industry in that era: in the first 38 years of operations in Hercules, 59 lives would be lost including 24 in a large explosion i...
1912Economy
The Sherman Antitrust Act would force Dupont to spin the Hercules Powder Company off as an independent company in 1912.
1914Government
A post office was established in 1914.
1917Economy
By 1917, the Hercules plant had become the largest producer of TNT in the country.
1944Disaster
Later, further deadly explosions would plague the plant in 1944, 1948 and 1953.
1964History
Explosive manufacturing was discontinued in Hercules in 1964 (neighboring Giant Powder stopped its operations in 1960).
1966Culture
In 1966 the Pacific Refinery company started operation on the shores of Hercules and served as large employer until its closure in 1995.
1970History
Per United States Census Bureau data, what was sleepy town of 252 in 1970 grew nearly 24-fold into a town of 5,963 by 1980 which tripled again into a town of 16,829 by 1990.
1974History
In 1974, the cessation of explosives production allowed hundreds of acres of protective “buffer” land (separated by large stands of eucalyptus trees, many of which still stand) ...
1976Economy
Eventually, the ammonia plant began to be outcompeted by foreign manufacturers, and this combined with labor issues, resulted in its permanent closure in 1976.
1980Architecture
Thirty-six buildings from this era still exist and were nominated to the National Register of Historic Places in 1980.
2000History
By 2000, the town began to level out to its current population of approximately 25,000.
2006Architecture
On May 23, 2006, the Hercules city council voted unanimously to use its power of eminent domain to prevent Wal-Mart from building the supercenter.
2009Culture
In 2009, the city purchased the land back from Walmart.
2014Crime
Based on 2014 FBI Data, Hercules had 1.12 violent crimes per 1,000 and 13.27 property crimes per thousand, lower than national and state averages.
2015Infrastructure
The waterfront, which has a planned rail/ferry station, is zoned for higher density transit oriented development with community retail, and a number of 3 to 5 story mixed-use de...
2016History
Another source, using the same data, classified Hercules as the 35th safest city in California in 2016, and 60th in 2017.
2017Military
== Economy ==
=== Overview ===
Hercules is primarily a suburban community, but is the headquarters of Bio-Rad, a Fortune 500 biotech company which as of 2017 had 7,800 employe...
2018Architecture
However, a new Hercules station is planned that will provide a stop along the Capitol Corridor line, the first phases of which were constructed by 2018.