Port Costa School
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Why it's listed
Port Costa School is a two-story brick and stucco building set in a large schoolyard in the small Contra Costa County town of Port Costa. Residents voted in April 1911 to borrow $15,000 for its construction, which ran from August 1911 to March 1912, and classes began that August. It served grades 1-8 until 1966, and about 600 children graduated during its years of operation. It was the town's only school after two earlier schools were demolished. Architect William Wilde, a Danish immigrant practicing in San Francisco, designed it in Classical Revival style, with a four-column portico, pediment, dentiled cornice, and an open-book relief. Inside are a central hall, a divisible auditorium, and a glass-block floor skylight. The building keeps a high level of integrity, and a set of 1912 swings also contributes. It is the largest public building in Port Costa and shows how dignified, well-planned design served a rural community. It is currently unoccupied.
Significance in brief: The school was the only school in Port Costa from its opening in 1912 until it closed in 1966, educating about 600 graduates. It is also the largest public building in the small town and one of its few monumental buildings. It is a representative example of Classical Revival design by San Francisco architect William Wilde, suited to rural community needs.
Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 88000563, listed May 25, 1988. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | Plaza El Hambre, Port Costa |
|---|---|
| County | Contra Costa County |
| Listed | May 25, 1988 |
| Reference number | 88000563 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1912-1938 |
| Architect / builder | William Wilde |
| Architectural style | Classical Revival |
| Criteria |
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| Areas of significance | Education, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | The building is in good condition with high integrity and only minor alterations. A Keeper's amendment states it is unoccupied and no longer used for education, and lists its use as park and vacant. |
| Acreage | 2.2 |
| Coordinates | 38.04471, -122.18897 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
For a publicly owned building or structure, listing mainly matters when federal funds, permits or licences are involved: projects then go through Section 106 review so effects on the property are considered. Listing also strengthens applications for preservation grants and, for leased income-producing uses, can enable the federal rehabilitation tax credit.
Noted as vacant in the nomination. Nomination documents can be decades old; current status may differ. If you are considering buying an empty listed property, read the due-diligence checklist.
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 88000563.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7230567
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.