About Richmond, California

Richmond is a city located 16 miles northeast of San Francisco on the western shore of Contra Costa County. The city was incorporated on August 7, 1905 and became a charter city on March 24, 1909. Richmond is one of two cities, the other being San Rafael, California, that sits on the shores of both San Francisco Bay and San Pablo Bay.

During Gayle McLaughlin’s mayoralty, Richmond was the nation’s largest city with a Green Party mayor. As of the 2010 U.S. Census, the city’s population was 103,710, making it the country’s second-largest city named.

Richmond is best known for its unique history and role in the World War II home front effort. Between 1940 and 1945, tens-of-thousands of workers from all over the country streamed into the City to support wartime industries. The City was home to four Kaiser shipyards which housed the most productive wartime shipbuilding operations of World War II, launching 747 ships during the war. The City was also home to approximately 55 war-related industries – more than any other city of its size in the United States.

Today, the City is an important oil refining, industrial, and commercial, transportation, shipping and government center. The City operates a council-administrator form of government consisting six council members and a mayor – all elected at large to alternating 4-year terms.