"The history of Pinole is as diverse as its population," says Pinole resident and Pinole Historical Society member Susyn Normington. "A museum makes it fun for all ages to appreciate our city and understand how it's been built over generations.”

OUR MISSION

The Pinole History Museum will enhance the preservation and collection of artifacts that represent Pinole history and culture. Museum exhibits and research opportunities will educate and inspire Pinole residents’ community affiliation and civic pride.

Pinole has a very interesting history. Interesting characters have lived here and interesting things have happened here — and continue to happen here.

Nevertheless, and despite the Pinole Historical Society’s programming efforts and outreach in the community — to be a “Museum on Wheels” — there are Pinole residents, many of them first-generation residents, who know nothing about their city’s history, in large part because there’s no place for them to go to learn about it.

The archival documents and artifacts chronicling the city’s history currently reside in members’ garages and attics, subject to varying temperatures and moisture.

Pinole needs a museum so people can visit to see our city’s history on display.

RELOCATION OF THE FARIA HOUSE

In 2005, the city relocated the Faria House, a farmhouse built around 1880 and one of the city’s most historic and beloved buildings, from its location near Interstate 80 to downtown Pinole, and dedicated it as a site for a museum.

The city purchased it from the Faria sisters — Dolores, Deanna, and Margaret —a decade previously.

For more than 20 years several Pinole City Councils declared their intent to create a museum in the Faria House, most recently in 2016.

These past councils raised expectations in the community that a museum would be located in the Faria House.

Many citizens and the Pinole City Council, which has dedicated the historic Faria House as a site for a museum, share the society’s goals. There is wide support in the city to preserve and protect the city’s heritage.

The museum board has raised more than $80,000 — a staggering amount considering there’s no current museum building and that fundraising activities were suspended in 2020 and 2021 because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Two hundred and forty citizens attended the last Pinole History Museum fundraising dinner in 2019. Pinole community members have clearly and emphatically demonstrated their support for a museum every time this matter has come before the current Pinole City Council.
 
Between 2018 and 2020, the city paid Interactive Resources, an architectural firm, approximately $100,000 for developing renovation plans and a cost estimate for the Faria House project, specifically for its use as a museum. That’s the actual language in the service contract. The city’s intent was clear.

Furthermore, in 2020 the city presented the Pinole History Museum board with a “Memorandum of Understanding and Cooperative Agreement” that included lease terms. The board approved it with two changes, and sent it back to the city for consideration.

The city council did not discuss it further, and did not approve funding to renovate the Faria House.

RENOVATION OF THE FARIA HOUSE APPROVED/RESCINDED

On June 7, 2022, the council approved hazard remediation and renovations of the Faria House to create a lower-level office and upper-level warm shell — a partial renovation. The council has not decided for what purpose the Faria House will be used. We are continuing to request the negotiation of a lease to use the Faria House — at least the first floor —as a museum

In February 2023, the council rescinded its allocation to renovate the first floor of the Faria House and assigned the funds, more than $400,000, to other projects.

HELP CREATE THE PINOLE HISTORY MUSEUM

Send an email to Pinole City Council members and/or publicly state that you support the Pinole History Museum at a council meeting (1st and 3rd Tuesdays of the month), Pinole City Hall, 2131 Pear Street. Meetings are open to the public and available on Zoom.
• Mayor Devin Murphy: dmurphy@ci.pinole.ca.us
• Mayor Pro Tem Maureen Toms: mtoms@ci.pinole.ca.us
• Councilmember Norma Martínez-Rubin: nmartinez-rubin@ci.pinole.ca.us
• Councilmember Cameron Sasai: csasai@ci.pinole.ca.us
• Councilmember Anthony Tave: atave@ci.pinole.ca.us
 

The Faria House