Berkeley Parents Network: Living in Crockett

Berkeley Parents Network

Living in Crockett

Berkeley Parents Network > Reviews > Housing, Neighborhoods, & Moving > Living in Crockett

Feb. 2003

We consider moving to Crockett. Does anyone of you live there or knows somebody who lives there? I would like to know something about the community in Crockett and the commute from there to Berkeley. Is the commute really bad? Unfortunately I have to drive at the rush-hours. I have to be at the Gilman exit at 8:45a.m. and would go back either at 4:00p.m. or at 5:45p.m., which probably doesn't make a difference. Thanks for any response. Christiane

I live in Crockett, and love it. I used to commute to downtown Berkeley, and if you get off at the Gilman street exit, it's not a bad commute at all - the real buildup starts right around Gilman. Actually, if you can somehow arrange to start your job just 15 minutes later or so, it really makes a difference in traffic on that particular commute.

Crockett in general is a really nice place to live. It truly is a small town, and all the businesses are small, locally-owned. There is an active playgroup, a small but nice library, a park with a good playground, and a pool that is open in the summers. The people are nice, and the views are amazing. You are very welcome to contact me with any questions, concerns, etc, or if you just want to meet someone in town! Emma

Crockett has a wonderful, strong Catholic community. We are not Catholic, and felt a *little* like outsiders when we lived there. They have wonderful, dedicated teachers, but school scores are not so great right now. The elementary school is in Rodeo and within sight of an oil refinery. In the event of a chemical emmision (it happened a while back, I recommend you research this for yourself) children and residents have been instructed to shelter in place. The high school mascot is an Indian despite efforts to change it. The views are excellent, dynamic and lovely, but the steep hills mean you do a lot of driving (putting more wear and tear on your car) or you must have legs like a mountain goat. I don't know how long it takes to drive to Gilman at rush hour, but it took around 30 minutes to the Del Norte BART at 5:30 a.m. when we lived there. A new bridge is being built across the Carquinez Straight, which is disruptive but fascinating to watch. The people really care about their community and are nice. There are organizations you can join, including the humorously-named CIA (Crockett Improvement Association). Housing prices are relatively affordable, a boon to first time buyers. As a C&H company town, most of the older folks used to work there and the history is quite interesting. Depending on the part of town, you can hear the C&H whistle at various times of day, the passing trains and the foghorns. Go and visit, picnic at a park, walk the hills and see how you like it (this actually goes for anyplace you may decide to live). good luck

I just wanted to apologize for my earlier post about Crockett. Upon reading it a few days later, I noticed it had a rather negative tone, which was not my intent. (I wanted it to be balanced). It really is a special place, a small-town gem, a rarity in the bay area. It will always have a special place in my heart. good luck

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