Daily Life in the Company Town
The towns of Pinole and Hercules were united by their economies and social life. Most of the workforce lived either in the company town of Hercules, or in Pinole, a twenty-minute walk away. There were no stores in the Town of Hercules, but Pinole had merchants, churches, saloons, a movie theatre and a bank. Thus, the payrolls of Hercules Powder supported Pinole’s merchants and institutions.
Children attended the Pinole-Hercules school up to grade eight. Hercules officials served on its Board. It was noted for strict discipline and high academic standards. After school, children roamed the fields, fished from the company wharves, played on the baseball field and the lighted tennis courts. Older children and the adults supported many social and fraternal organizations, whose traditions and annual events are fondly remembered.