The Aboriginal Population of Alameda and Contra Costa Counties, California

"The Aboriginal Population of Alameda and Contra Costa Counties, California" by S. F. Cook is a mid-20th century scientific work that closely examines the Indigenous people of Alameda and Contra Costa counties, their population size, their environments, and their relationships with European explorers and settlers. The book looks into the stories, trips, and culture of the area, specifically in the late 1700s. Cook starts by stating the goal of his research, which is to build on prior studies of California’s native populations. He stresses the importance of studying in detail a certain area where groups connected to the Costanoan language lived. Early in the book, Cook tells about important trips led by people like Fages, Anza, and Cañizares, who wrote about the native villages, numbers of people, and available resources they found. These first parts also show how different native tribes lived and their cultures, setting the stage to talk about how colonization and missions affected these communities later on.