My Trails into the Past

About a month before the wedding of my parents, Bill and Lea Hork, they stood on the piece of land where their first house was built. [1] The housing development was called Shore Acres in what used to be called West Pittsburg, but is now known as Bay Point. They look so happy. The story, as I remember it, was Lea’s parents, Pansy and Tom Johnston, put up the down payment for the property as a wedding present. The deed mentions only Bill, a single man, as the grantee. He purchased “lot no. 606, as designated on the map entitled ‘Shore Acres, Unit No. 5, Contra Costa County, California’.” [2] The grant deed was signed 4 Jun 1953, two months after their wedding and recorded six days later. The deed of trust gives the address of the property: 35 Wharf Drive, Pittsburg, California. The holder of the load was Bank of America. The loan was for $6,350. [3] What was the occasion of the photo? Was this the day Bill agreed to purchase the house from the developer? Was the down payment put ...