Founded in 1927 by Gerald (Jerry) Gill and family, Marsh Creek Springs consisted of four picnic sections, over forty acres, four baseball diamonds, two swimming pools, a wading pool for children, a large dance hall, and two snack bars. At one time the grounds entertained 5,000 people on a weekend arriving in over 1,200 cars. In 1957 a cloudburst on the east side of Mt. Diablo sent a twelve foot torrent of water down Marsh Creek, destroying the park. Rebuilt that year, it was again destroyed in 1962 by a second flood. In 1964 the John and Eloise McHugh family purchased the area, known as section number one, and began restoring its beauty.