TractTales | Neighborhood history of the Tri-Valley

Developed by H.C. Elliott between 1970 and 1976, Vintage Hills occupies roughly 139 acres on what was once vineyard-covered terrain. With 472 homes overlooking the Amador Valley, the neighborhood quickly became a coveted spot for buyers looking for charm, views, and something just a little different. From an August 1970 Oakland Tribune ad—a world apart at its grand opening—where the views were sweeping, the model complex was miles away, and the dream was worth the detour. Where is Vintage Hills in Pleasanton? Annotated aerial map of H. C. Elliott's homes in the Vintage Hills neighborhood in Pleasanton, California. Base imagery from Google Maps . The grand opening & early sales Vintage Hills launched with a grand opening on August 23, 1970, but homes weren’t actually sold on-site. Early sales were conducted through Elliott’s Pleasanton Meadows office—freeway-close, but nowhere near the hills. Prospective buyers had to follow a winding trail of turns to get there, making the...

When Vintage Hills opened in Pleasanton in 1965, the subdivision marketed itself differently from many early Tri-Valley tract developments. Built on land once part of Kottinger Ranch, Vintage Hills emphasized larger homes, elevated lots, walkable access to downtown, and what advertisements called a “return to gracious living.” The development began under Perma-Bilt Enterprises before Boise-Cascade Corporation took over expansion later in the decade, gradually increasing home sizes and repositioning parts of the neighborhood under the name Pleasanton Heights. By the end of the 1960s, Vintage Hills had become one of Pleasanton’s defining suburban hillside developments. From a December 1965 Oakland Tribune ad—Vintage Hills "in-town" location, walkable to downtown, offered buyers an experience that wasn't thought possible anymore.   Where is Vintage Hills in Pleasanton? Annotated aerial map of the Boise-Cascade tract in the Vintage Hills neighborhood in Pleasanton, Cal...