MARTINEZ FUN FACTS Did You Know That… For more than 150 years, Martinez has served as the county seat for Contra Costa County. Martinez is the bocce ball capital of the United States with hundreds of bocce ball enthusiasts playing on City leagues. Martinez is the birthplace of Joe DiMaggio, famous New York Yankee slugger. You can see his boat, “Joltin' Joe“, at the Marina. Home of the martini – this famous cocktail was first invented and poured here in 1874 to a thirsty gold miner. Martinez may just be the next Ashland with thousands of theater-goers flocking to our 1,000-seat Marina Amphitheater and a new 500-seat indoor theater on the way. 38 trains a day pull into our Amtrak Intermodal Station, connecting Martinez to the region and the North Concord and Pleasant Hill BART stations. Before 2015, Martinez will grow by 7,000 new residents and add 2,800 new jobs. Martinez’ historic waterfront is getting a facelift. Stay tuned for improvements to the ferry plaza and exciting new opportunities for waterfront restaurants. Selected as a “Tree City USA”, Martinez was honored for its extensive planting and care of trees. You can visit John Muir’s Home right here in Martinez. It’s a National Historic Site.