Walnut Creek, California facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Walnut Creek, California
City
Shell Ridge Open Space
Flag Logo
Nickname(s):  "The Creek", "Dub-C"
Location of Walnut Creek within California
Walnut Creek, California Location in San Francisco Bay Area Show map of San Francisco Bay Area Walnut Creek, California Location in California Show map of California Walnut Creek, California Location in the United States Show map of the United States
Country	United States
State	California
County	Contra Costa
First settled	1849
Incorporated	October 21, 1914
Government
• Type	General Law
Area
• Total	19.77 sq mi (51.21 km2)
• Land	19.76 sq mi (51.18 km2)
• Water	0.01 sq mi (0.03 km2)  0.06%
Elevation	131 ft (40 m)
Population  (2020)
• Total	70,127
• Density	3,547.1/sq mi (1,369.40/km2)
Time zone	UTC-8 (PST)
• Summer (DST)	UTC-7 (PDT)
ZIP codes	94595–94598
Area code(s)	925
FIPS code	06-83346
GNIS feature IDs	1660120, 2412174

Walnut Creek is a city in Contra Costa County, California, United States. It's part of the San Francisco Bay Area, located about 16 miles (26 km) east of Oakland. In 2020, Walnut Creek had a population of 70,127 people.

The city is a central meeting point for major highways like I-680 (from Sacramento and San Jose) and SR-24 (from San Francisco/Oakland). You can also get there using BART. Walnut Creek shares its borders with cities like Clayton, Lafayette, and Concord.

History of Walnut Creek

Downtown Walnut Creek

Early Inhabitants and Land Grants

Long ago, three groups of Bay Miwok Native Americans lived in the area now known as Walnut Creek. These were the Saclan, Volvon, and Tactan tribes. They lived near the stream that the city is named after.

The land where Walnut Creek stands today was once part of large Mexican land grants. One of these grants, covering 18,000 acres (73 km²), belonged to Juana Sanchez de Pacheco. It was called Rancho Arroyo de Las Nueces y Bolbones. This name came from the main waterway, Arroyo de las Nueces (which means Walnut Creek in English), and the local Volvon people, also known as Bolbones. The creek was named for the native California Walnut trees growing there.

How Walnut Creek Began

After California became part of the United States, settlers started to arrive. A small community grew at a crossroads where roads from Pacheco and Lafayette met. This spot was called "The Corners." Today, this is where Mt. Diablo Boulevard and North Main Street meet.

The first settler was William Slusher, who built a home by the creek in 1849. In 1855, Milo Hough built a hotel called "Walnut Creek House." Soon, a blacksmith shop and a store opened. In 1850, Hiram Penniman planned the town and set up the main streets we see today.

Growth and Transportation

In December 1862, a Post Office was opened and named "Walnut Creek." In the early 1870s, pioneer Homer Shuey planned the downtown streets, which are still used today.

The arrival of the Southern Pacific Railroad in 1891 helped Walnut Creek grow a lot. On October 21, 1914, Walnut Creek officially became the 8th city in Contra Costa County. Parts of the old railroad lines are now the Iron Horse Trail, a popular path for walking, running, and biking. Today, the Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) system serves Walnut Creek with a station near Highway 680.

In 1951, the Broadway Shopping Center (now Broadway Plaza) opened. This was the first big shopping center in Contra Costa County. After this, the city's population grew very quickly, from 2,460 people in 1950 to 9,903 in 1960. Today, the population is over 70,000.

Geography and Climate

Where is Walnut Creek?

Walnut Creek is located at 37°54′23″N 122°03′54″W / 37.90639°N 122.06500°W / 37.90639; -122.06500. It sits in both the San Ramon Valley and the Ygnacio Valley, near the western side of Mount Diablo. The city covers about 19.77 square miles (51.2 km²), with only a tiny bit of that being water. The actual Walnut Creek waterway flows through tunnels under the downtown area.

Neighborhoods in Walnut Creek

Walnut Creek has a busy downtown area and many different neighborhoods around it. These neighborhoods vary in how much homes cost and what they feel like. Some are very charming and close-knit, while others are more rural with larger properties. Some areas are not officially part of the city but are still served by Contra Costa County.

Some of the neighborhoods in Walnut Creek include:

• Castle Hill
• Carriage Square
• Diablo Shadows
• Lakewood Area
• Larkey Park
• Livorna Estates
• Northgate
• Overlook
• Parkmead
• Rancho Paraiso
• Rossmoor (a community for people aged 55 and older)
• Rudgear Estates
• Saranap
• Summit Ridge
• Tice Valley
• Walnut Heights
• Walnut Knolls
• Homestead
• Creekside

Depending on where a neighborhood is, children might attend schools in different districts, such as Lafayette, San Ramon Valley, Walnut Creek, or Mt. Diablo Unified School District.

Open Spaces and Parks

Walnut Creek as seen from Acalanes Open Space

Walnut Creek has more open space per person than any other city in California. In 1974, people in Walnut Creek voted to spend $6.7 million to buy and protect these open areas. The city bought 1,800 acres (730 ha) of undeveloped hills, ridges, and park land.

Walnut Creek owns parts of several open spaces, including Lime Ridge, Acalanes Ridge, Shell Ridge, and Sugarloaf Open Space. The East Bay Regional Park District also manages Diablo Foothills Regional Park and Castle Rock Regional Recreation Area, which are both in Walnut Creek.

Walnut Creek's Climate

Walnut Creek has a warm summer Mediterranean climate. This means it has sunny, dry summers and mild, wet winters, which is typical for California's inland valleys.

In summer, it's usually sunny with no rain. Days start cool but warm up quickly, often reaching 80s Fahrenheit (27 to 32 °C). Sometimes, during heatwaves, temperatures can go over 100 °F (38 °C). In winter, storms from the Pacific Ocean bring much-needed rain. The city gets about 26 inches (660 mm) of rain each year. Snow rarely falls on the valley floor, but you might see it on nearby Mount Diablo.

The climate is great for growing many different plants and crops. You can grow citrus fruits, but it also gets cold enough for apples. The Ruth Bancroft Garden is a famous botanical garden in Walnut Creek that shows off many different plants that thrive here.

Getting Around Walnut Creek

Ygnacio Valley Canal Trail to Lime Ridge Open Space

Public Transportation

Walnut Creek has two Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) stations: the Walnut Creek station and the Pleasant Hill station. Both are served by the Yellow BART line.

The Central Contra Costa Transit Authority (County Connection) provides bus service throughout Walnut Creek and Contra Costa County. County Connection also runs three free shuttles on weekdays within the city. The Downtown Trolley (Route 4) goes from Walnut Creek BART to Broadway Plaza. Route 5 runs from Walnut Creek BART to Creekside. Route 7 goes from Pleasant Hill BART to Shadelands Business Park.

Bike Trails

Walnut Creek has two main trails that cross the city. The Iron Horse Trail runs north and south through downtown. The Contra Costa Canal Trail runs east and west in the northern part of the city. These trails, along with city bike lanes, make it easy to get around by bicycle for fun or for commuting.

Population and People

Who Lives in Walnut Creek?

According to the 2010 United States Census, Walnut Creek had a population of 64,173 people. Most residents were White (78.7 percent), followed by Asian (12.5 percent), and African American (1.6 percent). About 8.6 percent of the population identified as Hispanic or Latino.

The census also showed that 98.4 percent of the population lived in homes. About 20.9 percent of households had children under 18. The average household had about 2 people, and the average family had almost 3 people.

The population is spread across different age groups. About 16.7 percent of residents were under 18, and 26.6 percent were 65 or older. The average age in Walnut Creek was 47.9 years.

Education in Walnut Creek

Public Schools

Students in Walnut Creek attend schools in five different public school districts. The Walnut Creek School District serves students from kindergarten through 8th grade. It has five elementary schools, one K-8 magnet school, and one middle school in the city.

Other students attend schools in the Mount Diablo Unified School District, the Acalanes Union High School District, the San Ramon Valley Unified School District, and the Lafayette School District. The Walnut Creek and Lafayette districts feed into the Acalanes Union High School District for high school.

Here are some of the public schools located within Walnut Creek:

Walnut Creek School District

• Buena Vista Elementary
• Indian Valley Elementary
• Murwood Elementary
• Parkmead Elementary
• Walnut Heights Elementary
• Walnut Creek Intermediate
• Tice Creek School

Acalanes Union High School District

• Las Lomas High School
• Acalanes Center for Independent Study

Mount Diablo Unified School District

• Eagle Peak Montessori (charter elementary)
• Bancroft Elementary
• Valle Verde Elementary
• Walnut Acres Elementary
• Foothill Middle
• Northgate High School

Private Schools

Walnut Creek also has several private schools for students from preschool through high school. Some of these include:

• Berean Christian High School (Grades: 9–12)
• Contra Costa Christian Schools (Grades: PK–12)
• Fusion Academy Walnut Creek (Grades: 6–12)
• Garden Gate Montessori School (Grades: PK–K)
• North Creek Academy & Preschool (Grades: PK–8)
• Palmer School (Grades: K–8)
• St. Mary of the Immaculate Conception School (Grades: PK–8)
• The Seven Hills School (Grades: PK–8)
• Springfield Montessori School (Grades: PK–K)
• Walnut Creek Christian Academy (Grades: K–8)
• Wellspring Educational Services

Public Libraries

Walnut Creek has two public libraries that are part of the Contra Costa County Library system: the Walnut Creek Library and the Ygnacio Valley Library. The Ygnacio Valley Library, which opened in 1975, is also known as the Thurman G. Casey Memorial Library. The Walnut Creek Library Foundation helps support these libraries.

The old Walnut Creek Library was torn down in 2008, and a new, larger library was built in its place. The new library, which opened on July 17, 2010, is 42,000 square feet (3,900 m²) and has underground parking.

Economy and Businesses

Several companies have their main offices in Walnut Creek. These include Central Garden & Pet, which makes products for pets and gardens, American Reprographics Company, CSE Insurance Group, Maximum Games, and the PMI Group.

Fun Places to Visit

Community Center at Heather Farm Park in Walnut Creek

Walnut Creek offers many interesting places to visit and things to do:

• Tony La Russa's Animal Rescue Foundation (ARF): A place that helps rescue and care for animals.
• Bedford Art Gallery: An art gallery to explore different artworks.
• Boundary Oak Golf Course: A place for golf lovers.
• Broadway Plaza Shopping Center: A large outdoor shopping area.
• Castle Rock Park: A regional park with outdoor activities.
• Civic Park: A city park that has a seasonal outdoor ice skating rink.
• Heather Farm Park: A large park with a community center, Gardens at Heather Farm, and an all-abilities playground.
• Howe Homestead Park: Another local park.
• Lesher Center for the Arts: A performing arts center where you can see shows.
• Lindsay Wildlife Museum: A museum and rehabilitation center for local wildlife.
• Mount Diablo State Park: A large state park with hiking trails and amazing views from the top of Mount Diablo.
• Open space hiking/biking trails: Trails in areas like Acalanes, Lime Ridge, and Shell Ridge (which has a Fossil Hill trail).
• Old Borges Ranch: A historic ranch where you can learn about early farming life.
• Ruth Bancroft Garden: A famous garden known for its collection of drought-tolerant plants.
• St. Paul's Episcopal Church: Features a unique wooden chapel.
• Shadelands Ranch Museum: A historic ranch and museum.
• Walden Park Disc Golf Course: A course for playing disc golf.
• Walnut Creek Model Railroad Society: A place to see detailed model train layouts.

Media and News

Walnut Creek is served by The East Bay Times, a daily newspaper that used to be called The Contra Costa Times. The paper has a special section called "The Walnut Creek Journal."

Walnut Creek TV (WCTV) is the city's own TV channel. It covers local government meetings and community events. You can watch WCTV on various cable channels or on YouTube. Claycord.com is a popular independent news and talk blog for the Walnut Creek area.

Famous People from Walnut Creek

Many notable people have connections to Walnut Creek:

• Arthur Adams, a comics artist.
• Matt Anger, a professional tennis player.
• Dan Ashley, a journalist.
• Ruth Bancroft, a famous gardener who created the Ruth Bancroft Garden.
• Jessica Bowman, an actress.
• Tom Candiotti, a former MLB pitcher.
• Curt Casali, a baseball catcher.
• Joyce Chin, a comics artist.
• TJ Cox, a former congressman.
• Corey Duffel, a professional skateboarder.
• Amit Elor, an Olympic champion and world champion freestyle wrestler.
• Kyle Gass, a guitarist for the band Tenacious D.
• Lee Goldberg, a writer and TV producer.
• Mary Griffith, an LGBTQ+ activist.
• Ella Halikas, a model and social media influencer.
• Dan Haren, a former MLB pitcher.
• Brandon Harkins, a professional golfer.
• Jack Henderson, an artist.
• Marya Hornbacher, an author.
• Sabrina Ionescu, a basketball player.
• Kristian Ipsen, an Olympic bronze medalist in diving.
• Kyle Jensen, a baseball player.
• Randy Johnson, a Hall of Fame MLB pitcher.
• Persis Karim, a poet and educator.
• Matteo Jorgenson, a professional cyclist.
• Kira Kazantsev, Miss America 2015.
• Alexandra Killewald, a professor at Harvard.
• Richard L. Lieber, a muscle physiologist.
• Hans Lineweaver, a physical chemist.
• Tosh Lupoi, a football coach.
• Mark "Mad Dog" Madsen, a former NBA player.
• Kyle Newacheck, a co-creator of the show Workaholics.
• Jason Newsted, a bassist for the band Metallica.
• Aaron Poreda, a former MLB pitcher.
• Markie Post, a television actress.
• A.J. Puckett, a professional baseball pitcher.
• Jeff Richards, a writer and performer on Saturday Night Live.
• Bill Rigney, a former MLB infielder and manager.
• Lester Rodney, a journalist and civil rights activist.
• Katharine Ross, a film actress.
• Leslie Carrara-Rudolph, a puppeteer for Sesame Street.
• Greg Sestero, an actor and author.
• Justin Speier, a former MLB pitcher.
• Joe Starkey, a sports announcer.
• The Story So Far, a pop punk band.
• Christy Turlington, a supermodel and health activist.
• Lars Ulrich, a drummer for the band Metallica.
• Katie Volynets, a professional tennis player.
• Joseph R. Walker, a 19th-century explorer.
• Johnny Weekly, a former MLB outfielder.
• Wayne A. Wiegand, a library historian.
• Sherri Youngward, a Christian singer and songwriter.
• Parker Cannon, a singer and songwriter for The Story So Far.

Sister Cities

Walnut Creek has a program that connects it with two "sister cities" in other countries. Schools in Walnut Creek often have student exchange programs with these cities.

• Noceto, Italy
• Siófok, Hungary

See also

In Spanish: Walnut Creek (California) para niños