Walnut Creek, California

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Looking east across Walnut Creek. In the background is Mount Diablo

Walnut Creek is a city in Contra Costa County, California, USA, in the East Bay region of the San Francisco Bay Area. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 64,297.

History

Walnut Creek, was first known as "The Corners," where two roads leading from Pacheco and Lafayette met. This Corner is now known as the Mt. Diablo Boulevard and North Main Street intersection. The first settler of the area was William Slusher, who built a dwelling on the bank of Walnut Creek, which was then known as "Nuts Creek" in 1849. Today, Walnut Creek has been routed underneath downtown through a series of tunnels starting at the southwest end of Macy's and ending just southwest of The Cantina Restaurant. Slusher's dwelling was built in the area of modern-day Liberty Bell Plaza.

Downtown Walnut Creek, Main Street

Milo Hough of Lafayette built the hotel named "Walnut Creek House" in the corners in 1855. A blacksmith shop and a store sprouted up, and a year later, Hiram Penniman (who built Shadelands Ranch) laid out the town site and realigned today's Main Street.

In December 1862 a U.S. Post Office was established, around which the community was named "Walnut Creek." The downtown street patterns laid out by pioneer Homer Shuey in 1871-1872 are still present today.

On October 21, 1914, the town and the surrounding area of 500 acres (2 km²), were incorporated as the 8th city in Contra Costa County, California. Politically, Walnut Creek used to be a Republican stronghold, but is increasingly leaning Democratic.

Walnut Creek has recently undergone major development in its downtown area, which growing cities throughout the nation have looked to as a model.

Geography

Location of Walnut Creek, California

Walnut Creek is located at 37°54′36″N 122°2′51″W (37.909956, -122.047373)Template:GR. It is located in a large valley (The Ygnacio Valley)below the western slopes of Mount Diablo.

Walnut Creek as seen from Mount Diablo

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 51.6 km² (19.9 mi²). 51.6 km² (19.9 mi²) of it is land and 0.05% is water.

Local folklore

The Walnut Creek was rerouted in the 1970s by the U.S. Army Corp. of Engineers. Many believe that the Navy used this secret tunnel to traffic nuclear weapons from the nearby Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory to the Naval Weapons Depot in Concord. The tunnel system extends 5 miles under the city. The tunnels are said to continue to emit the radioactive remnants of a few tunnel "mishaps." While this is the story many local youth tell, the tunnels are real. Entrances are located near La Cantina restaurant, Macy's, 7-11, Las Lomas High School, and Rudgear Park and Ride.

Much controversy had erupted over the tunnels. The tunnels were originally kept secret from the public. It wasn't discovered until a few students who attended high school in Concord, CA compared different maps in early 2004. The older versions had the Walnut Creek running differently underneath the city.

A current, unrelated project is connecting a water pipeline through Walnut Creek to San Ramon. On November 9, 2004, the construction crew working on the pipeline struck an underground petroleum pipeline, sparking a huge explosion and fire that burned several nearby buildings. It also caused the evacuation of nearby Las Lomas High School, sent flames hundreds of feet high into the air, and killed five construction workers.

Open space

Canal trail near Walnut Creek Open Space

Walnut Creek owns more open space per capita than any other community in the state of California, except Palo Alto. In 1974, Walnut Creek voters approved a $6.7 million bond measure that allowed the city to purchase 1,800 acres (7 km²) of undeveloped hillsides, ridge lines, and park sites. Walnut Creek owns parts of Lime Ridge Open Space, Shell Ridge Open Space, Acalanes Ridge Open Space, and Sugarloaf Openspace. There is also open space in the retirement community, Rossmoor.

Demographics

As of the censusTemplate:GR of 2000, there were 64,296 people, 30,301 households, and 16,544 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,246.9/km² (3,229.6/mi²). There were 31,425 housing units at an average density of 609.4/km² (1,578.5/mi²). The racial makeup of the city was 83.89% White, 1.07% African American, 0.33% Native American, 9.36% Asian, 0.15% Pacific Islander, 1.96% from other races, and 3.25% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 5.99% of the population.

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Northgate community, looking towards Mt. Diablo

There were 30,301 households out of which 20.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 45.7% were married couples living together, 6.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 45.4% were non-families. 38.0% of all households were made up of individuals and 19.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.09 and the average family size was 2.78.

In the city the population was spread out with 17.6% under the age of 18, 5.2% from 18 to 24, 27.1% from 25 to 44, 24.8% from 45 to 64, and 25.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 45 years. For every 100 females there were 85.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 81.5 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $63,238, and the median income for a family was $83,794. Males had a median income of $66,482 versus $45,220 for females. The per capita income for the city was $39,875. About 1.7% of families and 3.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 3.1% of those under age 18 and 3.6% of those age 65 or over.

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Downtown Walnut Creek

Culture

The California Symphony (notable for its commitment to the performance of music by American composers) has been based in Walnut Creek since its inception in 1986.

In the best selling book "Devil's Teeth" about biologists who study Great White Sharks in the Farallon Islands off of San Francisco, a rugged scientist who "had hitchhiked through some of the most desolate places imaginable - Nicaraguan jungles, Indian slums, Samoan fruit bat colonies - (was) asked to name the least likeable place he'd seen in the world. He instantly pointed to an affluent California suburb: "Walnut Creek. No question.""

Points of interest

• Castle Rock Park
• Gardens at Heather Farm
• Mount Diablo
• Civic Park
• Dean Lesher Regional Center for the Arts
• Ruth Bancroft Garden
• Shadelands Museum
• Old Borges Ranch
• Broadway Plaza and Walnut Creek Downtown
• Lindsay Wildlife Museum

Famous citizens

• Randy Johnson, professional baseball player, was born in Walnut Creek.
• Jason Newsted, former bassist of the heavy metal band Metallica, currently lives in Walnut Creek.
• Christy Turlington, model, was born in Walnut Creek.
• Corey Duffel, professional skateboarder. born and raised in Walnut Creek
• Jeff Hunter, founder and head administrator of TOTSE

External links

• City of Walnut Creek web page
• Template:Wikitravelpar
• Wiki Travel page for Walnut Creek