Walnut Creek

Walnut Creek is a city located in Contra Costa County, California, in the United States. It serves as a hub for its neighboring cities because of its location at the junction of the highways from Sacramento and San Jose (I-680) and San Francisco/Oakland (SR-24) and its accessibility by BART. Its active downtown neighborhood features hundred-year-old buildings and extensive high-end retail establishments, restaurants and entertainment venues.

History

Walnut Creek is named after the lone surviving walnut tree that was located on the corner of what is now Main Street. The city was incorporated on October 21, 1914. The first town settler was William Slusher, who built a dwelling on the bank of Walnut Creek, which was called "Nuts Creek" by the Americans in 1849.

Geography

Walnut Creek is located at 37°54′23″N 122°03′54″W. It's located in the San Francisco Bay Area. It is bordered by two local preserves: The Mount Diablo State Park and the Shell Ridge Open Space. The city has a total area of 19.8 square miles (51 km2), 0.06% of which is water.

Economy

Walnut Creek is home to several major corporations, including Del Monte Foods, Kaiser Permanente, and Heffernan Insurance Brokers. The city's economy is diverse, with a heavy concentration in retail, healthcare, and professional services sectors.

Education

The city is served by the Walnut Creek School District, Acalanes Union High School District, and Mount Diablo Unified School District. It is also home to several private schools, including Walnut Creek Intermediate, Las Lomas High School, and Northgate High School.

Transportation

Walnut Creek is served by a multitude of transportation options, including the Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART), several bus lines operated by County Connection, and an extensive network of bike lanes and pedestrian paths.

Notable people

Several notable people hail from Walnut Creek, including Olympic gold medalist Natalie Coughlin, actor Neil Patrick Harris, and author Meghan Markle.

See also

• List of cities and towns in California
• Contra Costa County, California