Historical Timeline of Walnut Creek
The 1800s
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1849
First settler William Slusher builds house on Nuts Creek. -
1850
California becomes the 31st state. -
1852
Population of The Corners: 7 -
1855
Milo Hough builds first hotel and store called The Walnut Creek House, first known use of the English for Arroyo de las Nueces, the name first given the creek by the Spanish. -
1856
Hiram Penniman lays out first town site and realigns what is to become Main Street. -
1860
Central School District established. -
1862
Corners is renamed Walnut Creek when U.S. Post Office is established. -
1867
The Walnut Creek House burns down; it is later rebuilt. -
1869
Methodist Church is established.
Voters reject two ballot measures to establish a school. -
1870
Population: 94 -
1871
Albert Sherburne takes over former Peel store after Lawrence Peel dies.
First grammar school, Walnut Creek Central School, built at end of School (Locust) Street. -
1872
Oldest-known photograph of Walnut Creek taken of Sherburne store on Main Street.After filing subdivision map in 1871, Homer Shuey lays out larger subdivision, establishing street pattern for present-day downtown Walnut Creek.Walnut Creek Methodist Church built.
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1878
Presbyterian Church established. -
1879
Sherburne store burns down.W.B. Rogers builds Rogers Hotel at corner of Main and Walker (now Duncan) Streets. -
1880
Population: 300
Sherburne store rebuilt and survives to be oldest commercial building on Main Street. -
1881
Concord telephone exchange established. -
1882
Walnut Creek Independent newspaper established. -
1884
St. Mary’s Catholic Church and Walnut Creek Presbyterian Church built. -
1889
St. Paul’s Episcopal Church opens. -
1890
Population: 447 -
1891
Southern Pacific inaugurates train service to Walnut Creek. -
1894
Walnut Creek Sentinel newspaper begins, lasts 4 months. -
1897
Population: 450
First city baseball team organized to play teams from nearby towns. -
1898
Walnut Creek Red Cross chapter founded by Eva Leech. -
1899
Telephone exchange has six subscribers.
Francisco “Frank” Borges buys 700-acre cattle ranch in hills south of Ygnacio Valley.