Walnut Creek is a city in Contra Costa County, California, United States, located in the East Bay region of the San Francisco Bay Area, about 16 miles (26 kilometers) east of the city of Oakland.

There are three bands of Bay Miwok Native Americans associated with the area of Walnut Creek (the stream for which the city is named):[8][9] the Saclan, whose territory extended through the hills east of present-day cities of Oakland, Rossmoor, Lafayette, Moraga and Walnut Creek; the Volvon (also spelled Bolbon, Wolwon or Zuicun), who were near Mt.

The city of Walnut Creek has developed within the earlier area of four extensive Mexican land grants.

The grant was called Rancho Arroyo de Las Nueces y Bolbones, named after the principal waterway, Arroyo de las Nueces (Walnut Creek in English), and for the local group of Volvon indigenous Americans (also known as Bolbones in Spanish).

As settlers from the United States arrived following US annexation of California after victory in the Mexican–American War, a small settlement called "The Corners" emerged.

In 1855, Milo Hough of Lafayette built the hotel named "Walnut Creek House" in The Corners.

[10] Pioneer Homer Shuey platted the downtown street patterns in 1871–1872 on a portion of one of his family's large cattle ranches.

Portions were adapted by East Bay Regional Park District for the Iron Horse Trail, which is used by walkers, runners and bikers.

Today, the Yellow Line of the Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) serves Walnut Creek with a station adjacent to Highway 680.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 19.8 sq mi (51.2 km2), 0.06 percent of which is water.

Walnut Creek – the actual waterway that runs through the town – has been routed underneath downtown through a series of tunnels.

Walnut Creek consists of a bustling, upscale downtown with established neighborhoods in its surrounding areas.

Neighborhoods range in affordability and feel, with some being exceptionally charming and tight-knit (e.g., Parkmead) while others are more rural and forested with homes on generous lots (e.g., Tice Valley).

In 1974, Walnut Creek voters approved a $6.7 million bond measure to acquire and protect open space: the city purchased 1,800 acres (730 ha) of undeveloped hillsides, ridge lines, and park sites.

In the winter, the jet stream moves far enough south so that Pacific storms can reach Walnut Creek, bringing much-needed rain – average annual rainfall approximates 26 inches (660 mm), with slight variations occurring in microclimates based on elevation and topography.

Both these trails, in addition to city bike lanes, make bicycle transportation feasible both for recreation and as an alternative commute.

On February 26, 2008, the city demolished the Walnut Creek Library, that was built in 1961 at the southern end of Civic Park.

The new library, designed by Group 4 Architecture, Research + Planning, Inc., has 42,000 square feet (3,900 m2) and an underground parking garage.

[30] Companies based in Walnut Creek include Central Garden & Pet (makers of the AvoDerm, Amdro, Kaytee brands, among others),[31] American Reprographics Company, CSE Insurance Group, Maximum Games, and the PMI Group.

Walnut Creek TV (WCTV) is the city's government-access television channel, covering local government and community events.

Claycord.com is the widely read independent news and talk blog serving the greater Walnut Creek metropolitan area.