The Genesis of North California Boulevard – Mount Diablo Boulevard to the Walnut Creek Station

The genesis of North California Blvd. can be traced to the reconfiguration of roads, the abandonment of the SN right-of-way, and construction of BART that occurred from the late 1950s to the early 1970s between Mount Diablo Blvd. and Main St. North view from Ygnacio Valley Rd. to Main St., circa 1972.

L34-05-BART Photo, Courtesy John Harder, (Image 1 of 23)

Taken from this north view circa 1946 of Walnut Creek., left panel, this detail, right panel, shows no roads between the SN crossing of Mt. Diablo Blvd., green arrow, until East St. began at Cole Ave., orange arrow.

L34-10-Sappers Collection, Courtesy BAERA, Western Railway Museum Archives, 82002cv, (Image 2 of 23)

The southern end of the boulevard at Mount Diablo Blvd. owes its origins to the SN right-of-way. In the 1920s, the stretch between Mt. Diablo Blvd. and the SN station and freight depot consisted of undeveloped land to the west, and Standard Oil, the Tank House, and California Poultry Association as major landmarks to the east.

L34-15-Courtesy California Board of Equalization, 862-7-3F, (Image 3 of 23)

This west view from 1946 provides landmarks prior to the creation of North California Blvd. The blue dot marks the most southerly building of the Contra Costa County Walnut Growers Association, CCCWGA, while the red dot marks a building in which ice and beer were sold. The SN right-of-way is marked by the yellow arrows. Cypress Ave. is now called Cypress St., but it will be referred to by the former, date-appropriate name.

L34-20-Courtesy Contra Costa County Historical Society, 4392 Detail, (Image 4 of 23)

The section between Mt. Diablo Blvd. and Bonanza St. are shown in this April 9, 1953 west aerial view. The construction of commercial buildings on the west side of the SN right-of-way represents the most noticeable changes relative to the previous 1946 aerial L34-15.

L34-25-Copyright California Department of Transportation, 3299-3 Detail, (Image 5 of 23)

A complementary east view circa 1955-56 to L34-20. Detail. Ref. #45, BANC PIC 1993.004 CC-C19-87

L34-30-Clyde Sunderland Photo, Courtesy of The Bancroft Library, University of California, Berkeley, (Image 6 of 23)

Now to begin ground images, starting with this 1924 southeast view of the right-of-way and the Standard Oil operation. The mainline is in the foreground, and the siding along Granger St. serving the oil company is seen to the east. In the background, to the east beyond the fence, a pole for an additional siding serving the sheds of a lumber yard can be appreciated.

L34-35-Sappers Collection, Courtesy BAERA, Western Railway Museum Archives, 35798sn, (Image 7 of 23)

A south view down Granger St. circa 1950 shows the terminal portion of the siding to Standard Oil with Mt. Diablo Blvd. in the background.

L34-37-Moreau Collection, Courtesy BAERA, Western Railway Museum Archives, 133084sn, (Image 8 of 23)

Today you would need to be standing inside 1333 N. California Blvd. to reproduce this northeast view from the mid-1950s of a SN 1005 and Salt Lake & Utah parlor car 751 excursion as it winds around the Standard Oil tanks. The cross buck at the far left represents the crossing of Cypress Ave.

L34-40-Tom Gray Photo, Courtesy Tom Gray, (Image 9 of 23)

Two sidings converged with the SN mainline just north of Cypress Ave., and a new siding was started to the east. Note where houses begin on the west or left side. Northeast view, circa 1940s.

L34-45-Courtesy BAERA, Western Railway Museum Archives, 75633sn, (Image 10 of 23)

A SN 661-led freight is seen between Cypress Ave. and Bonanza St. in front of two businesses, Union Ice, and a beer distributer, respectively, based on the 1953 Sanborn map. Southeast view, circa 1940s.

L34-50-Paul Smith Photo, Courtesy BAERA, Western Railway Museum Archives, 58779sn , (Image 11 of 23)

Louis Stein followed the last SN freight from Oakland to Walnut Creek on the last day of freight operations south of Lafayette, Feb. 28, 1957, here in a northeast view catching the end of the train with SN 653 at Bonanza St., left. The right panel shows a post-abandonment image from 1968. The photographer had to be standing on the former crossing to get this shot.

L34-55-Courtesy BAERA, WRM Archives, l, and Plannning Department, City of Walnut Creek, r, (Image 12 of 23)

The section between Bonanza St., orange arrow, and the SN Walnut Creek Station, green arrow, are shown in this April 9, 1953 northwest aerial view. Relative to the structure in L34-20, the purple arrow indicates the enlarged, most southerly building of the CCCWGA.

L34-60-Copyright California Department of Transportation, 3299-2 Detail, (Image 13 of 23)

A southeast view complementary to L34-40 from Bonanza, left, to the SN Walnut Creek Station, circa 1955-56. Detail. Ref. #42, BANC PIC 1993.004 CC-C19-90

L34-65-Clyde Sunderland Photo, Courtesy of The Bancroft Library, University of California, Berkeley, (Image 14 of 23)

Back on the ground, a southwest view of SN 1024 on the rear of an Oakland-bound train in motion approaching the Bonanza St. grade crossing, circa 1941.

L34-70-Sappers Collection, Courtesy BAERA, Western Railway Museum Archives, 64881sn, (Image 15 of 23)

SN 661 is switching a tank car adjacent to the hill separating homes along the west side of this stretch. These homes were removed in the mid-1960s, a topic to be presented in the future. One set of the Champion family, owners of a plumbing store on Bonanza off Mount Diablo Blvd., lived in one of these homes. Southwest view, circa 1952.

L34-75-Norman Smith Photo, Courtesy BAERA, Western Railway Museum Archives, 55865.7sn, (Image 16 of 23)

Prior to WWII, the Tank House was the major landmark on the east side of the right-of-way. This enclosed water tank supplied the house and garden at this spot prior to an available city water supply. SN 651 and caboose 1613, Southeast view.

L34-80-Paul Smith Photo, Courtesy BAERA, Western Railway Museum Archives, 58780sn, (Image 17 of 23)

Ahead to a southeast view, circa 1950, SN 604 and SN 603 pass the first section of the CCCWGA, an institution whose timeline very much paralleled the existence of the SN and its precursor lines. The building matches the one from 1946 not the revised, enlarged structure from the 1950s. Along the right edge is the curve in Almond Ave., lost in the later reconfiguration.

L34-85-Courtesy BAERA, Western Railway Museum Archives, 58778sn, (Image 18 of 23)

Although many images have already been shown of the houses on the west flank of the railroad, this land use map from Feb. 1946 is a useful guide to match against images to be presented.

L34-90-Plannning Department, City of Walnut Creek, (Image 19 of 23)

Behind SN 1017 and crew, a small sliver of Almond Ave. can be appreciated. As can be expected, the area is devoid of houses. Southwest view, Sept. 6, 1937.

L34-95-Dudley Thickens Photo, Courtesy BAERA, Western Railway Museum Archives, (Image 20 of 23)

This southwest view taken from the freight depot platform in the 1950s with SN 654 and freight shows houses on the south side of Almond Ave., structures that are not present in 2021.

L34-100-Robert P. Townley Photo, Courtesy Robert P. Townley, (Image 21 of 23)

This northeast view brings into view the SN station and freight depot, with SN 604 and SN 603 and caboose taking a breather.

L35-105-Reginald McGovern Photo, Courtesy Reginald McGovern, (Image 22 of 23)

A review of the area just visited, this southwest view from a caboose taken the day of the End-of-an-era excursions on Apr. 12, 1964. Appreciation to Walnut Creek Senior Planner Andy Smith for images and comments.

L34-110-Ted Wurm Photo, Courtesy BAERA, Western Railway Museum Archives, 79852sn, (Image 23 of 23)