Nuts for Walnuts I – Views from Walnut Avenue

A panoramic east view of Walnut Creek in 1924 shows the San Francisco-Sacramento Short Line right-of-way along what is today North California Boulevard.

L55-05-Vernon Sappers Collection, Courtesy BAERA, Western Railway Museum Archives, 35797sn, (Image 1 of 15)

In this detail of L55-05, the processing plant of the Contra Costa County Walnut Growers Association, CCCWGA, sits to the north of the railroad depot. Emanuel’s “Walnut Creek, Arroyo de las Nueces” explains how the walnut growers in the region pooled their crops in 1917 to reduce competition.

L55-10-Vernon Sappers Collection, Courtesy BAERA, Western Railway Museum Archives, 35797sn Detail, (Image 2 of 15)

The peak harvest was in 1952, but by August 1957 the plant was closed and walnut processing was shifted to the parent California WGA plant in Stockton. This east view from 1955-56 shows the growth of the CCCWGA operation, along with neighbors Diamond National, Farmer’s Feed and Fuel and Walnut Creek Hardware. Ref: #42, BANC PIC 1993.004 CC-C19-90

L55-15-Clyde Sunderland Photo, Courtesy of The Bancroft Library, University of California, Berkeley, (Image 3 of 15)

Bob Campbell, then of Concord, produced detail drawings of the SN in Contra Costa County. Here is his detail of the SN right-of-way and CCCWGA. The southern-most building of the complex was the Civic Arts Theater, added in 1952, that served as a storage facility prior to its more civic function.

L55-20-Robert Campbell Drawing, Cameron Beach Collection, Courtesy BAERA, WRMA, 61179sn, (Image 4 of 15)

Now to north views along the right-of-way from the Walnut Ave grade crossing. Both tracks are occupied in this circa 1940 image with the SN Moraga at the rear of this SN special. Note the lack of buildings to the west, or left, of the track.

L55-25-Paul Smith Photo, Courtesy BAERA, Western Railway Museum Archives, 63869sn, (Image 5 of 15)

Ahead to 1952, and this north view shows SN 606 on the rear of a freight passing a more developed west side of the tracks opposite the processing plant. Based on several images not shown here, the plant sported a bright white coat, including the roof, by about 1950.

L55-30-Norman Smith Photo, Courtesy BAERA, Western Railway Museum Archives, 55872.5sn, (Image 6 of 15)

And next this northeast view, SN 1005 and Salt Lake and Utah parlor car 751 at Walnut Creek on a BAERA excursion, July 8, 1956.

L55-35-John Harder Photo, Courtesy John Harder, (Image 7 of 15)

Same BAERA excursion with SN 1005 and SLU 751, July 8, 1956, but now in color and back to a north view. The last home on the northwest corner of Walnut Avenue now comes into view.

L55-40-Dave Gumz Photo, Courtesy BAERA, Western Railway Museum Archives, 63858sn , (Image 8 of 15)

Same BAERA excursion with SN 1005 and SLU 751, July 8, 1956, except now facing east.

L55-45-Courtesy BAERA, Western Railway Museum Archives, 54980sn, (Image 9 of 15)

Moving closer to see more details of the processing plant, here with SN 654 circa 1952.

L55-50-Norman Smith Photo, Courtesy BAERA, Western Railway Museum Archives, 64035.5sn, (Image 10 of 15)

One more east view, September 25, 1966. The tracks are gone, and within a year, everything in view will be gone ...

L55-55-Courtesy Contra Costa County Historical Society, 11892, (Image 11 of 15)

For completeness, views to the west starting with this undated one with Ernest “Knobby” Knobloch and train crew and a peek down Walnut Ave. Note the trees along the road, namesakes for the avenue, and the sign indicating availability of rooms for rent.

L55-60-Dudley Thickens Collection, Courtesy BAERA, Western Railway Museum Archives, 57498sn, (Image 12 of 15)

Ahead to the 1950s, another west view, this time standing to the east to capture the spur running to the east of the processing plant as in L55-20. More on the spur later.

L55-65-Courtesy City of Walnut Creek, P4302675, (Image 13 of 15)

As part of the changes to the roads in the downtown along with construction of I-680, Walnut Ave. became Trinity Ave. Here, a west view from the mid-1960s.

L55-70-LL Stein Collection, Courtesy BAERA, Western Railway Museum Archives, 63862sn, (Image 14 of 15)

Heading north, SN 661 in this south view circa 1940s heads to the north side of the CCC-WGA processing plant to meet the spur and Cole Avenue.

L55-75-JG Graham Photo, Courtesy BAERA, Western Railway Museum Archives, 17863sn, (Image 15 of 15)