Concord’s ‘State Streets’ residents a friendly bunch

Concord’s ‘State Streets’ residents a friendly bunch

Clayton Valley Highlands is affectionately called “the State Streets” because all of the streets have the names of states – Wisconsin, Nebraska, Michigan and so on.
Pete Cruz photos

CONCORD, CA (Oct. 28, 2022) — Q. Why does the “State Streets” neighborhood seems associated with both Concord and Clayton?

A. Clayton Valley Highlands is affectionately called “the State Streets” because all of the streets have the names of states – Wisconsin, Nebraska, Michigan and so on. The area is part of Concord, but people who live there feel a part of the Clayton community as well. They attend festivities in Clayton such as Concerts in The Grove, the Art & Wine Festival and Oktoberfest. Concord has these types of activities as well, especially near downtown, but residents of the Highlands often head to Clayton instead.

Clayton Valley Highlands is in southeast Concord, just east of the Cal State East Bay campus. When Concord was incorporated on Feb. 5, 1905, the areas in the surrounding Ygnacio Valley and Clayton Valley – where Clayton Valley Highlands now stands – were largely agricultural. Crops included wheat, hay, tomatoes, grapes, walnuts and almonds. During Prohibition, farmers removed many vineyards and replaced them with walnut orchards.

East of that area, where the Concord Naval Weapons Station is now, were a few enormous wheat ranches of more than 5,000 acres. It was all wheat bordering Suisun Bay.

Construction of homes in the State Streets began in the 1950s, with the majority in the 1960s and some in the 1970s. From what I can research, Baldocchi built the original homes. The sales company was Argo. One resident has an old flier advertising homes from Argo.

The population of Clayton Valley Highlands is 4,684. I interviewed several residents for this column. One thing they like is that it is a walkable area. It has a walkability score of 74, and some residents do all of their errands on foot. It has a high bikeable score, too. The crime rate is relatively low, and most residents feel safe in this neighborhood.

There are two shopping centers adjacent to the neighborhood. In Clayton Station and the Clayton Valley Shopping Center, you will find Safeway, Walgreens, Peet’s Coffee, numerous restaurants of a variety of cuisines, sandwich shops, nail and hair salons, Ross Dress for Less and more. Residents also like the proximity to the Concord Pavilion for concerts.

There seems to be a real sense of community, with people telling me about long-term friendships. After interviewing many residents of different neighborhoods recently, I found these people to be the most friendly, open and cheerful.

Residents point to the quality of the schools and the fact that there is choice of more than one school and the possibility of a transfer to a school of choice. There are many options for day care, too.

They also like that there are mostly single-story houses. As a real estate professional, I will say that is a great selling point.

Contact Lynne French at lynne@lynnefrench.com or 925-672-8787.

Read more of Lynne French’s Pioneer columns: click here

Lynne French
Lynne French
Realtor at Compass Real Estate | 925-672-8787 | lynne@lynnefrench.com | Website

Lynne French is a Realtor with Compass Real Estate and captain of the Lynne French Team. Originally from Chicago, Lynne French came to San Francisco at the height of the 1960 and started a boutique at age 21. She went on to open two other shops. As industries shifted, Lynne took off on an adventure as a truck driver. For 10 years Lynne owned, operated and drove her big rig throughout the 48 states. One day, her truck broke down for the last time, and it was time to move on. In 1993 an ad for real estate training caught her eye and she began her real estate career as an assistant. Eventually she struck out on her own and had to hire her assistant to handle the volume of work. Lynne's decision to become an office in 2005 came from a sincere alignment with three basic principles: hire the best people, give them the best tools, create thriving communities. When not helping her clients, Lynne and her husband Danny enjoy country living within the foothills of Mt. Diablo.

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