Pleasanton's Valley Trails: 1968–1972 homes & subdivision history

A typical two-story home in the Valley Trails subdivision of Pleasanton, built between 1968 and 1972 by Morrison Homes. The house features arched entryways, an attached garage, and a simple façade—representing the transitional suburban style of the late 1960s.

Welcome to Valley Trails

In the late 1960s, as Pleasanton transitioned from a rural stop along the railroad into a rising East Bay suburb, a new kind of neighborhood began to take shape just off Hopyard Road. Built between 1968 and 1972 by Morrison Homes, Valley Trails reflected the optimism and planning trends of its era—particularly the push toward greenbelt communities, family-oriented suburban design, and affordable ranch-style housing.

Set on 140 acres of gently sloping land, the original Valley Trails subdivision would grow to include 488 single-family homes. But beyond its residential footprint, Valley Trails stood out as a model for a new kind of suburban living in Pleasanton, California—one with trails, trees, and planning that centered around open space and pedestrian connectivity.

Map of the Valley Trails neighborhood in Pleasanton, California showing greenbelt layout and surrounding streets
Map of the Valley Trails neighborhood in Pleasanton, California.

The greenbelt vision: a mid-century planning ideal

Designed by land planner Dudley Frost Jr., Valley Trails broke away from the traditional grid. Instead of maximizing lot count, Frost carved a landscaped central trail through the neighborhood—effectively a linear park. Though initially promoted as a safe walking route to a future elementary school (which never materialized), this trail became the heart of the community.

In marketing brochures and newspaper ads from 1969, Morrison Homes leaned into a poetic promise:

1969 Valley Trails ad featuring children walking away, used in early Pleasanton marketing for the neighborhood
Ad from April 20, 1969—in Valley Trails, your children will have room to roam, to run, to ramble with complete safety. Note the logo with the children walking away from Valley Trails.

This idea—of walkable Pleasanton neighborhoods with park access and minimal car traffic—was inspired by contemporary urban planning ideals and marked a clear evolution from earlier suburban tracts of the 1950s.

"Pick a fine home, put it in a park": the Morrison Homes approach

The houses themselves were modest but thoughtfully planned. Ranch-style homes with flexible floor plans were designed to accommodate growing families and the evolving needs of homeowners. Seven floor plans were offered between 1968 and 1972, ranging from small starter homes to expandable models with unfinished second levels.

A new feature offered at Valley Trails was a cost-saving option: composite roofing, an alternative to traditional wood shake. It sparked debate at the time, but many of those early composite roofs remain today.

1970 advertisement for Valley Trails in Pleasanton showing children walking toward the greenbelt-style community
By 1970, the aerial view promised a safe lifestyle. Note the change of logo with children walking towards Valley Trails.

The homes of Valley Trails

Located on Sequoia Court, the model home complex expanded from four homes to seven by 1971.

Location map of Valley Trails model homes on Sequoia Court, Pleasanton, circa 1968
Map of the Valley Trails model home complex on Sequoia Court.

Pricing history

These prices reflect the early affordability of Pleasanton’s westside neighborhoods, before the town’s real estate boom of the 1980s and beyond.

  • 1968: $24,625 +
  • 1969: $25,700 +
  • 1970: $24,600 +
  • 1971: $27,610 +
  • 1972: $29,250 +

Model homes

1. The Greenbriar House - 3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, 1,311 sq. ft.

2. The Four-Way House - 2 to 4 bedrooms, 1 to 2 bathrooms. New for 1970, The Four-Way House was unique because we love having options. This home offered 4 variations of a floor plan.

Four-Way House floor plan in Valley Trails, Pleasanton — with up to four plans available
From a 1970 Oakland Tribune ad—like the Winchester Mystery house, a plan full of surprises.

3. The Willow Wood House - 3 or 4 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, 1,549 sq. ft. A flexible home that came with 3 bedrooms and a multi-purpose room that could be used as a formal dining room, den, or fourth bedroom.

1971 advertisement for Valley Trails in Pleasanton, showcasing the Willowwood House exterior and floorplan. Includes the promotional tagline: “Pick a fine home, put it in park!” in bold retro type.
Vintage July 1971 ad for Valley Trails in Pleasanton, featuring the Willowwood model home and its floorplan. The tagline reads: “Pick a fine home, put it in park!”

4. The Hillview House - 4 bedrooms, 2.5 bathrooms, 1,834 sq. ft.

1971 newspaper ad from the Oakland Tribune showing the floor plan of the Hillview House model in Valley Trails, Pleasanton. Features include four bedrooms, 2.5 bathrooms, and traditional mid-century layout.
From an September 1971 Oakland Tribune—Floor plan of the Hillview House.

5. The Now And Future House - 2 to 4 bedrooms, 1 to 2 bathrooms, up to 1,626 sq. ft. Added in August 1969, an expandable house that either came with 2 bedrooms, 1 bathroom with an unfinished second-level, or 4 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms fully finished.

1970 newspaper advertisement from the Oakland Tribune showing the floor plan of the Now and Future House model in Valley Trails, Pleasanton, featuring an expandable layout with 2 to 4 bedrooms.
From an June 1970 Oakland Tribune ad—floor plan of the Now and Future House, an expandable home with flexible living space in Valley Trails, Pleasanton.

6. The Valley View House - 3 bedrooms, 2.5 bathrooms, 1,744 sq. ft.

1970 newspaper advertisement from the Oakland Tribune showing the floor plan of the Valley View House model in Valley Trails, Pleasanton, with 3 bedrooms and 2.5 bathrooms.
From a June 1970 Oakland Tribune ad—floor plan of the Valley View House, a spacious 3-bedroom, 2.5-bath home in Valley Trails, Pleasanton.

7. The Meadowfield House - 3 bedrooms or 4 bedroom, 2 bathrooms, 1,386 sq. ft. New for mid-1971.

1971 newspaper advertisement from the Oakland Tribune showing the floor plan of the Meadowfield model home in Valley Trails, Pleasanton, featuring 3 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms.
From a July 1971 Oakland Tribune ad—The floor plan of the Meadowfield House.

Valley Trails today

Here’s what the former Valley Trails model homes look like today.

The Greenbriar House today

Exterior of the Greenbriar House in Valley Trails, Pleasanton—a 3-bedroom, 2-bath ranch-style home with a clean, functional layout.
The Greenbriar House, a classic 3-bedroom, 2-bathroom ranch-style home, was a popular choice for families in the early 1970s. Today, this model continues to reflect its spacious, mid-century design.

The Four-Way House today

Front view of the Four-Way House in Valley Trails, Pleasanton—a flexible 2 to 4-bedroom model home with multiple layout options.
The Four-Way House, introduced in 1970, offered buyers a unique choice of four different floor plans. This flexible design allowed for 2 to 4 bedrooms, providing ample space for growing families. The original model remains a symbol of mid-century versatility.

The Willow Wood House today

Exterior of the Willow Wood House in Valley Trails, Pleasanton—a 3- or 4-bedroom home with a multi-purpose room offering flexible living space.
The Willow Wood House, with its 3 to 4 bedrooms and spacious layout, was perfect for families needing extra space. The multi-purpose room could be used as a den, formal dining room, or even an additional bedroom. This model reflects the flexibility that defined Valley Trails homes.

The Hillview House today

View of the Hillview House in Valley Trails, Pleasanton—a 4-bedroom, 2.5-bath home with a spacious, traditional design.
The Hillview House, designed for larger families, featured 4 bedrooms and 2.5 bathrooms in 1,834 sq. ft. This model remains a favorite for its spaciousness and traditional mid-century layout, ideal for family life in Pleasanton.

The Now And Future House today

Exterior of the Now and Future House in Valley Trails, Pleasanton—a 2 to 4-bedroom expandable home with a second-level option.
The Now and Future House, introduced in 1969, featured an expandable design that could accommodate 2 to 4 bedrooms. With an unfinished second level, this home allowed buyers to grow into the space as their family needs evolved. This innovative model continues to reflect the flexible housing options of Valley Trails.

The Valley View House today

Front view of the Valley View House in Valley Trails, Pleasanton—a 3-bedroom, 2.5-bath home with a spacious, family-friendly layout.
The Valley View House, offering 3 bedrooms and 2.5 bathrooms in 1,744 sq. ft., was designed with family comfort in mind. Its spacious layout remains a hallmark of Valley Trails' commitment to thoughtful suburban living.

The Meadowfield House today

Exterior of the Meadowfield House in Valley Trails, Pleasanton—a 3- or 4-bedroom home with a functional layout and traditional mid-century design.
The Meadowfield House, added in 1971, offered 3 or 4 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms. This model introduced a slightly larger footprint for Valley Trails, ideal for families seeking more room while maintaining the neighborhood’s characteristic charm.

A school that never was

One of Valley Trails' most telling historical footnotes is the school site that never came to be. Early neighborhood maps and brochures promised a school at the end of the greenbelt. But in the early 1970s, Pleasanton Unified School District—facing budget constraints and shifting enrollment—cancelled those plans. Nearby Donlon Elementary, located in the Val Vista area, was under-enrolled, and the proposed Valley Trails school site was eventually sold for more housing in the early 2000s.

For local historians, it’s a reminder of how mid-century optimism sometimes collided with real-world economics—and how neighborhood planning evolved in Pleasanton over time.

Legacy and reputation today

Valley Trails has gained a reputation over the decades as a quiet, family-friendly neighborhood with a strong sense of community and one of the few greenbelt-style layouts in Pleasanton. While foundation issues have been rumored (due to creek proximity and fill soil), many original homes have held up well.

Today, Valley Trails remains a favorite among buyers seeking a mix of mid-century charm, walkability, and larger lots compared to newer subdivisions. Its history is still visible in the trail, the architecture, and the neighborhood’s enduring design.

Valley Trails in context: Pleasanton’s suburban growth

Valley Trails was part of a wider wave of 1960s and 1970s suburban expansion in Pleasanton, alongside developments like Pleasanton Meadows, Val Vista, and Pleasanton Valley—all shaped by regional housing demand, postwar population growth, and a vision of family-centered living.

For historians of East Bay development, Valley Trails offers a fascinating case study of:

  • Greenbelt urban planning in suburbia

  • Morrison Homes’ architectural evolution

  • Pleasanton’s transformation from agricultural hub to suburban city

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