San Ramon history: The last walnut orchard
Up until the mid 1960s, the San Ramon Valley was primarily known for its ranches and farms, but progress was moving at an unparalleled rate. Starting in the south San Ramon area, tract homes were replacing ranches and farms on a grand scale. By 1963, just one old walnut orchard remained. The owner of the orchard, Volk-McLain, the developer of the massive San Ramon Village that was urbanizing the area, saw the orchard as an opportunity to experiment.
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| Map of the last walnut orchard in south San Ramon, circa 1961. Old-growth orchard planted about 1940; north orchard planted about 1955. |
Volk-McLain’s orchard vision: building homes among walnut trees in San Ramon
Instead of cutting down all the trees and building more cookie-cutter houses, Volk-McLain imagined a neighborhood with the charm and character that only an old orchard could provide. They designed a neighborhood that retained a number of the stately old trees with new houses built among them. Most home sites would have one or two trees each, and perhaps fetch a premium.
Country Club Park: a neighborhood grows in the grove
Volk-McLain started building homes in the eastern portion of the old-growth orchard in 1963 with their Country Club Park subdivision.
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| From a March 1963 Oakland Tribune ad—while the golf course lots had sold out, luxury home buyers might prefer a beautiful old walnut grove. |
Dividing the orchard: Gentry, Elliott, and Kauffmann enter the scene
By the mid 1960s, the housing market was experiencing a slow down and Volk-McLain decided to exit home building. In turn, they started selling their now-valuable land to other developers. They sold the younger northern orchard to Tom Gentry, who would go on to build the Oak Creek and The Orchards subdivisions, the latter a nod to the former walnut orchard.
The west half of the old-growth orchard was sold by Volk-McLain to H. C. Elliott, who was busy building Crestview just south of the tracts.
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| Map of former walnut orchards in San Ramon. The northern younger orchard was subdivided by Tom Gentry to build the Oak Creek (1965) and The Orchards (1968) subdivisions. The southern old-growth orchard was subdivided by Tom Gentry to extend The Orchards subdivision, Brown & Kauffmann to build the Walnut Hills (1966) subdivision, and Volk-McLain to build the Country Club Park (1963) subdivision. Every home in these tracts came with at least one walnut tree. Few, if any, remain today. |
The Orchards subdivision: Tom Gentry’s walnut grove legacy in San Ramon
When Tom Gentry acquired the younger northern portion of the orchard (planted ~1955) from Volk-McLain, he had already built a reputation for innovative design. At The Orchards, he expanded on that reputation—offering buyers a mix of modern amenities and natural charm.
Gentry leaned into the orchard theme for marketing purposes. Though his earlier Oak Creek subdivision made only passing reference to the orchard, The Orchards featured walnut trees front and center, both in name and design.
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| From a 1969 ad: “A rare opportunity—for the few who can enjoy the orchard life.” |
From walnuts to Walnut Hills: a suburban patchwork
H. C. Elliott ended up selling his parcel to Brown & Kauffmann in early 1966, and they announced the Walnut Hills subdivision with a marketing campaign centered around living in an orchard. With about 200 homes planned amongst the old, towering walnut trees, all you needed with your free walnuts was a hammock and a tall glass of lemonade.
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| From a February 1966 Oakland Tribune—builder H. C. Elliott, seller of the orchard, inspects plans from Kauffmann and Brown. |
Brown & Kauffman kicked off a line of homes worthy of the fine walnut trees. Home prices started at $26,950, a premium compared to other neighborhoods, but included eligibility for membership in the nearby San Ramon Country Club.
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| From an April 1966 Oakland Tribune ad—the trees were inviting you to Walnut Hills. |
An early departure
After selling 80 homes along Northland Avenue, Devon Court, Amherst Court, and May Way, Brown & Kauffmann closed their model complex in 1968. In turn, they sold 107 lots to Young America Homes to finish out the neighborhood.
Meanwhile, Tom Gentry was experiencing success with his The Orchards subdivision. With lots suddenly becoming available by Brown & Kauffmann (along Winthrop Avenue) and Volk-McClain's Country Club Park (along western Hillsboro Avenue), Tom swooped in and acquired the northern portion of the desirable old-growth orchard.
A new developer comes and goes
Young America Homes entered the scene in 1969 with 107 luxurious homes planned in the remainder of the neighborhood. Prices started between $32,950 and $35,950. However, the stay was cut short. Instead of building 107 homes, they only built 34 homes. Young America Homes would also depart the neighborhood prematurely in 1970.
Brown & Kauffmann return
In 1971, Brown & Kauffmann were back to complete the neighborhood with a new collection of 71 homes. They sold out by 1972, completing Walnut Hills’ transformation from orchard to thriving neighborhood.
Marketing the orchard: premium trees, premium prices
Throughout each phase of development, the orchard remained the selling point. Mature walnut trees adorned ads and brochures, promising shade, beauty, and a sense of place. Lots fetched premium prices—sometimes thousands more than other nearby homes—just for the trees alone.
Homebuyers were promised a slice of California pastoral life: a hammock under the canopy, walnuts for the picking, and maybe even a glass of lemonade.
The demise of the trees: a dream that didn’t last
Despite the romance of orchard living, reality set in quickly.
English walnut trees (Juglans regia) are great for commercial farming, but not for suburban life. They shed leaves early, dropped messy fruit, consumed huge amounts of water, and released pollen that triggered allergies. Most of all, nothing grows underneath them.
Then came the drought. By the late 1970s, most of the trees were gone.
Timeline: development of San Ramon's last walnut orchard
- 1940: Old-growth walnut orchard planted in south San Ramon
- 1955: Younger northern orchard planted
- 1963: Country Club Park homes built in the eastern orchard (Volk-McLain)
- 1965: Tom Gentry launches the Oak Creek subdivision in the younger orchard
- 1966: Brown & Kauffmann announce Walnut Hills
- 1968: Tom Gentry launches The Orchards subdivision
- 1969: Young America Homes builds homes on former Brown & Kauffmann lots
- 1971–72: Brown & Kauffmann return to complete Walnut Hills
- Late 1970s: Most walnut trees removed due to drought and landscaping issues
Walnut Hills San Ramon: a community rooted in walnut orchard history
What started as a great idea may have ended in disappointment, but Walnut Hills stands as a living connection to San Ramon's agricultural past. While the iconic walnut trees have disappeared, the neighborhood continues to exude the rustic charm and tranquility they once symbolized. Today, Walnut Hills is more than just a name—it's a testament to the area's transformation, blending history with modern living. For those who call it home, the story of Walnut Hills is a reminder that even as landscapes change, the roots of a community endure.
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