Set in the heart of an old walnut orchard, the Walnut Hills new-home community in San Ramon opened in early 1966 with a marketing pitch no suburban buyer could resist: all the free walnuts you could ever want—right from your backyard. Developed by Brown & Kauffmann, the community planned about 200 new homes shaded by towering walnut trees and wrapped in country-club charm.
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| April 1966 Oakland Tribune ad—picture it: all the free walnuts you could ever want—without even leaving your driveway. |
Where is Walnut Hills?
Today, the original Walnut Hills community can be found near Country Club Elementary School. Familiar streets include May Way, Northland Avenue, and portions of Davona Drive and Kent Place.
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| Annotated aerial map of the Walnut Hills community in San Ramon, California. Base imagery from Google Maps. |
Selling the dream
Located in what was called the Country Club section of San Ramon, Walnut Hills wasn’t just another new-home community—it was a lifestyle. Prices started at $26,950, a step above nearby tracts, but buyers gained eligibility for membership in the nearby San Ramon Country Club.
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| April 1966 Daily Review—the Plan 1 under towering walnut trees. |
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| July 1967 Oakland Tribune—The Heritage House, perfectly framed by majestic walnut trees—until the roots met the sprinkler system. |
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| October 1966 Oakland Tribune—Spanish flair and sky-high trees in the Los Altos model—because in the ’60s, big dreams (and landscaping) knew no limits. |
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| May 1968 Oakland Tribune ad—why stop at curb appeal when you can go full forest? |
A count today of the homes in the community reveals about 80 homes were built from this phase. Brown & Kauffmann stopped advertising in 1968 and appears to have stopped building, at least temporarily. Whether due to pricing, the late 60s housing slump, or another reason is unknown. In turn, Young American Homes would appear on the scene.
The homes from this first phase were built along Northland Avenue, Devon Court, Amherst Court, and May Way.
Young America Homes arrives (1969)
Young America Homes arrived in community in 1969 with big plans—107 homes with prices from $32,950 to $35,950. Their homes offered extras like walk-in closets, California island kitchens, and high-gloss marketing charm.
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| June 1969 Contra Costa Times ad—The Cresta Blanca, where the walk-in closet was bigger than your first apartment—and the California island kitchen made every night feel like a cocktail party. |
Young American Homes appears to be an infill developer, and its homes were built in between existing Brown & Kauffman homes. Not unusual for infill developers, Young American did not use the Walnut Hills name in their advertising.
Although Young American Homes planned to build 107 homes, a count today reveals only 34 houses were built in 1969. Why Young American Homes left San Ramon is unknown, but the homes left their architectural identity in the area.
The homes built by Young American Homes are found in incongruous pockets along Ernwood Place, Kent Place, and the four model homes on Northland Place.
Brown & Kauffmann return (1971)
In 1971, the original builders returned to build approximately 71 new homes, located primarily along May Way. The homes were angled on their lots for privacy—a rare touch. Advertising ceased in 1972 with an assumed sell out. Just one final custom home filled an empty lot in Walnut Hills in 1977.
Legacy of Walnut Hills
What began as a bold vision of orchard living faced the challenges of builder turnover and disappearing trees. Today, Walnut Hills remains a neighborhood rooted in its agrarian past—even if the only walnuts now come from Safeway.
Its leafy streets and enduring mid-century charm stand as a tribute to San Ramon’s evolution—from farmland to suburbia, with a little fanfare and a lot of shade.
Exploring the original Walnut Hills today
Although the sales offices are long gone and the advertisements have faded, the original Walnut Hills model homes remain part of the neighborhood. These homes gave prospective buyers their first glimpse of Brown & Kauffmann's vision for suburban living in 1966.
Today, they provide a tangible connection to Walnut Hills' earliest days. The guide below documents the original model home complexes, the homes themselves, and how they appear today.
Original advertised prices
- 1966: $26,950 - $31,500
- 1967: $28,450 - $32,950
- 1968: $28,450 - $32,950
- 1969 (Young America Homes): $31,950 - $35,950
- 1970 (Young America Homes): $31,950 - $35,950
- 1971: From $24,950
- 1972: From $25,950
The first original model home complex (1966–1968)
When Walnut Hills opened, buyers toured a carefully staged collection of Brown & Kauffmann model homes showcasing the neighborhood’s mix of architecture, indoor-outdoor living, and family-oriented floor plans. Though individual elevations varied, these original models helped define much of the neighborhood’s visual identity.
The three original models opened in 1966 on Northland Avenue. Later that year, a fourth model arrived.
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| Annotated aerial map of the first Walnut Hills model home complex on Northland Avenue (1966). Base imagery from Apple Maps. |
Original sales materials
The following newspaper advertisements document the original Walnut Hills homes as they were presented to prospective buyers. Together they preserve the exterior renderings, floor plans, pricing, and marketing language used during the neighborhood's first years.
The Los Altos
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| September 1966 Oakland Tribune ad—the floor plan of the Los Altos model. |
Original model home designs
1. The Plan 1 (unknown name) - This model offered approximately 1,706 square feet with 4 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms.
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| Original Plan 1 model today via Google Street View. |
2. The Almaden - This model offered approximately 1,721 square feet with 4 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms.
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| Original Almaden model today via Google Street View. |
3. The Heritage Home - This model offered approximately 2,247 to 2,423 square feet with 5 bedrooms and 3 bathrooms.
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| Original Heritage Home model today via Google Street View. |
4. The Los Altos - This model offered approximately 1,935 square feet with 4 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms. A late addition for more variety.
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| Original Los Altos model today via Google Street View. |
The second original model home complex (Young America Homes 1969–1970)
The second model complex, built by Young America Homes, opened on Northland Place.
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| Annotated aerial map of the Young America Homes model home complex on Northland Place. Base imagery from Apple Maps. |
The original model homes
1. The Wente - This model offered approximately 1,921 square feet with 4 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms.
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| Original Wente model today via Google Street View. It also was the sales office. |
2. The Glen Ellen - This model offered approximately 1,859 square feet with 3 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms.
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| Original Glen Ellen model today via Google Street View. |
3. The Cresta Blanca - This model offered approximately 2,212 square feet with 4 bedrooms and 3 bathrooms.
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| Original Cresta Blanca model today via Google Street View. |
4. The Inglenook - This model offered approximately 2,167 square feet with 4 bedrooms and 3 bathrooms.
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| Original Inglenook model today via Google Street View. |
The third original model home complex (Brown & Kauffmann 1971–1972)
The third model complex was on May Way between Davona and Northland place.
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| Annotated aerial map of the third Walnut Hills model home complex on May Way (1971). Base imagery from Apple Maps. |
Original model home designs
4. The Meadow Park - This model offered approximately 1,548 square feet with 3 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms.
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| Original Meadow Park model today via Google Street View. |
Collections
San Ramon — the neighborhoods that built a suburban city
This collection explores the new-home communities, builders, and neighborhoods that shaped San Ramon during its principle years of suburban growth that gradually became the modern city.
The San Ramon Village collection explores the master-planned community that transformed former ranches and orchards into today's Dublin and South San Ramon. Although the name has largely disappeared, the neighborhoods, subdivisions, schools, parks, and shopping centers built as part of the original plan continue to shape the Tri-Valley.
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