History of

Danville, California

Danville contains a fascinating past. Before the city was founded, the area was settled by Native Americans who stayed near the creeks during the summer and set up camp on Mount Diablo. It later became a grazing land. Miners lived in the area during the Gold Rush in 1849, and that was when the town got its name.

Soon afterward, a post office was opened in Danville. More residents started to move into the town as word spread of California 's prosperity. With its fertile soil and mild weather, it was found ideal by farmers and Danville became a farming community. Its main produce was wheat for a long time, but after the Southern Pacific Railroad was built the farmers shifted to fruit and nuts. Their products could now be transported faster and more conveniently – which spurred the change. The money went rolling in.

Danville was soon to have schools, churches, farmers' unions, and lodges. Some of the buildings that were built at the time are still up to this day. One example of this is the Grange Building, built-in 1874.

What the 20th century wasn't the best of times with the wars, the Spanish flu, and the Great Depression. However, the town was developed in 1947 as a residential suburb, which later in the century led to population growth. In the 1940s, agriculture was Danville's chief occupation.

In the 1940s, the Valley's population was 2,120. In the 1950s, it rose to 4,630. In the 1970s, Danville's population rose to 14,059, an increase of over 292 percent from the previous decade, according to the U.S. consensus.

Places of interest

Danville has a number of parks, trails, museums and others that provide tourists (and locals) with plenty of spots to explore. There are several trails for those interested in nature where you can go bird-watching and hiking. Particularly recommended are the Del Amigo Trail, Hemme Creek Trail and the Mount Diablo Grand Loop Trail. In addition to these, Mount Diablo also offers astronomical and birdwatching tours which are incredible experiences. The State Park and Lafayette Reservoir at Mount Diablo are excellent for stargazing.

Danville's parks include the National Wilderness of Las Trampas, Diablo Vista Park, Sycamore Valley Park and Mount Diablo State Park. Some like the Hap Magee Ranch Park or the Oak Hill Park require dogs too – usually on a leash. Besides parks, Danville still has some beautiful gardens. The Lafayette Community Garden is a herb garden, while the botanical gardens are the Pleasant Hill Instructional Garden, Knowland Park and the Ruth Bancroft Garden.

Danville also has a public library, museums and some stunning bars and restaurants. The area 's popular museums include San Ramon Valley Museum, Blackhawk Museum, Glass House and the National Historic Site of Eugene O'Neill.

Danville has several fantastic country clubs including Diablo Country Club, Blackhawk Country Club, Crow Canyon Country Club, and the Round Hill Country Club, among others. They deliver a beautiful landscape, courts for sports, swimming pools and a great dining experience. If you are considering membership, we will highly suggest the Blackhawk Country Club – it is a beautiful location with everything you might ask for.