Check Out Lafayette, Moraga, Orinda, Walnut Creek, Contra Costa County, Pleasant Hill, Martinez, Alamo, Danville, San Ramon, Dublin, and Pleasanton California USA! 

WELCOME TO MORAGA 

The Town of Moraga is named for Joaquin Moraga, who was also the founder of what was ultimately known as San Francisco. He built an adobe on a knoll in Orinda above Miramonte High School. The Moraga ranch was a cattle ranch, and life at the adobe was successful and comfortable. In 1886, a dishonest land-hungry attorney from Oakland, using all his legal knowledge, obtained ownership of the Rancho and the Moraga's farm. In 1912, the bulk of the Rancho was purchased by James Irvine, who farmed the land, planting many acres of pears and walnut trees. In 1913, the townsite of Moraga was established. 

Moraga is situated in a small valley bordered by the Oakland-Berkeley hills. It is a semi-rural community with only four two-lane roads leading into town, and is relatively isolated. In 1988, it was rated the safest city in the Bay Area. The town is also noted for its quiet, family oriented lifestyle and excellent schools. The hillsides offer some of the most scenic landscape in Contra Costa County. 

There is no industry. Ninety percent of the town's residents commute to major business centers of the Bay Area. There are 40 acres of park land within the town! There are classes ranging from cooking and crafts to physical fitness and special programs for people of all ages. There is horseback riding, hiking and bicycling, golfing, swimming and tennis facilities. The cultural aspect of Moraga lies in the Rheem Theater, the LaFevre Theater, the Moraga Playhouse, the Hearst Art Gallery, and outdoor concerts at the Moraga Commons. 

Saint Mary's College of California serves as a gathering place as well as a cultural center for the Town of Moraga. Now in its 70th year in Moraga, the college's serene beauty is a magnet. In addition to educating young people in the liberal arts, business and science, Saint Mary's offers adult classes, sporting and cultural events, religious services and recreation for all ages. 

WELCOME TO WALNUT CREEK 

Walnut Creek has exceptional balance: open space, residential areas, an active business and commercial community, parks, entertainment and recreation. No age group dominates. It is a comfortable city with apartment complexes, condominiums, single family dwellings, and multi-acre ranch estates. Offices of large national corporations exist beside professional and retail businesses in downtown Walnut Creek. 

Massive Mt. Diablo dominates the local landscape. Walnut Creek has a long standing commitment to open space. In fact, the city's 2,500 acres of open space may be the most per capita for any suburban community in the United States. 

Livable is an apt description for Walnut Creek, where residents and visitors can take advantage of so many amenities. There is a wide choice of trails for jogging, biking, hiking and horses.  

Shoppers can choose from numerous downtown shops, boutiques and department stores. The climate is generally comfortable, allowing people to get out and enjoy Walnut Creek almost any time of the year. 

The schools have excellent educational programs and diverse recreational opportunities. The Regional Center for the Arts enriches the community with concerts, dances, and dramatic productions. For those who need more variety, San Francisco or the world famous Napa Valley wine region are less than an hour away. Just a couple of hours drive to the east, spectacular Lake Tahoe and the historic gold country, in the Sierra foothills, offer still more recreational diversion, as well as some of the most beautiful scenery found in the country. 

WELCOME TO LAFAYETTE 

Lafayette was founded by Elam Brown, a pioneer who crossed the plains in a wagon train in 1846. While working in the area, he heard of 3,300 acres for sale, and he purchased it for $900.00. Elam Brown sold some of the property to his friend Nathaniel Jones, glad to have a good friend as his neighbor. Eventually, in 1853, Brown bought a second hand horse-powered grist mill at Benecia and installed it on what is today Plaza Way. Soon, disappointed miners and tradesmen looking for an opportunity to establish themselves in the new State, stopped at Lafayette and some settled down. 

Today, the homes and small ranches of Lafayette exude a quiet, rural atmosphere. Oak trees, pyracantha bushes and horse trails thrive next to swimming pools and tennis courts. These tree lined residential areas surround a downtown area which includes smaller homes and apartments, as well as schools, churches, a library, and a business section which offers the necessities and amenities of contemporary life. 

Lafayette is in central Contra Costa County, one of the most rapidly growing areas in the State of California. A large percentage of employed residents of Lafayette are executives and professional people. In many cases they have sought out Lafayette for its quiet sophistication, its easy access to the Bay Area, and its outstanding schools. 

Lafayette is 24 miles east of San Francisco bordered by Orinda, Moraga, and Walnut Creek. Lafayette is particularly well located because of its easy access to the transportation systems which link the cities of the Bay Area. This network of bus, BART and highway systems make theater, restaurants, sporting events and museums in Oakland, Berkeley and San Francisco readily available. 

Residents can enjoy the good life without leaving town. The Lafayette Reservoir, surrounded by hills, is the local place for fishing, walking and relaxing. There are many hiking and biking trails throughout the city, along with quiet residential streets and a downtown business section which invites browsing and leisurely fine dining. 

Lafayette is an affluent community. Half of the population over 25 has a college degree. The schools of Lafayette reflect a strong desire for outstanding education, which serves to maintain and raise the cost of housing. 

WELCOME TO ORINDA 

Orinda is one of the most prestigious towns in Contra Costa County, attracting many of the Bay Area's professionals and executives who live there because of its proximity to San Francisco as well as to other areas of business and leisure. Orinda offers its residents a quiet, peaceful setting away from the hubbub often associated with many other parts of the central county. 

Due to its close proximity to San Francisco and the aesthetic beauty of the its tree-studded hillsides, the value of property in Orinda exceeds that of most Contra Costa communities. The average price of a home in Orinda is around $500,000, with undeveloped land ranging from $75,000 for one-half acre, to almost $300,000 for a 4.5 acre lot. This, coupled with the cost of development, will cause the price of available properties to reinforce Orinda's reputation for affluence. 

The atmosphere of the schools in the Orinda Union School District is warm and caring. The active Parents Clubs and the Orinda Education Foundation have collectively, through fund raising and donations, raised money to support science, art, music and physical education specialists, as well as staffing and materials for the environmental education, computer and library programs.  

Academic standards are high, and school test scores are consistently above the state's 95th percentile in all grades. 90% of the graduates of Miramonte High School go on to college, and this school was named as one of the top 271 schools in the nation. John F. Kennedy University was founded in 1964 as one of the first universities in the United States dedicated solely to adult education, leading to a graduate or undergraduate degree and certificates in the field of management and psychology. 

The beautiful Orinda Theater was declared an Historical Landmark and has been refurbished to its original beauty of the Art Deco style. It is surrounded by the Theater Square, a combination of professional offices and retail stores and restaurants in a charming environment. 

All things considered, its beauty, easy commute, excellent schools, history, culture, affluence and serenity make Orinda a wonderful place to live. 

Check out these links for more information:  

DANVILLE 

SAN RAMON 

DUBLIN 

PLEASANTON 

ALAMO 

MORAGA 

WALNUT CREEK 

LAFAYETTE 

ORINDA 

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