Concord, California

Concord is the most populous city in Contra Costa County, California, United States. In 2024, the city had about 124,016 people, making it the tenth largest city in the San Francisco Bay Area. It was founded in 1869 and was first called Todos Santos by Don Salvio Pacheco II, a local leader from that time. Later, the name was changed to Concord.

Today, Concord is a major suburban center in the East Bay part of the San Francisco Bay Area. It is located about 29 miles east of San Francisco. The area around Concord, including nearby Walnut Creek, has grown to become a large urban area with over 538,000 people, ranking it as the 80th largest urban area in the United States.

History

The valleys near Mount Diablo were home to the Miwok people, who hunted elk and fished in the streams flowing into the San Francisco Bay. Today, some Miwok and other indigenous people still live in Concord.

Concord began in 1869 as a place called Todos Santos, meaning "all saints." It grew when many people moved from nearby Pacheco to escape fires and floods. Concord officially became a city on February 5, 1905.

The area around Concord was once full of farms growing grapes, walnuts, almonds, wheat, hay, and tomatoes. To the east, huge wheat farms covered thousands of acres. During a time called Prohibition, many grape vineyards were replaced with walnut orchards. The town of Cowell made cement and is now part of Concord. The first post office in Concord opened in 1872.

Port Chicago disaster

Main article: Port Chicago disaster

During World War II, a big explosion happened when munitions on a Navy ship blew up while being loaded. Many people were hurt, and it was a very sad event for the community. Later, some sailors chose not to load more munitions, which led to an important court case. Future Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall watched the trial and later talked about unfair treatment in the courtroom.

Geography

Concord is located 37°58′41″N 122°01′52″W / 37.97806°N 122.03111°W / 37.97806; -122.03111. It is 29 miles (47 km) northeast of San Francisco, 22 miles (35 km) northeast from Oakland, 65 miles (105 km) southwest of Sacramento, and 51 miles (82 km) north of San Jose.

The city has a total area of 30.5 square miles (79 km²), all of it land. Downtown Concord's main spot is Todos Santos Plaza, a whole block with a popular farmers market, free summer concerts, and many restaurants nearby.

Concord has a warm-summer Mediterranean climate (Köppen Csb), with warm, dry summers and cool, wet winters. The average January temperature is about 57 °F (14 °C), while July averages around 88 °F (31 °C). The area gets about 24 inches (61 cm) of rain each year, mostly in the winter.

Demographics

2020 census

The 2020 United States census counted 125,410 people living in Concord. The city had many different groups of people. About 47.7% were White, 3.8% were African American, 1.1% were Native American, 15.0% were Asian, and smaller numbers were from other backgrounds. Many families lived together, and most people had their own homes.

2010 census

The 2010 United States census found 122,067 people in Concord. The city had a mix of people from many places. Most were White, with smaller groups of African American, Native American, Asian, and others. Families were common, and many people owned their homes.

Government

In the California State Legislature, Concord is part of the 9th senatorial district, where Democrat Tim Grayson represents the area. It is also in the 15th Assembly district, represented by Democrat Anamarie Avila Farias.

At the national level, Concord is located in California's 10th congressional district, and is represented by Democrat Mark DeSaulnier.

Politics

In 2017, Concord had many voters. Most were registered with no party preference, but a large group supported the Democrats, and some supported the Republicans.

Economy

Concord has mainly been a place where people live and travel to work in San Francisco and Oakland. But in recent years, more jobs have been created in the city itself. A well-known store called BevMo! has its main office in Concord. The city also has many shops, including the Sunvalley Shopping Center, which was once one of the biggest malls in the United States. You can also find auto dealerships and a Costco store. Concord is home to the last Sears in California and one of only five left in the whole country, as well as the last Fuddruckers in California.

Top employers

According to the city's 2024 report, the biggest employers in Concord are:

Naval Weapons Station

Main article: Concord Naval Weapons Station

North of Concord is the Concord Naval Weapons Station (CNWS), set up in 1942. It was used to store supplies for ships during World War II, helping with the war effort. The station also helped during the Vietnam War and the Gulf War by sending materials to Southeast Asia and the Middle East.

The station has two parts: a land area and a tidal area. Because the military changed its needs, some of the land area was closed down. In 2007, the U.S. government said the land part would close, but the tidal area stayed open and is now called Military Ocean Terminal Concord (MOTCO). The city is thinking about how to use the land, possibly for parks and open spaces, and will need approval from the Navy.

Transportation

Until 1995, Concord was the final stop for the Concord line of the Bay Area Rapid Transit commuter train system. Since then, the line has been extended to reach Pittsburg/Bay Point in 1996 and Antioch in 2018. The County Connection offers some public bus services in the city and to other places in the county. Buses travel from the North Concord BART station to Martinez, the county’s main city.

The city’s main roads include Willow Pass Road, Concord Avenue, Concord Boulevard, Clayton Road, Monument Boulevard, Ygnacio Valley Road, Oak Grove Road, and Treat Boulevard. It is also connected by I-680, along with state highways (/wiki/California_State_Route_4) and (/wiki/California_State_Route_242).

Buchanan Field Airport is a public airfield owned by the county, located in Concord. It is used by JSX and was served in the past by several airlines including American Eagle, WestAir Commuter Airlines, Pacific Southwest Airlines, and later USAir. These airlines once offered direct flights to Los Angeles International Airport (LAX).

Media

News

Concord gets its news from the daily newspaper called the East Bay Times. This paper is published by a group in the Bay Area and has offices in Walnut Creek. There is also a weekly paper just for Concord called the Concord Transcript.

Radio

Radio stations from San Francisco and Sacramento serve Concord. A school radio station run by students at Clayton Valley Charter High School is called KVHS. There is also a country music station called KKDV and an AM station called KABN that used to operate here.

Television

Main article: List of television stations in the San Francisco Bay Area

Concord watches TV stations from San Francisco, Sacramento, and San Jose. Some parts of the city have trouble getting TV because of the hills. The local TV station, KTNC, shares its signal with other stations in San Francisco.

Education

Concord has many schools run by the Mount Diablo Unified School District. One of these schools is Mt. Diablo High School, which opened in 1901 and has special programs that combine multimedia projects with regular learning.

Other schools in Concord include Clayton Valley Charter High School, De La Salle High School for boys, and Carondelet High School for girls. De La Salle's football team had an amazing record of winning many games in a row. There is also a college campus here from California State University, East Bay.

The Contra Costa County Library has a branch in Concord, close to the city's main government building.

Arts and culture

Concord is known for its lively arts scene. The city hosts the yearly Concord Jazz Festival and was once home to the Concord Records jazz label. Famous jazz musician Dave Brubeck was born in Concord, and a park near Concord High School was named after him in 2006.

Concord is also famous for the Blue Devils Drum and Bugle Corps, a group of talented musicians from all over the world. They have won many awards. The Concord Pavilion, a large outdoor space for concerts and events, was designed by architect Frank Gehry and opened in 1975.

The city has a public television channel run by TelVue Virtual Television Networks. There is also a special playground called Matteo's Dream in an urban park. This playground is designed for children of all abilities, including those who use wheelchairs, and has special features to make it fun for everyone.

Points of interest

Concord has many fun places to visit and explore. You can enjoy music at the Concord Pavilion, a big outdoor concert spot. Families love the Six Flags Hurricane Harbor Concord, an exciting water park. There are also beautiful parks like Baldwin Community Park, Dave Brubeck Park, and Hillcrest Park, which has a special playground called Matteo's Dream for children of all abilities.

Other interesting spots include the Buchanan Field Airport, the Sunvalley Mall for shopping, and the Don Salvio Pacheco Adobe, a historic home. You can also start a fun hike on the Iron Horse Regional Trail or visit the Port Chicago Naval Magazine National Memorial to learn about history.

Sister city

In 1974, Concord became a sister city with Kitakami, Iwate, in Japan. To celebrate this, the city created a small Japanese-style park and placed half of a sculpture called The Communion Bridge there. The other half of the bridge is in Kitakami.

Every five years, a group from Concord travels to Kitakami and helps with a student exchange program.

Notable people

Concord has been home to many interesting people. Some well-known individuals from the city include comedian and voice actor Carlos Alazraqui, who gave voice to the Taco Bell chihuahua, and actor Tom Hanks, who won an Oscar. Other famous residents and natives include jazz musician Dave Brubeck, Olympic gold medalist Natalie Coughlin, and actor Charley Koontz. The city also saw the birth of Blake Anderson, a comedian and writer, and Sonya Eddy, an actress known for her role on General Hospital.