Danville

The Town of Danville with it’s population of roughly 40,000 people is a suburb of Oakland and San Francisco and is a short 35 minute drive from the city of San Francisco.

Danville is one of the wealthiest suburbs in the San Francisco Bay Area, with some of the most expensive and exclusive country clubs and Real Estate in the country. It still keeps its small town charm by limiting growth and maintaining strict building code guidelines. While only a couple of small blocks in area, the rustic downtown is a destination point for the entire East Bay and is highlighted by historic homes, fine dining and boutique shops. The downtown area is home to several events and street fairs throughout the year. Danville’s main street is Hartz Avenue in downtown Danville.

The Downtown area hosts a farmers market every Saturday where local growers and merchants sell fresh produce and meats. Every Wednesday evening a local running shop hosts a 5 and 10 K run along the Iron Horse Trail which goes through downtown Danville and extends from the City of Dublin to the city of Concord.

Danville is within the award winning San Ramon Valley School District and hosts two High Schools serving the east and west sides of the town.

History

Danville’s name came from the town founders of Daniel and Andrew Inman, who bought 400 acres (1.6 km²) there in 1854 using their gold rush earnings. They rejected the name “Inmanville” and settled on Danville. However, “According to the modest Dan, the name was chosen as much or more out of respect for Andrew’s mother-in-law, who was born and raised near Danville, Ky. It was initially a farming community, switching from wheat to fruits and nuts after the Southern Pacific Railroad built a spur line through the area in 1891. It developed as a residential suburb starting in 1947 when the first sizable housing tracts were constructed and its population boomed in the 1970s and 1980s.

A post office opened in 1860.

Geography

Danville is nestled between the cities of Pleasanton to the south and Walnut Creek to the north and is immediately adjoined by San Ramon, Alamo, and Diablo.

Danville sits at an elevation of roughly 300 feet and is at the base of Mt Diablo and it’s nearly 4000 ft peak.