The Almond-Shuey neighborhood is located in downtown Walnut Creek, just blocks from the East Bay's premiere shopping, dining and entertainment hot spot.

The neighborhood is accessed from the east off of North California Boulevard at Almond Ave or Bonanza Steet and also from the west at Oakland Boulevard.

There are 6 streets that comprise Almond-Shuey; Almond Avenue, Almond Court, Shuey Avenue, Stow Avenue, Brooks Street and Dora Avenue.

(The following excerpt is from a newspaper article written about the Almond Shuey neighborhood)

“Most people who live in urban downtown areas sacrifice the privacy and tranquility of owning a single family house so they can be where the action is -- near offices, restaurants, shops and theaters.

In Walnut Creek, residents of the Almond-Shuey neighborhood have the best of both worlds, living in a community of more than 100 eclectic homes built in the 1920s to 1940s that some call an oasis in the heart of the city.

Just blocks away from high-rise office buildings and the Dean Lesher Regional Center for the Arts, they tend gardens in their yards, walk dogs along sidewalks lined with trees and chat with neighbors, as children play outside.”

Homer Stow Shuey appeared in Walnut Creek at the right moment with the right idea. Born in Quincy, Illinois, on August 7, 1840, Shuey was one of eight children of John Shuey. Shuey came to Walnut Creek in the mid-1860's and opened a general Merchandise store with his brother Malcolm. In 1868, her married Genevra Doughherty of Lafayette.

One year after his marriage Homer bought fifty-seven acres from Hiram Penniman of what was to become the downtown business district of Walnut Creek. Shuey filed a subdivision map in 1876 and began selling off his lots. He followed a year later with a larger subdivision, establishing the street pattern of the present day Walnut Creek.

When Shuey filed these subdivision maps, street names were different than they are now. Cypress was called "China" and Locust was named "School". Main street was desginated "Pacheco" and California appeared as "Granger". Well in to the 1930's, Mt. Diablo Boulevard was called Lafayette Road.

On Shuey's maps, his lots are fifty feet wide and 140 feet deep. One of the early buyers, Ah Lo, the village laundryman, bought a 25-foot piece fronting on Main Street and he paid thirty-five dollars.

(Information courtesy of the Walnut Creek Historical Society)