Welcome to the Walnut Creek Historical Society

The Society was founded in 1967 by members of the Walnut Creek Women's Club. Today, the Society is a proactive organization that works with the community and city government to carry out its mission to preserve and interpret local history.

Autumn Antique & Collectibles Show and Sale at Shadelands Ranch on Sunday, September 12th!

Shadelands Ranch Museum

Penniman home

Built by Walnut Creek pioneer Hiram Penniman (1824-1907), the main house on the Shadelands Ranch grounds is a 1903 redwood-framed Colonial Revival structure that now showcases numerous historical artifacts, many of which belonged to the Pennimans. It also houses a rich archive of Contra Costa and Walnut Creek history in its collections of old newspapers, photographs, and government records. The Sherwood Burgess Room is open Wednesdays from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. for individuals who wish to do research on local history.

The Museum is on the National Register of Historic Places and belongs to the City of Walnut Creek, but is operated by the Society through fundraising and a dedicated corps of volunteers. The Museum is closed each year from the beginning of November until the first Sunday in February. During the annual hiatus, the Society holds public events around the holidays and carries out routine maintenance on the house each January.