Concord dates to 1869, and 2 of its places are on the National Register
More historic than 32% of U.S. towns · #318 of 847 in California. What drives it
Its Register listings are the Pacheco, Don Fernando, Adobe and the Don Francisco Galindo House. Most of Concord was built recently: 2% of its homes predate 1940 and the median home dates from 1970. Below: 4 old photos and papers, maps from 1891 on, and the census since 1870.
Founding year: Wikidata; Wikipedia’s history section gives the same year. First post office: 1872.The full story ↓
History grade
What drives Concord’s History grade
On its age, its old homes and the National Register, Concord is more historic than 32% of U.S. towns, #318 of 847 in California. Its National Register listings hold the grade up; its share of homes from before 1940 pulls it down.
C
HistoryA character grade: shown, never part of Concord’s overall grade.
Among the 400 U.S. cities of 100,000 or more, Concord ranks #299 on History.
Few California towns list much on the Register (a typical California town has 0.0 per 10,000 residents, the U.S. 2.4), so Concord’s 0.2 sits near the middle of its state (64% of California towns have fewer) while its 2 listings outnumber those of 60% of U.S. towns.
Newer cities are common at Concord’s size: in the typical U.S. city of 100,000 or more, 5% of homes predate 1940.
How sure. Graded on any two of the three inputs instead, the letter would range from C− to C+. The pre-1940 share (±0.4 points) is firm at this size. Two sources give 1869.
Founding year: Wikidata (other dates in Quick answers). Homes: Census ACS 2020–24. National Register: National Park Service, May 2026 list; each listing counted once (boundary changes and added documentation belong to their listing), and a historic district counts its contributing buildings. How TownRatings grades history →
What stands out about Concord’s past
Read from the archive, the National Register and the record. The page puts what stands out first.
Every edition of the U.S. Geological Survey’s map of Concord. Tap a year, or press play to watch the town change.
1897Concord sheet · 1:62,500
U.S. Geological Survey historical topographic maps (public domain), via Esri’s collection of the scans. The red ring marks the center of Concord.
Every building
Concord, building by building, 1891–1917
Fire insurance maps drew every building, what it was made of and what it was used for, so insurers could price the risk of fire. Pick a year, then a sheet.
The valleys north of Mount Diablo were inhabited by the Miwok people, who hunted elk and fished in the numerous streams flowing from the mountain into the San Francisco Bay. Miwok and other indigenous people still live within city limits. In 1772, Spanish explorers began to cross the area but did not settle there. In 1834, the Mexican land grant Rancho Monte del Diablo at the base of Mount Diablo was granted to Salvio Pacheco (for whom the nearby town of Pacheco is named).
churches struggling for existence. And thus, on the formation of this church, the name of "West Parish" was given to that part of the city now known more familiarly as West Concord. The first minister of the West Church was the Rev. Asa P. Tenney, who served in that capacity for thirty-four years — a pastorate that was only exceeded in length by those of Rev. Timothy
Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.
Proceedings at the centennial celebration of Concord fight, April 19, 18751876 · page 27Read the page →
Read the text
committees, cordially invited us to join them in celebrating the day in their respective towns, a courtesy that we fully recognize ; yet, inasmuch as it was at Concord that the Acton company was more especially engaged and distinguished, and as a part of the celebration of the day in Concord is to consist in the dedication of a monument to be erected upon the spot where Davis and Hosmer fell, an act of justice to them and their co-patriots which we greatly appreciate : therefore Resolved, That, while we would have gladly cooperated with both of those
Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.
Proceedings at the centennial celebration of Concord fight, April 19, 18751876 · page 43Read the page →
Read the text
They are aware that they are largely indebted to your untiring exertions for the success of the celebration, and feel that the town of Concord has incurred another debt of gratitude, in addition to the many it already owes you for the assistance you have so freely rendered in times past whenever it has been needed to insure the prosperity and welfare of your native town.
Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.
Scans and text from the Internet Archive. Books published in 1930 or earlier, which are in the public domain.
Timeline
Concord, 1856 to 1967
Woven from the archive, old maps, post office records, the National Register and the people born here.
Nothing in the archives for these yearsWeddings on Main Street, storms, parades, school pictures, the old store. If it’s in your family album, it belongs here.
In 1869, according to Wikidata and Wikipedia’s history of the town. Concord’s post office opened in 1872, and the census of 1870 counted 400 people here.
How does Concord rank for history?
Concord is more historic than 32% of U.S. towns, #318 of 847 in California. The History grade combines the town’s founding era, the share of homes built before 1940 and its National Register listings. It’s a character grade, so it isn’t part of the overall grade. How it works.
What is on the National Register in Concord?
Two places: the Pacheco, Don Fernando, Adobe (listed 1980) and the Don Francisco Galindo House (1988).
How old are the homes in Concord?
2% of Concord’s homes were built before 1940 (Census estimate), against a typical 3.4% for a California town; the median home was built in 1970.
Founding dates: Wikidata, Wikipedia, the U.S. post office records of Blevins & Helbock (CC0) and the Census. Homes by year built: Census ACS 2020–24. National Register of Historic Places: National Park Service (list of May 22, 2026). Old photos, postcards and papers: Wikimedia Commons, the Library of Congress and other public archives, credited on each item’s page. Maps: U.S. Geological Survey historical topographic maps (via Esri) and Sanborn fire-insurance maps (Library of Congress). History text and census tables: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0). Places that used to be: USGS Geographic Names Information System (2021).
From Wikimedia Commons (4), the Library of Congress (2), Wikidata (1), the National Register of Historic Places (2), Wikipedia, Wikidata and Wikipedia for famous people, U.S. Geological Survey historical maps, U.S. Census counts (via Wikipedia), the US Post Offices dataset (Blevins & Helbock), the USGS Geographic Names Information System, Sanborn fire insurance maps (Library of Congress) and old county and town histories (Internet Archive). Archive images are copied here with their credits and licenses, shown on each photo’s page. Refreshed monthly.
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