History

Mount Diablo High School is the oldest school within the Mount Diablo Unified School District.  The District was formed in 1948, the same year that the city of Concord was chartered, and now includes 46 schools at the primary and secondary level.  Mount Diablo High School is the oldest of these schools, with it's founding dating back to 1900 (www.mdusd.org 2013).  The original building that housed the high school was demolished in the 1960's as the student population grew and expansion was required (www.concordhistory.com 2013).

The 1950's and 1960's are often considered a the time when Concord's downtown area "deteriorated." After a population swell from less than 2000 to more than 10,000 by the end of the 1940's, suburbs

One of the many historical landmarks around town

quickly built up around the outskirts of Concord.  As malls and shopping centers, including the Sun Valley Mall, were built to meet the high demand from the growing suburbs, businesses within the downtown area were forced to close or move as less people frequented the area (concordhistory.com).

In response to the decline of downtown, from the 1970's through the late 1990's, several attempts were made by the city to reinvigorate downtown Concord.  These attempts included the development of the Redevelopment Agency and several initiatives to promote art and murals in public places (concordhistory.com).

Today there are still attempts to revitalize the downtown area.  Legacy Luxury apartments are being built in order to attract new residents to the area.  The Galindo house and Gardens are in the works to be restored as well.  This house was home to several members of the Galindo family, members included one of the founders of Todos Santos Village, which became the city of Concord (concordhistory.com).

Most notable of the attempts to restore downtown Concord is Todos Santos Plaza.  A reference to the original village that eventually became Concord, Todos Santos houses a park frequented by families, both young and old, who live near downtown.  There are a host of businesses circling the park, including at least one bookstore, several restaurants and a movie theater.