Walnut Creek Preps For 100th Birthday Party

Correction, 8:25 Friday. Margaret Lesher was Steve Lesher's grandmother.

Walnut Creek is about to turn 100.

In October 1914, it incorporated as the eighth city in Contra Costa County. The idea was to achieve a means to raise taxes in order to pave Main Street.

The specifics are not in place, but a Centennial Steering Committee is coalescing to plan the birthday party.

"We're looking for a hundred ways to celebrate the 100th," said Gayle Vassar, city communications manager. Vassar, Mayor Cindy Silva and Mayor Pro Tem Kristina Lawson serve on the steering committee, but otherwise it is planned to be composed of community members, not city staffers, Vassar said. The city website has a place where you can submit your centennial ideas. It also has plenty of historical facts and a timeline.

The committee is chaired by Steve and Mackenzie Lesher. There's a family connection there — Steve Lesher's late grandmother, Margaret Lesher, chaired the committee for Walnut Creek's 75th diamond jubilee.

The committee has already received a lot of great ideas from community members, Steve Lesher said. "Our goal is to spread it (the celebration) out over the course of the year," he said, "and our goal is to have inclusive events."

The city has earmarked $10,000 of seed money for the celebration, Vassar said. Beyond that, "there's definitely going to be an opportunity for sponsorships and donations," she said. She expects the committee to encourage community groups with planned events in 2014 to have "a centennial spin" on their event.

Walnut Creek history trivia. What famous actor filmed scenes of an equestrian movie at Heather Farm Park? (We'll post the answer later Friday.)