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Clyde Community Center
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A WWI company town, est. 1917

Clyde, CA: the company town designed by a legend.

The Clyde Community Center anchors a quiet, unincorporated neighborhood with an outsized history — and we'd love for you to be part of what's next.

See upcoming events Rent the hall
photo: sepia — Diablo launch, 1918

The story of Clyde

Nestled quietly in a corner of Contra Costa County, Clyde is more than a peaceful neighborhood — it's a perfectly preserved World War I company town. In 1917, as the U.S. entered the war, the Pacific Coast Shipbuilding Company broke ground on a 4,500-worker shipyard along the delta. The sudden influx of laborers created a housing crisis, so the U.S. Shipping Board loaned the company funds to build a master-planned town beside the yard — named Clyde, after Scotland's famed shipbuilding river.

On November 30, 1918 — just 19 days after the Armistice — the shipyard launched the Diablo, the largest freighter yet built on the Pacific Coast. But peacetime demand collapsed soon after: the shipyard closed, the grand hotel shuttered, and Clyde settled into the quiet residential village it remains today.

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Designed by an architectural legend
The federal government didn't build cookie-cutter barracks — it commissioned Bernard Maybeck, famed Arts and Crafts architect behind San Francisco's Palace of Fine Arts, as supervising architect, with George Applegarth executing the plans. Together they laid out a walkable grid of roughly 120–200 worker cottages, plus the three-story Clyde Hotel: 176 rooms and a 17-lane bowling alley in the basement.
A brief timeline
1917
Shipyard breaks ground; company town commissioned to house workers.
1918
The Diablo launches — largest Pacific Coast freighter of its time.
1944
Original cottages survive the nearby Port Chicago blast.
Today
A quiet village of ~725 residents, preserving its history.
Then & now — Maybeck cottages on Wellington Ave
photo: Wellington Ave, present day
photo: original cottages, c. 1918
drag to compare

Many original worker cottages still stand today — surviving even the massive Port Chicago blast of 1944 nearby. Clyde now operates as an unincorporated census-designated place of about 725 residents, preserving its history through spaces like the Clyde Clubhouse, right here at the Community Center.

Upcoming events

All welcome, free unless noted
JUL
12
10:00 AM
Farmers Market
Local produce, crafts, and live music on the lawn.
JUL
18
6:30 PM
Community Potluck
Bring a dish to share and meet your neighbors.
JUL
25
9:00 AM
Youth Soccer Camp
Ages 6-12, week-long day camp on the north field.
AUG
02
7:00 PM
Board Meeting
Public comment welcome. Agenda posted one week prior.

Board meetings

The Board of Directors meets monthly and welcomes community members to attend and speak during public comment.

Next meeting
First Tuesday of the month · 7:00 PM
Main hall, Clyde Community Center
Minutes & agendas
June 2026 — Minutes PDF → June 2026 — Agenda PDF → May 2026 — Minutes PDF → April 2026 — Minutes PDF → March 2026 — Minutes PDF →

Stay in the loop

Our monthly newsletter covers upcoming events, board updates, and neighbor spotlights.

Email us to subscribe
hello@clydecommunitycenter.org

Rent our spaces

From birthday parties to fundraisers to rehearsal space, the Center has a room for it. Rentals help fund our free community programs.

Main Hall
Fits up to 150 guests
$120 / hr
Stage, sound system, and adjoining kitchen. Ideal for weddings and large gatherings.
Meeting Room
Fits up to 30 guests
$40 / hr
Tables, whiteboard, and projector. Good for classes and small meetings.
Studio
Fits up to 20 guests
$30 / hr
Open floor and mirrors. Popular for fitness and dance classes.
Request a rental
Clyde Community Center
109 Wellington Ave
Concord, CA 94520
Hours
Mon–Fri: 9am – 8pm
Sat: 10am – 4pm
Sun: Closed
Contact
(925) 555-0148
hello@clydecommunitycenter.org
© 2026 Clyde Community Center. A registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit.