The Town Of Moraga, California

Moraga (incorporating the former communities of Moraga Town, Rheem, and Rheem Valley) is an affluent suburban incorporated town located in Contra Costa County, California, United States, in the San Francisco Bay Area. It is named in honor of Joaquin Moraga, whose grandfather was José Joaquin Moraga, second in command to Juan Bautista de Anza. As of the 2000 census, Moraga was the 79th wealthiest place in the US with a population above 10,000.

It is also the home of Saint Mary's College of California, a Catholic university with 3,962 undergraduate and postgraduate students in the 2007-2008 schoolyear. The college was originally located in San Francisco and then Oakland, but moved to Moraga in 1928.

As of 2007, Moraga had a total population of 17,421, not including the college.

Moraga is located at 37°50'06" North, 122°07'47" West, at an elevation of 499 feet (152 m). It is located adjacent to the cities of Lafayette and Orinda, as well as the unincorporated community of Canyon. Other nearby cities include Walnut Creek, Oakland, San Francisco, Concord and Berkeley.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 9.3 square miles (24.0 km²), of which, 9.3 square miles (24.0 km²) of it is land and 0.11% is water. Originally Moraga was abundant with pears, however, over the years more houses are being built and it is losing its pear trees. Large sections of the Lafayette-Moraga Regional Trail pass through the town.

Moraga is a valley, surrounded by rolling hills (green in the winter, golden in the summer) and grazing cows. Residents enjoy walking or biking the many trails in the Lamorinda area.

Moraga is located on the 1835 Mexican Land Grant Rancho Laguna de los Palos Colorados given to Joaquin Moraga and his cousin, Juan Bernal. Joaquin Moraga was the grandson of José Joaquín Moraga, who is credited as the founder of San Francisco, the Presidio and the Mission district.

In the first half of the 20th century (January 1, 1900-December 31, 1950), the line of the Sacramento Northern Railroad ran through Moraga. Much of the old right-of-way is now part of the popular Lafayette-Moraga Regional Trail.

Moraga's first post office opened in 1886, and was closed in 1887; it reopened in 1915.[2] In 1955 Moraga built a new post office.

Saint Mary's College of California is located just northeast of downtown Moraga.

In November 1974, Moraga was granted township, becoming the Town of Moraga. Its first Park director in 1974, William Penn Mott, Jr. went on to become the 12th director of the U.S. National Park Service.

In 1979 Rancho Laguna Park 8.4 acres of land located at 2101 Camino Pablo allowed dog owners a place to let their dogs play off leash. After one dog mauled a small child in 2002, strict leash laws were enacted in the town.

"Rancho Laguna 2" has become known as the name of a controversial proposed housing development in Moraga—one of several projects encompassing nearly 1,000 homes that are being considered by town officials.

Standing next to the Moraga fire department is the hazard house. The hazard house serves as a display for elementary school tours to demonstrate all the things not to do and how to prevent a fire. The Moraga fire department began as a volunteer service staffed by retirees.

Primary and secondary schools

• Camino Pablo Elementary School, grades K-5
• Los Perales Elementary School, grades K-5
• Donald L. Rheem Elementary School, grades K-5
• Joaquin Moraga Intermediate School, grades 6-8

Moraga's only high school is Campolindo High School, part of the Acalanes Union High School District (AUHSD).

Saklan Valley School (formerly, Moraga Country Day School and Carden School of Moraga), a private elementary school founded in 1954, is also located in Moraga. It is a co-educational school with around 155 students from preschool to 8th grade. The school is accredited by the California Association of Independent Schools and the Western Association of Schools and Colleges. It has a maximum class size of 16.

Orion Academy is a private secondary school for students with conditions such as Asperger syndrome and nonverbal learning disorder.

The Moraga Library of the Contra Costa County Library is located in Moraga.