Coastside Cultural Resources of San Mateo County
An Approach to Developing A Protection Program for the San Mateo County Coastal Zone.
Prepared by the Department of Environmental Management, Planning Division, San Mateo County, Redwood City, California. September 1980.
This project is supported by a grant from the National Endowment For The Arts, Washington, D.C. a Federal agency.
Chapter 4
The essence of this program is to protect and preserve coastal cultural
resources in their natural physical setting. This is possible on the San
Mateo Coastside for many of the historic and cultural features, whether in
small towns and villages or rural compounds, are still intact.
l. SURVEY
There can be no realistic protection program unless there is a
comprehensive survey and inventory of all significant cultural resources.
Those building, structures, and sites (both cultural and natural) which are
of importance to the Coastside had to be identified. To do this, a
comprehensive survey of all resources which are important at either the
local, State, or national level was undertaken. It is this survey which
forms the foundation of the Protection Program.
Cultural resources identified in the survey are divided into five
categories: Historic, Architectural, Community Design Features, Development
History, and Natural Features. These are defined as follows:
Historic
This includes buildings, structures or sites which are important to the
historic development of the Coastside. It also includes groups of
structures, historic sites or features, design components or other
interesting details which together create an exceptionally rich historic
ambiance.
Architectural
This includes buildings which represent diverse architectural
styles,whether vernacular or the works of identifiable artisans, master
craftsmen, builders, or architects of local or wider importance.
Community Design Features
There are objects of interesting design which are of importance to their
physical setting. These may be light fixtures, street furniture, local or
unusual building materials, unique design components, or design features
that contribute to the "look and feel" of the community.
Development History
This represents surviving sites, routes, or structures important to the
early settlement, economic origins, or technological development of the
region. These may be reminders of the Spanish or Mexican periods, artifacts
of early agricultural or industrial development, historic town plats or
subdivisions, or transportation routes such as trails, railroads, or
roadways.
Natural Features
This includes topographic features, geologic formations, bodies of water,
arroyos, remaining forests or natural features, and other striking or
familiar physical characteristics that are important to the special
character, historic identity or aesthetic setting of the Coastside.
2. EVALUATION
Once the survey was completed, the information collected was evaluated to
determine which are the most important resources in need of protection.
While certain well known features were obvious, others were less so and the
evaluation process was a helpful tool in compiling a comprehensive
inventory of resources worthy of preserving and protecting.
The following criteria for the evaluation of historical and architectural
cultural resources, listed in Table I below, were used as guidelines in the
evaluation process.
TABLE I
Criteria For The Evaluation Of Historical And Architectural Cultural Resources
Historical Criteria
- Is the structure or site associated with the life or activities of a major historic person (more than the "slept here" type of association)?
- Is it associated with a major group or organization in the history of the nation, State, or community (including the significant ethnic groups)?
- Is it associated with a major historic event (whether cultural, economic, military, social, or political)?
- Is it associated with a major recurring event in the history of the community (such as an annual celebration)?
- Is it associated with a past or continuing institution which has contributed substantially to the life of the community or region?
Architectural Criteria
- Is the structure one of few off its age remaining in the community?
- Is it a unique example of a particular architectural style or period?
- Is it one of a few remaining examples of a particular architectural style or period?
- Is it one of many good examples of a particular architectural style or period?
- Is the building the work of a nationally famous architect?
- Is it a notable work of a major local architect or master builder?
- Is it an architectural curiosity or picturesque work of particular artistic merit?
- Does it evidence original materials and/or workmanship which can be valued in themselves?
- Has the integrity of the original design been retained or has it been altered?
Physical Setting Criteria
- Is the structure generally visible to the public?
- Is it, or could it be, an important element in the character of the neighborhood (either alone or in conjunction with similar structures in the vicinity)?
- Does it contribute to the architectural continuity of the roadway?
- Is the building on its original site?
- Is its present setting (yards, trees, fences, walls, paving, treatment, outbuildings, and so forth) appropriate?
- Are the structure and site subject to the encroachment of detrimental influences?
Table II
Inventory of Cultural Resources
The following inventory represents a comprehensive survey of cultural
resources found within the San Mateo County Coastal Zone. Each resource is
identified by name and number on the INVENTORY Maps and by number of the
SCENIC CORRIDORS AND CULTURAL FEATURES Maps.
[my note: there are maps, but I won't be able to email them to you, so it
is possible to omit the sentence above which mentions maps].
Resource
1. DEVIL'S SLIDE - Coast Highway, north of Montara
Where Montara Mountain extends to the ocean's edge, undercutting by waves
has produced an exceedingly steep and lofty escarpment which rises over 800
feet above the ocean from San Pedro Point to the valley north of Montara.
The Coast Highway cuts through the rock here, creating one of the most
spectacular sights north of Big Sur. Along the road cut tightly folded,
thin-bedded, Paleocene sandstones and shales meet with granitic rocks
(primarily quartz diorite) of the earlier Cretaceous period. Portions of
the road bed of the old Ocean Shore Railorad are still visible along
sections of the cliff.
2. Montara Mountain
Towering over 1,900 feet above sea level, Montara Mountain is a major north
County landmark. It follows the backdrop for the communities of Montara,
Moss Beach, and El Granada, and its ridge is the easterly boundary of the
Coastal Zone between the Devil's Slide area and Half Moon Bay.
3. Corner Store--Second and Main Streets, Montara
This one-story brick building of simple construction is a good example of
the "corner store" of the early 1900's;' it is the only known commercial
structure built of brick on the Coastside. The building stands along the
route of the old coast highway, and was probably once frequented by
travelers. It is used as a private residence today.
4. Montara Grammar School--Sixth and Le Conte Streets, Montara
This two-story school was built in 1915, in the Mission Revival style of
architecture which was popular at the time. The building is presently used
as a residence.
[Photo of Point Montara Light Station]
5. Point Montara Light Station--Coast Highway, Montara
A steam whistle and keeper's residence were installed at Point Montara in
1874 to warn ships of the sunken rocks which lie west of the point. The
squat metal light tower which stands here today was constructed in 1901.
Its stern white practicality is reminiscent of lighthouss seen on the New
England Coast.
6. Ocean Shore Railroad
Between 1908 and 1920, the Ocean Shore Railroad operated trains along the
Coastside from San Francisco to Tunitas Glen, carrying visitors to the
beaches and hauling farm produce to market, During its brief existence, the
railroad and its promoters were responsible for the subdivision of hundreds
of lots in new coastal towns such as Montara, Moss Beach, and El Granada.
The railroad failed due to financial problems which were never resolved and
the coming of automobiles. Today all that remains of the old railroad are
the scars of abandoned road cuts along coastal bluffs and several remodeled
structures which once served as passenger stations. These are:
A. Montara Station, Second and Main in Montara, was built in 1906 of
fieldstone by Italian masons. It has now been remodeled into a private
residence.
B. Granada Station, Alhambra at Granada in El Granada, was constructed in a
Mediterranean style with tile roof, stucco walls, and arched openings. It
was the largest and most attractive station built by the railroad. The
building today has been so altered to serve commercial uses that it bears
little resemblance ot its originaldesign.
7. ST. SERAPHIMS HERMITAGE, Coast Highway and Virginia, Moss Beach
A one-story, wooden building, this Russian Orthodox monastery is
distinguished by a small "onion" dome and Russian Cross on its roof.
8.FITZGERALD MARINE RESERVE--Moss Beach
Extending from Point Montara to Pillar Point, this nature reserve
constitutes one of the richest intertidal rocky shore areas in Central
California and is of great geologic interest. The rock formation provide a
variety of intertidal and subtidal reefs, protected channels, and
tidepools, all of which support in abundance of intertidal and subitdal
marine organisms.
9. PRINCETON INN--Prospect and Princeton Streets, Princeton-by-the-Sea
Constructed in 1908 as a seaside resort hotel in the Mission Revival
architectural style. It originally attracted throngs of tourists from San
Francisco via the Ocean Shore Railroad. When the railroad went out of
business, the resort-like atmosphere faded. The hotel came alive again in
the 1920's as a bordello, and a haven for the rumrunners. It is typical of
the turn-of-the-century coastal hotels and is listed in the National
Register of Historic Places.
10. PILLAR POINT WHALING STATION SITE--Pillar Point
A small, sandy cove marks the spot where whalers came to render the blubber
of their catches of humpback and California gray whales. Operations
continued at the station intermittently from 1860 until the 1890's.
11. El Granada
This community was subdivided in 1906 in a Beaux-Arts design of radial and
semi-circular streets, and divided landscaped boulevards. The town design
is unique as it is the only one of its type in the County, and is the work
of the famous Architect and City Planner Daniel Burnham. The town was
intended to rival Atlantic City, Long Beach, and Coney Island as a
beachside resort.
photo of advertisement for Granada. Caption reads:
Granada--the
magnificent Burnham City while will be to San Francisco what Atlantic City
is to Philadelphia--what Coney Island is to New York--what Long Beach is to
Los Angeles.
Within fifty minutes of San Francisco there is springing into life and
activity a great and wonderful beach city--a place of amusement and
pleasure for our growing city's 500,000 people.
San Francisco has waited patiently for Granada--waited until the courageous
builders of the Ocean Shore Railway could overcome the great difficulties
of construction necessary to gain access to the most remarkable stretch of
clean, sandy, safe beach in the world.
Granada is now ready and welcomes you--invites you to to spend Sunday on
its broad stretch of hard sand, where the salty surf, tamed and calmed by a
mighty natural reef, gently breaks and plays with the bathers along the
short.
The Spring opening of Granada takes place next Sunday--thousands will be
there to enjoy the pleasures of that great event--to take advantage of the
splendid opportunity to make large profits in Granada real estate, for now
is the beginning, and every day of growth is adding dollars to the value of
this magnificent property.
Come with us Sunday--enjoy a basket lunch on the Beach at our expense--let
us help you have the most enjoyable day of your life--get into the spirit
of Spring--shake off the tedious grind of the daily commonplace--be happy
next Sunday at Granada.
Special Trains leave Ocean Shore Depot, Twelfth and Mission streets, at
9:00 a.m., 10:10 a.m., 11:20 a.m., Sunday, May 2, 1909.
12. SANDSTONE OUTCROPPINGS -- Route 92, east of Half Moon Bay
Numerous large boulders and outcroppings of Miocene sandstone on the
hillside above the roadway are distinctive to the area.
13. HOUSE OF DOORS--Route 92, east of Coast Highway
This house is constructed of doors which, it is rumored, were salvaged from
the 1915 Panama-Pacific Exposition in San Francisco. Located close to the
roadway, the front yard is filled with artifacts from previous eras.
14. WILLIAM JOHNSTON HOUSE--Higgins-Purisima Road, Half Moon Bay
Constructed around 1857 in an Italianate style by William Johnston, a
member of one of the early Anglo families on the Coastside. The building is
constructed entirely with wooden pegs instead of nails and still has its
original shutters and corner boards.
15. JAMES JOHNSTON HOUSE--Higgins-Purisima Road, Half Moon Bay
This Salt Box style home was constructed in 1853 and is one of the few of
this typically Atlantic seaboard design in California. In its prime, it was
the showplace of the area and the center of social acitivity. Because of
its history and architectural uniqueness, it is one of the County's most
important early structures. During rehabilitation of the house in 1977, it
was blown down during a wind storm; however, it has been rebuilt exactly as
originally constructed. It is listed in the National Register of Historic
Places.
[Photo of James Johnston House]
16. PURISIMA TOWNSITE--Higgins-Purisima Road, south of Half Moon Bay
Purisima, established around 1853, was the first Anglo settlement in the
Half Moon Bay area. In its heydey, it was a bustling stagecoach stop and
shopping area with stores, hotel, school, saloon, dance hall, and harness
and blacksmith shops, which served farmers and loggers in the surrounding
area. By the turn of the century, the town was in a decline with the growth
of Half Moon Bay as the produce shipping center of the region. By the
1930's, Purisima was a ghost town. All that remains today are the ruins of
the school and the cemtery.
17. Tunitas Creek--Coast Highway, south of Half Moon Bay
Here on the high coastal bluffs at Tunitas Creek, Alexander Gordon in 1872
built a wooden chute from the top of the cliff to the ocean below in a
daring attempt to create a port. The venture failed and in 1885 a storm
wrecked the structure. Nothing remains today except several bolts in the
rocks that supported the structure.
Tunitas Creek also marks the transfer point for the old Ocean Shore
Railroad where travelers boarded a Stanley Steamer Automobile for Davenport
and continuation of the railroad to Santa Cruz. A large wooden trestle was
constructed across the creek for the railroad bed but the company went out
of business before it was ever used. The structure burned in 1940 and
nothing remains today except the concret footings which supported the
trestle.
18. PETERSON AND ALSFORD GENERAL STORE--Route 84 and Stage Road, San Gregorio
This old country store has served residents of the San Gregorio ara since
the 1920's. The Spanish Colonial Revival style structure also serves as a
post office and service station.
19. SAN GREGORIO HOUSE --Route 84 and Stage Road, San Gregorio
This two-story gable roof hotel was built by George Washington Tully Carter
in 1865 to service the stagecoach trade between the Bayside and Coast. In
the 1870's it was enlarged to its present size and a veranda with balcony
was added to the front in a style which can best be described as Monterey
Traditional. It is one of the rare surviving examples in California of a
hostelry of that type and period. The old hotel dominates the townscape of
San Gregorio and is an integral part of the village and its setting. The
building is listed in the National Register of Historic Places and the
Historic America Building Survey.
{Photo of San Gregorio House}
20. SEASIDE SCHOOL--Stage Road, San Gregorio
Constructed in 1875, this one-story wooden schoolhouse is typical of the
one-room schools that graced rural America in the 19th century and is one
of the few remaining on the Coastside. It is presently used as a residence.
21. STAGE ROAD--Between San Gregorio and Pescadero
Except for a thin cover of asphalt, this old roadway remains untouched by
modern engineering methods of construction. As it twists and winds its way
over the coastal hills between San Gregorio and Pescadero, the modern
traveler experiences many of the same sights that greeted the stagecoach as
it carried passengers between the Bayside and these thriving coastal
villages over a century ago.
22. EUCALPTUS GROVE--Stage Road, north of Pescadero
For nearly 1,200 feet this majestic grove of eucalyptus arches over Stage
Road, creating a tunnel-like effect which has sheltered travelers from the
summer sun and winter rains for over 100 years.
[photo of Eucalyptus Grove on Stage Road}
23. MONTEREY CYPRESS--Pescadero Road, east of Pescadero
This single Monterey Cypress is 120 feet in height and has a circumference
of 40 feet, 4 inches, making it the largest speciment of its kind in the
United States. Its landmark location, by the bend of the road, and
estimated age, 150 years, indicates it was planted in the Spanish-Mexican
Era, probably to mark a site or boundary line.
24. PESCADERO MARSH--Coast Highway at Pescadero Road
The largest marsh on the coast between Monterey and San Francisco, it is an
important habitat for a variety of animals. The marsh is owned by the State
as a wildlife refuge and a trail system allows the visitor to explore the
area for closer observation.
25. PESCADERO BEACH UNCONFORMITY--Coast Highway at Pescadero Road
Here at beach level, on the south side of a point of land extending
westward into the sea, nearly horizontal beds of sandstone and
conglomerates of Oligocene age rest on nearly vertical sandstones and
shales of the Pigeon Point Formation of Late Cretaceous age. Approximately
50 million years of geologic record are missing at the contact or
unconformity between these two geologic units. During this interval, the
Pigeon Point Formation was uplifted from the ocean floor and the rocks were
beveled before the deposition of the much younger sandstones and
conglomerates.
25. ST. ANTHONY'S CHURCH--North Street, Pescadero
This Roman Catholic Church was built in 1868-1870 and its tower was added
in 1888. The building was knocked off its foundation by the 1906
earthquake, but was replaced on a new foundation on the original site. Its
style is basically Greek Revival, but the spire shows a strong Victorian
Gothic influence, being octagonal in shape and cut by four pointed dormers
with louver-filled arches. The tower on which it rests has a rose window in
a formal frame. The design of the building reflects, to a large degree, the
style of the Congregational Church and the homes of the community at the
time it was built.
27. BRADDOCK WEEKS HOUSE--Pescadero Road, Pescadero
Built in the 1860's, this house is typical of early homes in Pescadero. The
porch columns have fancy cut ornaments at the tops, and deocrative brackets
are used under the long eaves and at the gable ends. The window frames have
Italianate cornices.
{photo of Braddock Weeks House]
28. GARRESTON SCHOOLHOUSE--Pescadero Road, Pescadero
Built in 1875 by John Garretson as a private schoolhouse, this building was
purchased in 1885 by Braddock Weeks and moved to its present location to
serve as a dairy building. It is one of the earliest surviving elementary
schools in the County.
29. PESCADERO COMMUNITY CHURCH (CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH)--Stage Road, Pescadero
Built in 1867, this is the oldest Protestant Church in the County. It was
originally a simple building with a square, louvered bell tower above the
entry. The 40-foot single covered Victorian Gothic spire was added in 1889.
The church expresses in wood temple forms of Greek Revival with cornice
returns and quoins. The bell tower has a pseudo-rose window in the shape of
a Maltese cross and the walls are scored to simulate stone.
30. JAMES McCORMICK HOUSE--Stage Road, Pescadero
Built in the late 1860's by James McCormick, one of the early families in
Pescadero, this is the most sophiscated of the houses built in this era.
Influenced by the Classic Revival, the house is almost the mirror image of
the Thomas W. Moore House on the other end of Stage Road.
{Photo of James McCormick House}
31. BARTLETT V. WEEKS HOUSE--Goulson Road, Pescadero
Constructed in 1885, this house shows a slight departure from earlier homes
in Pescadero in thqt it indicates an awareness of the Victorian style.
Porch columns are solid, rather than pierced, and are decorated with
concave fans that suggest arches between the posts.
32. METHODIST-EPISCOPAL CHURCH--Stage Road, Pescadero
Built in 1889, this Victorian style building was designed on a cruciform
plan with some Gothic Revival details and a highpitched roof. The natural
redwood interior is relatively undisturbed and much of the hardware is
original. During the 1920's it served as the Pescadero Community Center and
later as a cultural school for the children of Japanese Americans. It is
presently owned by the Native Sons and Native Daughters of the Golden West.
33. I.O.O.F. HALL--Stage Road, Pescadero
This meeting place was built around 1878 by the International Order of Odd
Fellows, one of the most active fraternal groups in the community at the
time. The street facade was made more elaborate in 1890 by the addition of
an overhang to the gable, decorative brackets under the eaves, and veranda
with a balustrated balcony. Remodeling has destroyed the original classic
symmetry of the building, which is now used as a private residence.
34. WOODHAMS HOUSE--Stage Road, Pescadero
Built in the mid-1880's, the house has a square bay window typical of the
period. Pierced quarter-fan ornaments on each corner of the porch and on
either side of the supports give it unusual interest. The apex of the gable
has a simple stick form and at the crest is a double fan with a finial
center.
[Photo of Woodham's House}
35. THOMAS W. MOORE HOUSE--Stage Road, Pescadero
Built around 1863, this is one of the oldest houses in the community.
Constructed with classically inspired motifs, it reflects the architectural
influence of early homes in Pescadero.
36. PEBBLE BEACH--Coast Highway, south of Pescadero
This small beach, covered with polished fragments of agate, carnelian, and
jasper, has been a favorite gathering point for visitors since the 1860's.
The Swanton House in Pescadero would carry their guests to the beach by
wagon each morning to sun and collect pebbles. A large hotel on the bluff
above the beach was a tourist mecca until it burned in the 1920's.
37. PIGEON POINT--Coast Highway, south of Pescadero
This headland was originally called Whale Point by early Californians.
Here, on the cove on the south side of the point, Portuguese whalers
established a whaling station that consisted of a dozen cottages, two
warehouses and a wharf. Later the area became known as Pigeon Point for the
clipper ship, Carrier Pigeon, that hit the rocks and sank here in 1853.
The area has great scenic beauty, and is also of considerable biological
and geological interest.
38. PIGEON POINT LIGHTHOUSE, Coast Highway, Pigeon Point
First illuminated on November 15, 1872, this lighthouse was named for the
clipper ship, Carrier Pigeon, that hit the rocks here on May 6, 1853. The
tower, 115 tower in height and 28 feet in diameter, is constructed of
bricks shipped around Cape Horn from Norfolk, Virginia. The light's 9-foot
diameter fresnel lens was built by Henri Le Paute of Paris in the 1850's.
Illumination for the light first came from whale oil. Kerosense was later
substituted, and then electricity to run the light, which is magnified to
800,000 candlepower in a beam seen 18 miles at sea. In 1974, an automatic
beacon was set up on a platform outside the lighthouse, replacing the
historic lens. The lighthouse is a State Historical Landmark, and is listed
in the National Register of Historic Places and Historic American Building
Survey.
{Diagram of Pigeon Point Lighthouse}
39. STEELE BROTHERS DAIRIES, Gazos Creek to Ano Nuevo
In 1862, Rensselaer Steele and his three cousins established a chain of
dairies between Gazos Creek and Ano Nuevo knowns as the Steele Brothers
Dairies which became famous throughout the Bay Area for their products. A
number of houses and barns still stand which were constructed by the
family. The dairies are listed as a California State Landmark.
40. CLOVERDALE RANCH HOUSE, Coast Highway, south of Pigeon Point
This two-story wooden house was originally built by William Ramsey in 1873
but was purchased in 1880 by Edgar Steele. It is constructed in a Classical
Revival style with quoins at each corner, and gables that end in ranking
cornices. A bay window on the front elevation adds an elegant flourish to
the house. The building is presently owned by the Campbell Soup Company
which uses it for labor housing.
41. FRANKLIN POINT, Coast Highway, south of Pescadero
This wild, scenic area represents a good example of an open-cut
environment. Onshore are fine examples of sand dunes, both mobile foredunes
and, inland, older dunes now stabilized and covered by vegetation. Offshore
rocks and reefs fringe much of the area.
42. CASCADE RANCH HOUSE, Coast Highway, south of Franklin Point
Built in the mid-1860's for Rensselaer and Clara Steele, the building is
constructed in a classical form with a symmetrical placement of windows and
doors, and is the most elegant of the buildings. A wide veranda with a
balcony on the second floor runs along the front and both sides of the
house. Alterations made to the house over the years have not destroyed its
distinctive coastal character.
43. CASCADE RANCH DAIRY BUILDING, Cascade Ranch
This three-story redwood structure was the first erected by the Steeles
after their location on the Coastside in 1862. The building was designed
for function rather than style, which may explain the irregular placement
of its windows. A wide band, or fascia, just under the eaves was the
builder's only architectural embellishment.
{Photo of Cascade Ranch Dairy Building)
44. GREEN OAKS RANCH HOUSE, Coast Highway, south of Franklin Point
Built in 1863 by Isaac Steele, this wooden house was originally constructed
in a Greek Revival style but later additions have substantially altered its
architectural character. The house is listed in the National Register of
Historic Places.
45. ANO NUEVO RANCH HOUSE, Coast Highway, Ano Nuevo
Constructed in 1895 by Horace Steele, this house is unique as it is one of
two Salt Box style structures on the Coastside. Built with its rear to the
ocean winds, an innovative feature of the house is a bay window on the
south side.
46. DICKERMAN BARN, Coast Highway, Ano Nuevo
This redwood barn was constructed around 18778-1900 by Isaac Steele's
daughter Effie and her husband Edwin Dickerman. The structurer is
comparable to three stories in height with a gable roof. It is a style of
barn generally found in the eastern part of the United States. Unlike the
usual California barn, with its long sloping roof, this one enclosed its
space by going up three stories, reducing the roof size and maintenance
cost without losing square footage. The beams used in the barn's
construction are quite large, 18 x 18 inches. They were salvaged after 1877
from a burned-out wharf in nearby Ano Nuevo Cove. The barn is listed in the
National Register of Historic Sites.
47. POINT ANO NUEVO, Coast Highway, south of Franklin Point
A number of features combine to make Point Ano Nuevo the most remarkable
and spectacular area on the entire Coastside. Punta del Ano Nuevo was one
of the first landforms in California to receive a Spanish name. From his
ship in January 1603, Capatain Sebastian VGiscaino saw the point and its
island while exploring for Spain. The first contact between Europeans and
the natives of this land, the Ramaytush or San Francisco Costanoan Indians,
occurred here in 1769 when the Portola expedition entered what is today San
Mateo County one mile to the south. A Spanish engineering officer returned
later to survey the area and an outpost of Mission Santa Cruz was
established after 1798. The first American settlers came in the decade
after the Gold Rush, building a wooden railroad for lumbering and
introducing large scale dairy farming.
The area is rich in fauna, particularly in the marine area where, due to
submarine stacks and shoals which prevent commercial fishing, there is a
prolific population of fish, crustaceans, and other invertebrates.
Tidepools are found in the bedrock outcrops. Sea birds nest on the
shoreline cliffs, and recently the northern elephant seal has extended its
breeding area from Ano Nuevo Island to the mainland beaches.
{Photo of Point Ano Nuevo)
48. ANO NUEVO ISLAND
This small island, once the tip of a peninsula, is one of the most
important pinniped breeding grounds in Northern California, including the
elephant seal. This animal has returned to the island in the past decade
after virtual extinction around the turn of the century.
The island has been the site of a light station since 1890, when a light
was added to the warning of the foghorn installed in 1872. The light
station was abandoned in 1948 and today is occupied by seals and sea lions.
49. PORTOLA EXPEDITION CAMPSITES
From October 23 to November 20, 1769, the expedition of Captain Gaspar de
Portola was in San Mateo County searching for Monterey Bay. Traveling north
up the coast, the expedition camped at several locations until it reached
San Francisco Bay and became the first Europeans to view this great body of
water. State Historic Landmark status commemorates these sites at San
Gregorio Creek, Purisima Cree, Pilarcitos Cree, and Martini Creek.
{my note: end of chapter 4. There are two maps: (1) Mid-Coast Cultural
Resources Inventory Map and (2) South Coast Cultural Resources Map showing
the location of the above described sites). Chapter 5 to follow.
Chapter 5
|
back to Chapter 3
This material provided by june@aimnet.com (june morrall)