Redwood City's history spans its earliest inhabitation by theOhlone people to being a port for lumber and other goods. Thecounty seat of San Mateo County in the heart ofSilicon Valley, Redwood City is home to several global technology companies includingOracle,Electronic Arts,Evernote,Box, andInformatica.[8]
According to theUnited States Census Bureau, the city has an area of 34.7 square miles (90 km2), of which 19.4 square miles (50 km2) is land and 15.2 square miles (39 km2), comprising 44.34%, is water. One major watercourse draining much of Redwood City isRedwood Creek, to which several significantriver deltas connect, the largest of which isWestpoint Slough.
The earliest known inhabitants of the area that would become Redwood City were theOhlone, who were present when the Spanish claimed the land and establishedmissions.
Redwood City incorporated in 1867, being the first city in San Mateo County to do so; it has remained the county seat since the county's formation in 1856.[9] The land had been part of theRancho de las Pulgas granted to the Argüello family in 1835 by the Mexican government. Their control was challenged after theMexican–American War when California became part of the United States. The family lawyer, Simon M. Mezes, in 1854 defended the claim somewhat successfully and was allowed to buy the part of the estate that is now Redwood City. Mezes sold some of the land to people already squatting on it along the banks of Redwood Creek and named the settlement "Mezesville". Though the city did not keep that name, Mezes Park still exists on land that Mezes had given for open space.[10]
1851 map of a planned railroad between San Francisco and San Jose. Note Mezesville, an earlier name for Redwood City, about midway.
In 1907, Eikichi and Sadakusi Enomoto, Japanese immigrant brothers, grew what may perhaps have been the first commercially grownchrysanthemums in the United States in Redwood City. In 1926, the chamber of commerce proclaimed the city the "Chrysanthemum Center of the World" though theinternment of Japanese Americans in 1941 and other factors would contribute to the end of flower growing as a major industry in the city.[11][12]
Redwood City stretches from the San Francisco Bay towards the Santa Cruz Mountains betweenSan Carlos to the northwest andAtherton to the southeast withWoodside to the southwest. It is divided byHighway 101 and further inlandEl Camino Real on the northwest–southeast axis andWoodside Road on the north-northeast/south-southwest axis. Locally, the former two are regarded as north–south and the latter east/west, as 101 and El Camino connects Redwood City toSan Francisco andSan Jose and Woodside Road runs fromSan Francisco Bay to theSanta Cruz Mountains.
Neighborhoods include Bair Island to the northeast of Highway 101. The northern planned community ofRedwood Shores, also to the northeast of Highway 101, is part of Redwood City, although it is not possible to travel by road from one to the other without passing through the neighboring city of San Carlos, or through Belmont via San Mateo County. Stretching along Highway 101 to the southeast of Woodside Road is Friendly Acres, further inland and still to the southeast of Woodside Road are Redwood Village and then Redwood Oaks. Most neighborhoods are to the northwest of Woodside Road and southwest of Highway 101. Centennial, Downtown, and Stambaugh Heller are adjacent to 101. Next inland are Edgewood, Mt. Carmel, Central and Palm then Canyon, Eagle Hill, Roosevelt, and Woodside Plaza. Furthest inland is Farm Hills (or Farm Hill).[13]
Neighborhoods associated with Redwood City but not part of the incorporated city includeEmerald Lake Hills and Kensington Square inland and to the north andNorth Fair Oaks to the southeast. Palomar Park, just north of Emerald Hills and east of San Carlos' Crestview area, is another Redwood City neighborhood that is formally part of unincorporated San Mateo County. Although Redwood City has a large middle class, the southeastern section of Redwood City strongly resembles working-classNorth Fair Oaks in both demographic makeup and income level.
The San Mateo County History Museum, formerly the San Mateo County Courthouse, was originally built in 1910.
In an attempt to revitalize Redwood City's downtown, city officials decided to consider development. In February 1999, theSan Mateo County History Museum opened inside the old San Mateo County Courthouse in downtown Redwood City.[14] The courthouse had been built in 1910 and in the late '30s an addition was built in front of the original structure, obscuring the view. As part of the revitalization, this addition was torn down and replaced with a large courtyard flanked by water fountains on either side, leading to the main steps of the courthouse. The courthouse's glass dome is lit at night and changes colors every 11 seconds.
In August 2006, a 20-screen theater and various shops opened in a prime downtown location. The theater complex boasts restaurant and retail space at street level and a two-level underground parking structure.[15]
Redwood City, along with most of the Bay Area, enjoys a mildwarm-summer Mediterranean climate (KöppenCsb), with warm, dry summers and cool, relatively wet winters. TheNational Weather Service, which maintains both a forecast center and a cooperative office in Redwood City, reports that December is the coolest month and July is the warmest month. The record highest temperature of 110 °F (43.3 °C) was recorded on three occasions, July 14 and 15, 1972, and September 6, 2022.[16] The record lowest temperature of 16 °F (−8.9 °C) was recorded on January 11, 1949. Annually, there are an average of 21.6 afternoons with highs of 90 °F (32.2 °C) or higher and 2.8 afternoons with highs of 100 °F (37.8 °C) or higher; there are an average of 1.8 mornings with lows of 32 °F (0 °C) or lower.
The normal annual precipitation is 20.56 inches or 522.2 millimeters, although it has ranged from as little as 6.43 inches or 163.3 millimeters in the "rain year" from July 1975 to June 1976, to as much as 42.87 inches or 1,088.9 millimeters between July 1982 and June 1983. The most rainfall in one month was 12.42 inches or 315.5 millimeters in February 1998. The record 24-hour rainfall of 4.88 inches or 124.0 millimeters occurred on October 13, 1962. There are an average of 62.1 days with measurable precipitation. Snow flurries have been observed on rare occasions; there was some minor snow accumulation in May 1935, January 1962, and February 1976.
Climate data for Redwood City (Downtown), California, 1991–2020 normals, extremes 1930–present
Redwood City city, California – Racial and ethnic composition Note: the US Census treats Hispanic/Latino as an ethnic category. This table excludes Latinos from the racial categories and assigns them to a separate category. Hispanics/Latinos may be of any race.
The census reported that 97.2% of the population lived in households, 1.2% lived in non-institutionalized group quarters, and 1.6% were institutionalized.[23]
There were 30,620 households, out of which 32.2% included children under the age of 18, 50.3% were married-couple households, 8.5% werecohabiting couple households, 23.7% had a female householder with no partner present, and 17.5% had a male householder with no partner present. 23.2% of households were one person, and 8.3% were one person aged 65 or older. The average household size was 2.68.[23] There were 20,287families (66.3% of all households).[24]
The age distribution was 20.4% under the age of 18, 7.8% aged 18 to 24, 33.7% aged 25 to 44, 25.1% aged 45 to 64, and 13.0% who were 65years of age or older. The median age was 37.1years. For every 100 females, there were 100.5 males.[23]
There were 32,373 housing units at an average density of 1,674.2 units per square mile (646.4 units/km2), of which 30,620 (94.6%) were occupied. Of these, 46.8% were owner-occupied, and 53.2% were occupied by renters.[23]
The2020 United States census reported that Redwood City had a median household income of $123,294 and a median house value of $1,424,200.[25]
The Census reported that 75,268 people (98.0% of the population) lived in households, 408 (0.5%) lived in non-institutionalized group quarters, and 1,139 (1.5%) were institutionalized.
There were 27,957 households, out of which 10,045 (35.9%) had children under the age of 18 living in them, 13,642 (48.8%) wereopposite-sex married couples living together, 3,139 (11.2%) had a female householder with no husband present, 1,461 (5.2%) had a male householder with no wife present. There were 1,818 (6.5%)unmarried opposite-sex partnerships, and 288 (1.0%)same-sex married couples or partnerships. 7,411 households (26.5%) were made up of individuals, and 2,401 (8.6%) had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.69. There were 18,242families (65.3% of all households); the average family size was 3.26.
There were 18,193 people (23.7%) under the age of 18, 5,981 people (7.8%) aged 18 to 24, 24,819 people (32.3%) aged 25 to 44, 19,710 people (25.7%) aged 45 to 64, and 8,112 people (10.6%) who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36.7 years. For every 100 females, there were 99.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 98.1 males.
There were 29,167 housing units at an average density of 1,501.9 per square mile (579.9/km2), of which 14,160 (50.6%) were owner-occupied, and 13,797 (49.4%) were occupied by renters. The homeowner vacancy rate was 1.3%; the rental vacancy rate was 3.9%. Further, 37,757 people (49.2% of the population) lived in owner-occupied housing units and 37,511 people (48.8%) lived in rental housing units.
Redwood City's charter provides for a councilor-manager form of government. The City Council appoints the City Manager and adopts policies, which the City Manager is expected to implement. The City Manager appoints and manages most of Redwood City's department heads (the City Clerk and City Attorney being notable exceptions).
The City Council seats are currently held by Mayor Elmer Martínez Saballos (District 4), Vice Mayor Kaia Eakin (District 5), Isabella Chu (District 3), Jeff Gee (District 1), Diane Howard (District 6), Marcella Padilla (District 7), and Chris Sturken (District 2). The current City Manager is Patrick Heisinger.[27]
Andrew Spinas Park (1.46 acres or 0.59 hectares) – 2nd Ave./Bay Rd. Established in 1966 and named for Andrew L. Spinas, a longtime Redwood City teacher and school superintendent who served on the Parks and Recreation Commission from 1938 to 1953.[38]
Dolphin Park (2.36 acres or 0.96 hectares) – Turks Head/Quay Ln.
Dove Beeger Park (1 acre or 0.40 hectares) – Whipple Ave./Circle Rd.
Fleishman Park (.63 acres or 0.25 hectares) – Locust St./McEvoy St.
Garrett Park (6.9 acres or 2.8 hectares) – 3600 Block Glenwood Ave. Named for George L. Garrett Jr., who was a Redwood City police officer killed in 1981.[39]
Hawes Park (1.59 acres or 0.64 hectares) – Hudson St./Roosevelt Ave. Built in 1934 and named for Horace Hawes, state assemblyman, who in 1864 donated land and money to the city for a new school.[38]
Hoover Park (10.18 acres or 4.12 hectares) – Woodside Rd./Spring St.
Jardin de Niños (.31 acres or 0.13 hectares) – Middlefield Rd./Chestnut St.
Linden Park (.22 acres or 0.089 hectares) – Linden St./Park St.
Maddux Park (.62 acres or 0.25 hectares) – Maddux Dr./Kensington Rd.
Mariner Park (6.25 acres or 2.53 hectares) – Tiller Lane/Bridge Parkway
Marlin Park (11.15 acres or 4.51 hectares) – Neptune Dr./Cringle Dr.
Mezes Park (1.67 acres or 0.68 hectares) – Warren St./Standish St. Named for Simon Mezes, who donated the land in 1856.[40]
Palm Park (.9 acres or 0.36 hectares) – Hudson St./Palm Ave.
Preserve Park (3.5 acres or 1.4 hectares) – 99 Shearwater Parkway
Red Morton Community Park (31.74 acres or 12.84 hectares) – 1120 Roosevelt Ave.
Sandpiper Park (11.07 acres or 4.48 hectares) – Redwood Shores Parkway and Egret Ln.
Shannon Park (1.87 acres or 0.76 hectares) – Davit Lane/Shannon Way
Shore Dogs Park (.69 acres or 0.28 hectares) – 1300 Block Radio Rd.
Shorebird Park (3.68 acres or 1.49 hectares) – Marine Parkway/Island Dr.
Stafford Park (1.62 acres or 0.66 hectares) – King St./Hopkins Ave. Established in 1946 and named for donor Daniel R. Stafford (1870–1948), who had been a Redwood City grocer, city clerk, and mayor.[38]
Stulsaft Park (42.06 acres or 17.02 hectares) – 3737 Farm Hill Blvd. Established in 1951 and named for real estate developer Morris Stulsaft, who donated the land.[38]
Wellesley Crescent Park (.75 acres or 0.30 hectares) – Edgewood Rd./Arlington Rd.
Westwood Park (.25 acres or 0.10 hectares) – Westwood St./Briarfield Ave.
The Redwood City Public Library, a member of thePeninsula Library System, has a Downtown Library and two neighborhood branch locations: Redwood Shores and Schaberg.[42] The city's first library opened in 1865 and in 1900 the city passed a special tax to support a free public library. In 1904,Andrew Carnegie gave $10,000 for a new library; he gave another $6,000 to rebuild it after it was destroyed in the1906 San Francisco earthquake. In 1959, the Schaberg Branch Library opened, funded by a bequest in the will of Hannah Schaberg, widow of former County Clerk Herman W. Schaberg.[11] The Redwood Shores Branch Library was completed and opened to the public in 2008.[11]
U.S. Route 101 passes through Redwood City as it goes along the Peninsula. Other major thoroughfares include El Camino Real,Route 82; Woodside Rd,Route 84, andI-280, which passes west of the city. Redwood City has a stop onCaltrain,[43] and local bus service is provided bySamTrans.[44]
Redwood City's slogan, emblazoned on arches across Broadway at the east and west entrances to downtown, is "Climate Best By Government Test". This is based on a climatological survey conducted by theUnited States andGerman governments prior toWorld War I. The area centered on Redwood City tied for the world's best climate with theCanary Islands andNorth Africa's Mediterranean Coast. The local paper had a contest for a city slogan to attract new residents and Wilbur Doxsee entered "By Government Test, Our Climate is Best" which won the $10 prize money in 1925.[45][46]
Redwood City'sIndependence Day parade sponsored by the Peninsula Celebration Association,[47] held continuously since 1939, has been billed variously as 'The largest Independence Day Parade in California', 'West of the Mississippi', or 'in North America', claims which may or may not be accurate. The first verifiable written records of celebrations date to 1861, and 1887 for a parade.[citation needed]
Ampex Corporation, a pioneer and major developer of the audio recording, video recording, and data storage industries, headquartered management, engineering, and manufacturing in Redwood City for decades.
Cargill has operated salt ponds in Redwood City, and has proposed development of the ponds, resulting in demands for restoration of some of the land. The plans are currently stalled.[49]
^McMullen, Kay (October 29, 2013)."Our Lady of Mt. Carmel School, Redwood City".Sisters of Notre Dame De Namur. Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur U.S. East-West Province. RetrievedAugust 18, 2023.
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