Celebrating & Preserving
San Mateo Park
New guides and resources to explain San Mateo's updated historic codes and policies are being prepared, including whether a property is considered a historic resource and what that means. A virtual community meeting will be held at 6pm Thursday Oct 22nd. [Learn more →]
Work is also underway to update the City's zoning code. The code can affect San Mateo Park residents so we recommend going to the info session planned Tuesday, November 10 at 7 PM with more meeting information posted on the City's website.
Thanks again to all that participated and donated to keep our neighborhood vibrant and looking good!
San Mateo Park is a community within the City of San Mateo, designed in 1896 through a collaboration between architect George Howard and famed landscape architect John McLaren, designer of San Francisco’s Golden Gate Park.
San Mateo Park's winding streets were laid out to conform to the gentle rolling terrain and 62 islands were formed, each to be planted with unique trees.
The architectural designs in San Mateo Park include works by such renowned architects as Julia Morgan, Bernard Maybeck, and George Howard, representing styles from Queen Anne Victorian, to Arts and Crafts, to period revivals of the 1920's and 30's.
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Mike James, mikejamesphoto.com
Mike James, mikejamesphoto.com
John Mclaren
Landscape Architect
A Brief History
Winding Streets Punctuated by 62 Planted Islands
In 1896, John McLaren and George H. Howard started the development of San Mateo Park.
McLaren, drawing on his work at Golden Gate Park, supervised the planting of native oak and redwood trees, elms, maples, poplars, palms, cedars and exotic tree specimens from around the world including cork oak and olive trees on the boulevards and islands throughout our neighborhood.
In the 1970's, the San Mateo Park community formed a neighborhood organization to bring the community together, and to maintain this unique and purposeful design. Today the San Mateo Park NA works closely with the City of San Mateo to maintain islands and plant trees as designed over 100 years ago.
