Complementing its Victorian Days at the Old Courthouse, the San Mateo County History Museum is offering FREE walking tours throughout the Peninsula this summer. From Daly City to Pigeon Point, visit four cemeteries, a stable, six downtowns, one interesting residential area, a ranch, a dueling site, a slot machine collection, a lighthouse, and the Cow Palace.
Please note that many of the tours require reservations.
“Emperor Norton” and friends at the Cypress Lawn Walking Tour, 2016
Union Cemetery, Redwood City – Saturday, July 11 from 10:00am-11:30am
Historic Union Cemetery Association Board members will lead a tour starting at the kiosk near the entrance at 330 Woodside Road, Redwood City. The Historic Union Cemetery first opened in 1859 on a six-acre triangle of land just outside of downtown Redwood City. With a little over 2,400 graves, many contain San Mateo County founding families and pioneers. Closed in 1918, the cemetery was named a California Historic landmark in 1967 and was placed on the National Register of Historic places in 1983.
RSVP: Not required.
Difficulty Level: Easy, flat dirt paths.
Address: Union Cemetery, 330 Woodside Road, Redwood City, 94061
Folger Stable, Woodside- Sunday, July 12 from 10:00am-11:00am
Tour the Folger Estate Stable Historic District at Wunderlich Park. Learn about the history of the main stable, Carriage House, Chinese built stone walls, the blacksmith barn and newly restored dairy house. Take a trip back in time to learn about the agricultural uses of the property, the development of the Folger Coffee Company, the agricultural legacy of the estate, the influence of the horses to the American West and Woodside history.
RSVP: Call 650-299-0104. Limit 25 people.
Difficulty level: moderate, some uneven gravel paths. Call 650-417-5198 for accommodation.
Address: 4040 Woodside Road, Woodside, CA 94062. Meet near picnic area.
The Extraordinary Cow Palace, Daly City- Saturday, July 18 from 10:00am – 11:30am
The historic Cow Palace has been a gathering and entertainment hub since 1941. Its walls are steeped in agricultural, entertainment, and political history. Join us for its 85th anniversary open house and walk in the footsteps of Elvis, the Beatles, U2, John F. Kennedy, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., the Golden State Warriors, the San Jose Sharks, and the some of the most skilled cowboys and cowgirls the sport has ever known.
The tour will be on mostly flat surfaces with two short slopes. Four doorways may be too narrow for wheelchairs, but the rooms can still be seen from outside the room. One room on the tour has approximately 30 stairs.
RSVP: email vtom@cowpalace.com
Difficulty: easy, though some rooms
Meeting Location: 2600 Geneva Avenue, Daly City, CA 94014, enter at the corner of Geneva and Santos. Free Parking in front of the arena. Enter through the main entrance at the center open door.
San Bruno – Sunday, July 19th from 10 a.m. – 12 p.m.
Join San Mateo County Historical Association President Mitch Postel in an exploration of San Bruno’s historic business district. Starting at the intersection of San Mateo Avenue and El Camino, the walk down San Mateo Avenue includes the original EIMAC building where vacuum tubes were produced for broadcast and radar transmitters during World War II. The tour will feature a stop at the Welch Family’s private slot machine collection, a rare treat in itself.
RSVP: Not required.
Difficulty: Easy. Note the private slot machine collection is not ADA accessible.
Address: Intersection of San Mateo Avenue and El Camino Real (in front of apartments at 400 San Mateo Avenue)
The Cemetery That Never Was and the Woman Behind It, Colma -Sunday, July 19 2:00pm-3:30pm
The Cemetery That Never Was and the Woman Behind It. Presented by Richard Rocchetta, Colma Historical Association Secretary-Treasurer and Colma Historical Museum Manager.
There was a time when an elaborate cemetery was planned for the area that is now Colma’s Serra Center. Annie Darbee owned the property and grew violets on it. In 1939, she commissioned renowned architects Bernard Maybeck and his associate Julia Morgan to collaborate in the design and building of a cemetery on her property. Come view the plans and hear the story of an adventurous woman who pioneered the violet business in California and planned a cemetery to rival the Monumental Cemetery of Staglieno in Genoa, Italy.
RSVP: 650-757-1676 or cha@colmahistory.com with your name, contact phone, and the number of people.
Difficulty level: Easy
Address: Colma Community Center, 1520 Hillside Blvd., Colma 94014 – come inside. Parking in the Community Center lot or along Hillside Blvd. The building is ADA accessible and restrooms are available.
Sharp Park: A Historic Neighborhood in Pacifica, Saturday, June 27, Saturday, July 25, Saturday, August 29, and Saturday, September 26 from 12:00pm to 1:00pm
Stories of a castle, a whale, a madam’s house, a speakeasy, a railroad, and more!
RSVP: 650-355-1909 leave message. Limit 12 people per tour.
Difficulty: Easy walk on sidewalks, wheelchair accessible
Address: Pacifica Historical Society, 1850 Francisco Blvd, Pacifica, CA 94044
Burleigh Murray Ranch, Half Moon Bay- Sunday, July 26 from 10:00am – 12:00pm, and Sunday, August 23 from 10 am – 12pm
Join State Park Docents on a leisurely two-hour walk. Take a journey back in time along Mills Creek at Burleigh H. Murray Ranch State Park. This walk will be a 2.5 miles round trip hike with only a small gain in elevation. Along the way you will learn about the lives of early pioneers and farming families who first settled here in the 19th century. Enjoy one of our area’s hidden treasures. Meet in the parking lot.
RSVP: Reservations can be made here: No maximum.
Difficulty: Moderate. This walk will be a 2.5 miles round trip hike with only a small gain in elevation.
Address: Meet in the parking lot at Burleigh H. Murray Ranch State Park, off Higgins Canyon Road in Half Moon Bay
South San Francisco – Saturday, August 1st, 10:30 a.m-12:00pm
The South San Francisco Public Library History Room will host a walk down Grand Avenue, sharing architectural details about historic buildings and stories about the people who built the city at the turn of the century. We will see the hotel that housed the earliest workers in the booming industrial town, the house that served as the City’s first hospital, and a dozen other historical sites. The tour begins at the library with a video about the city’s history. There is free parking behind the library; enter Miller Avenue.
RSVP: Limited to 30. RSVP is required here
Difficulty: Moderate. Most of the walk is on a slight decline, 2 blocks are steeper.
Address: Grand Avenue Library, 306 Walnut Ave., South San Francisco.
Woodside History Committee, Woodside- Saturday, August 1 with tours at 1:00pm, 1:30pm, 2:00pm, and 2:30pm.
Starting at the Woodside Community Museum, view historic Woodside commercial district buildings including Independence Hall and the Pioneer Saloon. The tour lasts about 30 minutes. Tours will be offered from 1:00pm through 3:00pm every half hour/last tour at 2:30pm.
RSVP: Not required.
Difficulty Level: Easy. Sidewalks and parking lots, slight slope.
Address: Woodside Community Museum, 2961 Woodside Road (behind Village Pub).
San Mateo – Sunday, August 2 from 10:00am to 12:00pm
Explore the fascinating architecture of San Mateo’s National Register Eligible Downtown Historic District on a tour led by the San Mateo Heritage Alliance. Comprising 40 individual buildings, the historic district reflects important themes in the city’s growth and development, including architecture, city planning, social history, ethnic heritage, and commerce. The district’s eclectic mix of styles includes Art Deco, Colonial, Classical and Greek Revival, Spanish Colonial, Mission, and Tudor Revival.
ADA Accessible
RSVP: Required at tour@smheritage.org. Space is limited.
Difficulty: Easy. Flat ground. Come prepared to walk one mile at a slow-to-moderate pace, with limited shade. Comfortable walking shoes are recommended.
Address: Provided upon registration
“A Creek Runs Through It,” Burlingame – Sunday, August 2 from 1:00pm to 1:50pm.
Meet us at the train station (290 California Drive) at 1 pm on August 2 for a walk-through downtown Burlingame to El Camino Real. The tour will discuss how the Burlingame Creek once wreaked havoc on the downtown area, the new town square, Mummy’s Cave, and the site of the Anza expedition camp.
RSVP: Not required
Difficulty: Easy. The tour will be approximately ½ mile on flat ground with limited shade. Bring a hat and water.
Address: 290 California Dr. Burlingame, CA 94010
Colma: Cypress Lawn – Saturday, August 15 from 10 a.m. – 11:30 p.m.
Join us for a captivating docent-led Historical Trolley Tour through our beautiful grounds. Step back in time as you learn about the pioneers laid to rest at Cypress Lawn Memorial Park. You are welcome to enhance the experience by doing your finest Victorian attire, though it’s not a requirement. The tour will commence at 1370 El Camino Real in Colma, across from the archway. Light lunch after the tour. As the trolley is limited to 24, RSVPs are required.
RSVP: Required at 650-299-0104.
Difficulty Level: Easy. Trolley not wheelchair accessible.
Address: 1370 El Camino Real, Colma – across the street from the archway
Pigeon Point Light Station State Historic Park, Pescadero– Saturday, August 15 at 2:00pm
Celebrate Lighthouses on the Air Weekend by joining a walking tour of the historic grounds of Pigeon Point Light Station. Meet in front of the first hostel. Hear tales of whalers, bootleggers, shipwrecks, the building of the lighthouse, the “Wickies” and their families, and the anticipated restoration of the tower (currently closed to the public). Visit the Fog Signal Building to view the magnificent First Order Fresnel lens and explore the exhibits. Come early or stay after the tour talk to lighthouses around the world and participate in Victorian Era lighthouse crafts and activities!
RSVP can be made here:(25 maximum)
Difficulty: Moderate. Ground is mainly flat, but uneven and it is not entirely paved.
Address: Pigeon Point Light Station State Historic Park – 210 Pigeon Point Road; Pescadero. Meet in front of the first cottage, by sign.
Half Moon Bay – Sunday, August 16th 1:00pm – 2:30pm
RSVP: Call 650-299-0104
Difficulty: Easy-ADA Accessible
Address: Coastside History Museum, 505 Johnston St., Half Moon Bay
Discover the charm of Half Moon Bay on a guided walking tour through its historic downtown. Stroll along Main Street, where preserved 19th-century buildings tell stories of the early settlers and Native Americans. Learn about the area’s connection to the 1906 San Francisco earthquake, visit local landmarks, and hear colorful tales of the people who shaped this seaside community. It’s a relaxed, engaging way to experience the Coastside’s rich heritage. Afterword, please visit our free Coastside Museum at the same location.
Daly City- Saturday, August 22 from 12pm – 1:00pm
Daly City History Guild Museum & Archive president Mark Weinberger will lead a tour of the famous but often overlooked Broderick-Terry Duel Site located in the tiny park of the same name situated near Lake Merced and on the San Francisco-Daly City border. The tour will take place within this small park which abuts the San Francisco Golf Club. Visitors will view a plaque, State Landmark Number 19, and granite shafts which tell of the notorious duel that took place on September 13, 1859. A story will unfold about how former CA Supreme Court Chief Justice David S. Terry mortally wounded U.S. Senator David C. Broderick in part over the issue of slavery. This is considered to have been the last duel in California history. After the tour concludes, participants are invited to visit the Daly City History Museum located a short distance away where light refreshments will be served. Tour will begin just outside the park entrance on El Portal Way. Street parking is plentiful.
RSVP: 650.299.0104, ext. 220 or education@historysmc.org
Difficulty Level: Easy. Gravel paths and short distance light walking.
Address: Park entrance near 80 El Portal Way (off Cliffside Drive), Daly City. Museum is located at 6351 Mission Street, Daly City
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