San Mateo County, California
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| San Mateo County, California | |
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| Map | |
 Location in the state of California |
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 California's location in the USA |
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| Statistics | |
| Founded | 1856 |
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| Seat | Redwood City |
| Largest City | Daly City |
| Area - Total - Land - Water |
1,919 km² 1,163 km² (449 mi²) 756 km², |
| Population - (2000) - Density |
707,161 608/km² |
| Time zone | Pacific : UTC−8/−7 |
| Website: www.co.sanmateo.ca.us | |
San Mateo County is a county located in the San Francisco Bay Area of the U.S. state of California. It covers most of the San Francisco Peninsula just south of San Francisco and north of Santa Clara County. San Francisco International Airport is located at the northern end of the county, and Silicon Valley begins at the southern end. As of 2000 the population was 707,161. The county seat is Redwood City.
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[edit] History
San Mateo County was formed from parts of San Francisco County and Santa Cruz County in 1856.
The county bears the Spanish name for Saint Matthew. As a place name, St. Matthew appears as early as 1776, and the arroyo, the point and the settlement at the unofficial San Mateo Mission are all so designated on the early maps. Until about 1850, the name appeared as San Matheo.
[edit] Geography
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 1,919 km² (741 mi²). 1,163 km² (449 mi²) of it is land and 756 km² (292 mi²) of it (39.40%) is water. A number of bayside watercourses drain the eastern part of the county including San Bruno Creek and Colma Creek. Streams draining the western county include Frenchmans Creek, Pilarcitos Creek, Naples Creek, Arroyo de en Medio and Denniston Creek.
[edit] Cities and towns
[edit] Adjacent Counties
- San Francisco County, California north
- Alameda County, California east
- Santa Clara County, California southeast
- Santa Cruz County, California south
[edit] Transportation Infrastructure
[edit] Major Highways
Interstate 280 (Junipero Serra Freeway)
Interstate 380
U.S. Route 101 (Bayshore Freeway)
California State Route 1 (Cabrillo Highway)
California State Highway 82 (El Camino Real)
California State Highway 84 (Woodside Road, Dumbarton Bridge)
California State Highway 92 (J. Arthur Younger Freeway, San Mateo Bridge)
[edit] Public Transportation
SamTrans (San Mateo County Transit District) provides local bus service within San Mateo County. Local and commuter bus routes also operate into San Francisco.
Caltrain, the commuter rail system, has several stations in San Mateo County. Bay Area Rapid Transit trains serve the northern portion of the county.
[edit] Airports
San Francisco International Airport is geographically located in San Mateo County, but it is part of the City and County of San Francisco.
San Mateo County does own two general aviation airports: Half Moon Bay Airport and San Carlos Airport.
[edit] Marine Transport
The only deepwater port in South San Francisco Bay is the Port of Redwood City, situated along Redwood Creek begun as a lumber float channel in the year 1850.
[edit] Demographics
As of the census² of 2000, there were 707,161 people, 254,103 households, and 171,265 families residing in the county. The population density was 608/km² (1,575/mi²). There were 260,576 housing units at an average density of 224/km² (580/mi²). The racial makeup of the county was 59.49% White, 3.51% Black or African American, 0.44% Native American, 20.04% Asian, 1.33% Pacific Islander, 10.17% from other races, and 5.02% from two or more races. 21.88% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.
There were 254,103 households out of which 31.10% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 53.00% were married couples living together, 10.10% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.60% were non-families. 24.60% of all households were made up of individuals and 8.40% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.74 and the average family size was 3.29.
In the county the population was spread out with 22.90% under the age of 18, 7.90% from 18 to 24, 33.20% from 25 to 44, 23.50% from 45 to 64, and 12.50% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females there were 97.80 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 95.60 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $70,819, and the median income for a family was $80,737. Males had a median income of $51,342 versus $40,383 for females. The per capita income for the county was $36,045. About 3.50% of families and 5.80% of the population were below the poverty line, including 6.00% of those under age 18 and 5.10% of those age 65 or over.
[edit] Environmental features
San Mateo County encompasses a variety of habitats including estuarine, marine, oak woodland, redwood forest, coastal scrub and oak savannah. There are numerous species of wildlife present, especially along the San Francisco Bay estuarine shoreline, San Bruno Mountain, Fitzgerald Marine Reserve and the forests on the Montara Mountain block. Several creeks discharge to the San Francisco Bay including San Mateo Creek and Laurel Creek and several coastal streams discharge to the Pacific Ocean such as Frenchmans Creek and San Vicente Creek.
The county is home to several endangered species including the San Francisco garter snake and the San Bruno elfin butterfly, both of which are endemic to San Mateo County. The endangered California clapper rail is also found on the shores of San Francisco Bay, in the cities of Belmont and San Mateo. the endangered wildflower Hickman's potentilla is found near the Pacific Ocean on the lower slopes of Montara Mountain. The endangered wildflowers White-rayed pentachaeta, Pentachaeta bellidiflora, San Mateo Woolly Sunflower, Eriophyllum latilobum, Marin Dwarf Flax, Hesperolinon congestum and the San Mateo Thornmint, Acanthomintha duttonii, are found in the vicinity of the Crystal Springs Reservoir.
Some students in San Mateo County's public schools attend outdoor education in La Honda. *San Mateo Outdoor Education is a residential school that teaches major concepts of ecology via exploration of forest, pond, garden, tidepool, wetland, and sandy shore habitats. The center's mascot is the banana slug, a large yellow gastropod.
[edit] Notable structures
There are a number of well known structures within San Mateo County:
- Carolands Mansion, Hillsborough
- Coyote Point Museum, San Mateo
- Cow Palace, Daly City
- Crocker Mansion, Hillsborough
- Crystal Springs Reservoir, unincorporated central part of county
- Dakin Building, Brisbane
- Notre Dame de Namur University, Belmont, which incorporates Ralston Hall
- Pigeon Point Lighthouse, Pescadero
- Point Montara Lighthouse, Montara
- San Francisco International Airport
- Sanchez Adobe, Pacifica
- Stanford Linear Accelerator Center, Menlo Park
[edit] Politics
| Year | Republicans | |
|---|---|---|
| 2004 | 29.2% 83,315 | 69.5% 197,922 |
| 2000 | 31.0% 80,296 | 64.3% 166,757 |
| 1996 | 29.2% 73,508 | 60.6% 152,304 |
| 1992 | 27.2% 75,080 | 54.0% 149,232 |
| 1988 | 42.9% 109,261 | 55.7% 141,859 |
| 1984 | 51.9% 135,185 | 46.9% 122,268 |
| 1980 | 48.8% 116,491 | 36.6% 87,335 |
| 1976 | 50.6% 117,338 | 44.4% 102,896 |
| 1972 | 52.8% 135,377 | 42.8% 109,745 |
| 1968 | 43.7% 98,654 | 47.2% 106,519 |
| 1964 | 35.5% 77,916 | 64.3% 140,978 |
| 1960 | 51.7% 104,570 | 48.0% 97,154 |
[edit] County trails
- Alpine Trail
- Bog Trail
- Cañada Trail
- Crystal Springs Trail
- Edgewood Trail
- Ralston Trail
- San Andreas Trail
- Sand Hill Trail
- Sawyer Camp Trail
- Skyline Trail
- Sheep Camp Trail
- Sweeney Ridge Trail
[edit] County parks
- Coyote Point Recreation Area
- Coyote Point Marina
- Crystal Springs
- Edgewood Park and Natural Reserve
- Fitzgerald Marine Reserve
- Flood Park (County)
- Heritage Grove
- Huddart Park
- Junipero Serra County Park
- San Mateo County Memorial Park
- Pescadero Creek Park
- Sam MacDonald Park
- San Bruno Mountain (County Park)
- San Mateo Fishing Pier
- San Pedro Valley Park
- Sanchez Adobe
- Woodside Store
- Wunderlich Park - New
Source: http://www.sanmateocountyparks.org/ County Parks http://www.eparks.net/smc/department/esa/home/0,2151,5556687_10575168,00.html
[edit] State Parks
- Año Nuevo State Park
- Butano State Park
- Castle Rock State Park
- Heritage Grove
- Portola Redwoods State Park
- Quarry Park
- Burleigh H. Murray Ranch
- Pigeon Point Light Station Historic State Park
- Point Montara Light Station State Park
- Portola Redwoods State Park
- San Bruno Mountain State Park
http://www.parks.ca.gov/parkindex/default.asp?tab=3 State Parks, Choose San Mateo
[edit] State beaches
- Año Nuevo State Reserve
- Bean Hollow State Beach
- Big Basin State Beach
- Gray Whale Cove State Beach
- Half Moon Bay State Beach
- Montara State Beach
- Pacifica State Beach
- Pebble Beach (is there good online info about this beach?)
- Pescadero State Beach
- Pomponio State Beach
- San Gregorio State Beach
- Thornton State Beach
Source: http://www.parks.ca.gov/parkindex/default.asp?tab=3 State Parks, Choose San Mateo
[edit] See also
- List of school districts in San Mateo County, California
- Peninsula Humane Society
- Seaport Centre
- Telephone Area code 650
- Leo J. Ryan Memorial Park
- Leo J. Ryan Federal Building
[edit] External links
- County of San Mateo Official Website
- San Mateo County Library - 12 branches throughout the County and a bookmobile
- Peninsula Library System - serving all of San Mateo County
- Superior Court Records
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San Mateo County, California County Seat: Redwood City |
|---|---|
| Incorporated places |
Atherton • Belmont • Brisbane • Burlingame • Colma • Daly City • East Palo Alto • Foster City • Half Moon Bay • Hillsborough • Menlo Park • Millbrae • Pacifica • Portola Valley • Redwood City • San Bruno • San Carlos • San Mateo • South San Francisco • Woodside |
| CDPs |
Broadmoor • El Granada • Emerald Lake Hills • Highlands-Baywood Park • Montara • Moss Beach • North Fair Oaks • West Menlo Park |
| Other unincorporated communities |
Kings Mountain • La Honda • Ladera • Loma Mar • Los Trancos Woods • Middleton Tract • San Gregorio • Sky Londa |
