AgdaPkt 2016-09-12 Closed and Joint SA PFA

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Why The Historic Commercial District Has Significance This area is the historic core of Redwood City. In his plan for the original town drawn up in 1854, Simon Mezes planned for Main Street to parallel the Redwood Creek, and Broadway (originally called “A” Street) as a convenient access between businesses and homes. Main Street parallels on the east bank, the tidal slough (now culverted) that was the initial impetus to settlement in Redwood City. The history of Redwood City is directly connected to this area, in the collective biographies of the people, businesses, activities that were, and are now, located here. From the mid-1850’s until the late 1920’s, Redwood Creek, a deep-water channel off the San Francisco Bay, dominated this section of town. A wharf system was built which extended for more than a mile along each side of the creek. Lumber, shingles, grain, and many other local products were shipped from here to San Francisco and eventually throughout the world. A turning basin for ships was located to the northwest of the intersection of Main Street and Broadway. Shipbuilding and shipping originally dominated the area, as did support businesses for lumberman and longshoreman. Other support businesses followed. Several Redwood City “firsts” occurred here, including the location of the first firehouse built in Redwood City and the first general store. The first firehouse used by the volunteer fire department was located on the west side of Main Street to the north of the Broadway and Main Street intersection. The Broadway and Main intersection was the first area of town to undergo street and sidewalk improvements after Redwood City incorporated in 1868. When Redwood City became the county seat in 1856, the need for services like meeting halls, hotels, and general stores increased, and the area soon became the town’s social and business center. Activities in this area had significance for the growth and activity of the rest of the county. Main Street was a direct route to Woodside Road for lumber wagons and passenger stages traveling to Skyline and the Coast side. Broadway, renamed from “A” Street in 1908, housed the County courthouse and the Redwood City railroad depot. It continues to be a direct link to busy El Camino Real, which runs the length of San Mateo County. Main Street remained the commercial core well into the twentieth century. By 1940, Broadway assumed dominance as the main commercial street. Main Street at its intersection near Maple Street remained an important automotive sales and service center into the 1980’s. From the intersection of Maple Street to Woodside Road, Main Street was once called Mound Street because it traversed the top of an old Indian mound. Page 7 7.B. - Page 18