2017 Map of Philip Smith Mountains C-3 SE

About this map

San Mateo and the mid-Peninsula appear in transition during this 1917 reprint of an 1899 survey. The Southern Pacific R. R. corridor anchors the development of San Mateo, Redwood City, Menlo Park, and Palo Alto, where Stanford University stands at the southern edge. Along the coast, the Ocean Shore R. R. is shown as under construction, tracing the cliffs near Halfmoon Bay (San Pedro) and Purisima. Inland, the Spring Valley Lakes system—comprising San Andreas Lake, Crystal Springs Lake, and Pilarcitos Lake—dominates the rift valley between Sawyer Ridge and Cahill Ridge. These reservoirs were critical infrastructure for the growing San Francisco region. The map captures the rustic character of Woodside and Belmont before the suburban expansion of the 20th century, contrasting the developed bayside plain with the steep, wooded terrain of Montara Mountain and Irish Ridge.