Palo Alto City Map Poster

About Palo Alto

The recorded history of Palo Alto dates back to 1769, when Gaspar de Portolá noted an Ohlone settlement. This remains an area of known Indian mounds. A plaque at Middlefield Road and Embarcadero Road commemorates the area. The city has a strong environmental ethic, with many public parks and one of the country's first municipal bike paths (in 1963). In the early 20th century, several entrepreneurs built mansions along El Camino Real (which roughly follows today's San Antonio Road), including large homes in what is now Woodside on land that was once part of Stanford University; these have either been converted into businesses or subdivided for housing developments such as Los Altos Hills and Hidden Villa Apartments in Menlo Park. In 1905 Charles Herrold started a radio station in his family home located at 485 South California Avenue (today it is occupied by two restaurants: Fuki Sushi & Grill and Nido Restaurant).