The Heart of Menlo Park

Our Roots: A Brief History

Menlo Park’s history begins long before the city itself, since the city is on the ancestral lands of Ohlone peoples, especially the Ramaytush Ohlone, with nearby Bay Area Indigenous lineages also including Muwekma Ohlone and, in some maps and local acknowledgements, Puichon ties.

Before Spanish colonization, these communities lived in independent village networks across the peninsula, following seasonal rounds of fishing, hunting, gathering, and land stewardship. Spanish missionization beginning in the late 1700s disrupted village life, and many Native people were forced into missions, labor systems, and later displaced by Mexican and U.S. settlement. Today, descendant communities are still present in the Bay Area and continue cultural and political revitalization efforts.

The name “Menlo Park” dates to 1854, when Irish immigrants Dennis J. Oliver and D. C. McGlynn built an estate and named it after their hometown in County Galway, Ireland. When the railroad arrived in 1863, the station adopted the same name, helping establish Menlo Park as a recognizable stop along the line.

Menlo Park annexed Belle Haven in 1949. Belle Haven was formally documented as a redlined neighborhood with natural boundaries in the 1960 Hearings before the United States Commission on Civil Rights. Despite these hardships the neighborhood community has built leaders that have now created many community based organizations and non-profits to assist the people in the neighborhood. These organizations have increased voter turnout and lead to greater civic engagement. There is still a lot of work to do so we can encourage our diverse community to thrive.

Why Local Representation Matters

History teaches us that a community is only as strong as the leadership that protects its values. Because Menlo Park is so unique, "one-size-fits-all" governance doesn't work here. We need leadership that understands the nuances of our specific streets, our local non-profits, and our residents' needs.