Bellvale, California facts for kids

Bellvale is a small community located in San Mateo County, California. It sits on Highway 84, also known as La Honda Road. You can find it between the towns of San Gregorio and La Honda. Bellvale is about 240 feet (or 73 meters) above the ocean's level.

A Look at Bellvale's Past

Bellvale got its name from the Bell family. They were among the first settlers in this area around the mid-1800s. A man named James Bell helped build a schoolhouse in 1869. This school was important because it taught children from Bellvale and nearby La Honda.

For a while, Bellvale even had its own post office. It opened in 1897 but closed down in 1922. Today, Bellvale is a quiet place with just a few homes and farms. It's not as busy as it once was.

Natural Resources in Bellvale

Maps from the U.S. Geological Survey show that there are oil wells in the Bellvale area. These wells tap into a small amount of petroleum, which is a type of oil found underground. People first discovered this oil in the 1800s.