Woodside, California facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Woodside, California
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| Town of Woodside | |
The Village Hub in Woodside
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Location in San Mateo County and the state of California
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 Woodside, California
Location in California
Woodside, California
Location in the United States
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| Country | United States |
| State | California |
| County | San Mateo |
| Incorporated | November 16, 1956 |
| Government | |
| • Type | Town Council |
| Area | |
| • Total | 11.47 sq mi (29.70 km2) |
| • Land | 11.47 sq mi (29.70 km2) |
| • Water | 0.00 sq mi (0.00 km2) 0% |
| Elevation | 387 ft (118 m) |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 5,309 |
| • Density | 462.86/sq mi (178.75/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC−8 (Pacific) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−7 (PDT) |
| ZIP codes |
94061–94062
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| Area code | 650 |
| FIPS code | 06-86440 |
| GNIS feature IDs | 1660202, 2413509 |
Woodside is a small town in San Mateo County, California, United States. It is located on the San Francisco Peninsula. The town uses a council-manager system of government. This means a town council makes decisions, and a town manager handles the daily running of the town.
In 2020, about 5,309 people lived in Woodside. The town is known for its charming, small-town feel. This is true even though it is very close to Silicon Valley, a major technology hub.
Contents
History of Woodside
The land where Woodside is now was first home to the Ohlone tribe. In 1769, Spanish explorers led by Gaspar de Portolá camped near Woodside. They were looking for San Francisco Bay.
Woodside is thought to be the oldest English-speaking settlement in the southern part of the San Francisco Peninsula. The first English-speaking settlers arrived in the early 1800s. They came to cut down the many redwood trees. Charles Brown built the first sawmill in Woodside around 1838. His adobe house, built in 1839, is still standing today. By the mid-1800s, Woodside had many mills. They produced building materials for the growing city of San Francisco.
In 1849, during the California Gold Rush, a 20-year-old named Mathias Alfred Parkhurst bought land. He named it “Woodside,” and the name stuck. By the late 1800s, Woodside was known for its large country estates. The redwood trees you see in Woodside today are third-generation trees. The first trees were used to build San Francisco's original homes. After the 1906 San Francisco earthquake, more redwoods were cut to rebuild the city.
In 1909, a private club called The Family set up a rural retreat in Woodside. Club members used it for fun and relaxation. In 1912, the club helped build Our Lady of the Wayside Church. This historic building was designed by 19-year-old Timothy L. Pflueger. It was repaired after the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake.
Woodside became an official town in 1956. It has kept its rural, country feel. This is special because it is so close to Silicon Valley and Stanford University.
In early 2022, the town said it was a mountain lion habitat. This was to avoid state rules about building affordable homes. However, the town later changed its mind. California Attorney General Rob Bonta said there was no good reason to call the whole town a mountain lion habitat.
On November 15, 2023, an important meeting took place in Woodside. President Biden met with President Xi of China at the Filoli estate. This meeting happened during the 2023 Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in San Francisco. After their talk, President Biden announced that they had made progress. They agreed to work together to stop chemicals used to make fentanyl from being sent from China. They also planned to improve military communication and discuss risks from artificial intelligence.
Geography and Nature
Woodside is located on the San Francisco Peninsula. It is about halfway between San Jose and San Francisco. It is just north of Silicon Valley in San Mateo County. The San Andreas Fault, a major earthquake fault line, runs through parts of Woodside.
Much of Woodside is covered in trees. Redwood and Douglas fir trees grow in the western hills. Oak and eucalyptus trees are found in lower areas. To the east is San Francisco Bay. To the west are the Pacific Ocean beaches. The Santa Cruz Mountains are between Woodside and the ocean.
Nearby cities and towns include Redwood City, Menlo Park, Portola Valley, La Honda, Atherton, San Carlos, and Palo Alto.
Woodside's Climate
Woodside has mild weather for most of the year, like many California coastal areas. Summers are dry and can be hot. Winter temperatures rarely drop below freezing. In January, the average high is about 60°F (16°C) and the average low is 36°F (2°C). In July, the average high is 88°F (31°C) and the average low is 51°F (11°C).
Snowfall is very rare in Woodside. However, a few inches of snow can fall every few years in the nearby Santa Cruz Mountains. Woodside gets about 30.9 inches (785 mm) of rain each year. Rain falls on about 61 days a year.
The hottest day ever recorded was 114°F (46°C) on July 22, 2006. The coldest day was 17°F (-8°C) on February 6, 1989. Temperatures reach 90°F (32°C) or higher about 48 days a year. Temperatures drop to freezing about 10 days a year.
Hills and mountains between Woodside and the Pacific coast mean there is much less fog than in nearby San Francisco. Also, Woodside's summers are hotter than San Francisco's.
| Climate data for Woodside, California | |||||||||||||
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| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °F (°C) | 75 (24) |
84 (29) |
88 (31) |
99 (37) |
104 (40) |
108 (42) |
111 (44) |
114 (46) |
108 (42) |
106 (41) |
90 (32) |
76 (24) |
114 (46) |
| Mean maximum °F (°C) | 70 (21) |
76 (24) |
79 (26) |
88 (31) |
95 (35) |
100 (38) |
102 (39) |
102 (39) |
99 (37) |
94 (34) |
79 (26) |
69 (21) |
102 (39) |
| Mean daily maximum °F (°C) | 61.2 (16.2) |
64.3 (17.9) |
68.5 (20.3) |
73.0 (22.8) |
78.7 (25.9) |
84.1 (28.9) |
88.1 (31.2) |
88.4 (31.3) |
86.1 (30.1) |
79.8 (26.6) |
67.6 (19.8) |
60.9 (16.1) |
75.1 (23.9) |
| Daily mean °F (°C) | 49.0 (9.4) |
51.7 (10.9) |
54.8 (12.7) |
57.8 (14.3) |
62.3 (16.8) |
66.5 (19.2) |
69.9 (21.1) |
69.8 (21.0) |
68.0 (20.0) |
62.7 (17.1) |
54.0 (12.2) |
48.9 (9.4) |
59.6 (15.3) |
| Mean daily minimum °F (°C) | 36.8 (2.7) |
39.1 (3.9) |
41.2 (5.1) |
42.6 (5.9) |
46.1 (7.8) |
48.9 (9.4) |
51.8 (11.0) |
51.3 (10.7) |
49.9 (9.9) |
49.8 (9.9) |
40.5 (4.7) |
37.0 (2.8) |
44.6 (7.0) |
| Mean minimum °F (°C) | 28 (−2) |
29 (−2) |
32 (0) |
34 (1) |
39 (4) |
42 (6) |
43 (6) |
44 (7) |
42 (6) |
36 (2) |
30 (−1) |
27 (−3) |
26 (−3) |
| Record low °F (°C) | 19 (−7) |
17 (−8) |
28 (−2) |
30 (−1) |
29 (−2) |
36 (2) |
35 (2) |
28 (−2) |
38 (3) |
25 (−4) |
23 (−5) |
20 (−7) |
17 (−8) |
| Average precipitation inches (mm) | 5.57 (141) |
5.49 (139) |
4.46 (113) |
1.79 (45) |
0.75 (19) |
0.14 (3.6) |
0.01 (0.25) |
0.05 (1.3) |
0.23 (5.8) |
1.26 (32) |
3.76 (96) |
5.49 (139) |
29 (734.95) |
| Average snowfall inches (cm) | 0.0 (0.0) |
0.1 (0.25) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.1 (0.25) |
0.2 (0.5) |
| Average precipitation days (≥ 0.01 in) | 11 | 10 | 10 | 5 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0.5 | 1 | 3 | 7 | 10 | 61.5 |
| Source: NOAA | |||||||||||||
People of Woodside
| Historical population | |||
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| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1960 | 3,592 | — | |
| 1970 | 4,734 | 31.8% | |
| 1980 | 5,291 | 11.8% | |
| 1990 | 5,035 | −4.8% | |
| 2000 | 5,352 | 6.3% | |
| 2010 | 5,287 | −1.2% | |
| 2020 | 5,309 | 0.4% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census | |||
2010 Census Information
In 2010, Woodside had 5,287 people. Most residents (89.2%) were White. About 6.3% were Asian, and 2.7% were from two or more races. About 4.6% of residents were of Hispanic or Latino background. There were 1,977 households, with an average of 2.67 people per household.
2020 Census Information
By 2020, the town's population was 5,309. The racial makeup was 83.9% White, 7.1% two or more races, and 6.7% Asian.
What Woodside is Known For
Woodside is home to many companies that invest in new businesses. These are called venture capital and investment firms. Some of them include Benchmark Capital Partners and Redpoint Ventures.
Many people in Woodside own horses. The town government keeps up a network of horse trails for them. Some residents also live on farms that are used for business. Woodside is also a popular place for cyclists, especially on weekends. Popular cycling routes include Old La Honda Road and King's Mountain Road. The Tour of California bicycle race has even used roads in Woodside.
Woodside has many open spaces for nature lovers. These include the Purisima Open Space, which is part of the Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District. You can ride horses and bikes there. For mountain biking, the famous Skeggs Point is located in Woodside.
The area has many types of natural habitats, like California oak woodlands and areas near rivers. There is a lot of different plant and animal life. A rare plant called the San Mateo Thornmint grows here. Woodside is also home to Huddart County Park. You can hike or ride horses on its trails. Wunderlich Park is another popular spot for hiking and horse riding. Its trails cover almost 1,000 acres.
Arts and Culture
Dr. Carl Djerassi started an artists' colony south of Woodside. It is called the Djerassi Artists Residency. It is a place where artists can live and work.
Schools in Woodside
The Woodside Elementary School District runs public schools for elementary and middle school students. Woodside High School is part of the Sequoia Union High School District.
Local residents help fund the public schools through private foundations. This means Woodside schools have a high amount of money spent per student. This helps them offer great programs for elementary and middle school students.
Places to Visit
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Filoli Estate
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Woodside Public Library
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The Woodside Store, a local park includes a preserved historic hardware store.
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Folger Estate Stable Historic District, within Wunderlich Park.
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Mortimer Fleishhacker House and Estate
The town has the Woodside Public Library. It is part of the San Mateo County Libraries system.
Famous People from Woodside
Many well-known people live or have lived in Woodside, California.
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Actors and Entertainers
- Michelle Pfeiffer, an actress, and her husband David E. Kelley, a television producer.
- Shirley Temple Black, a famous child movie star.
Artists and Designers
- Frances Baldwin, an artist and painter.
- Margaret Keane, an artist known for her "big eye" paintings, and Walter Keane, her husband.
Business Leaders
- Nolan Bushnell, who started Atari and Chuck E. Cheese's.
- Scott Cook, co-founder of Intuit, Inc..
- John Doerr, a venture capitalist.
- Masayoshi Son, founder and CEO of Softbank.
- Larry Ellison, CEO of Oracle Corporation. He built a large Japanese-style estate in Woodside.
- Kenneth Fisher, who started Fisher Investments and writes for Forbes.
- James Folger, a coffee company leader.
- Kazuo Hirai, CEO of Sony Corporation.
- Steve Jobs, co-founder of Apple Inc.. He owned a house in Woodside that was later taken down.
- Mike Markkula, an early CEO of Apple Inc.
- Gordon E. Moore, co-founder of Intel and creator of Moore's Law.
- Charles R. Schwab, who founded the Charles Schwab Corporation.
- Thomas Siebel, who started Siebel Systems.
- Jeffrey Skoll, a Canadian internet entrepreneur.
- John Thompson, CEO of Symantec.
- Nick Woodman, who founded and is CEO of GoPro.
Musicians
- Joan Baez, a folk singer.
- Neil Young, a rock musician and songwriter. He owns a large ranch and recording studio in Woodside.
Scientists
- Koko, a gorilla famous for learning American Sign Language.
Sports Figures
- Julian Edelman, a football player who went to Woodside High School.
- Willie McCovey, who played many seasons for the San Francisco Giants. A cove at a baseball park and a field at Woodside Elementary School are named after him.
- Zack Test, a rugby union player.
- Bill Walsh, a former coach for the San Francisco 49ers and a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
- Ricky Watters, a former NFL running back.
Other Notable People
- Prince Vasili Alexandrovich of Russia, a Russian royal and nephew of Tsar Nicholas II.
Images for kids
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President Biden and President Xi Jinping at the 2023 Woodside Summit.
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View Across the Valley, a 1917 painting of Woodside.
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Julian Edelman
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Steve Jobs
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Michelle Pfeiffer
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Zack Test
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Neil Young
See also
In Spanish: Woodside (California) para niños
