City of Belmont
Home MenuHistorical Tour
Take a tour back into time by exploring the photo album, audio clips, and photos and maps below. Historical photos were provided by the Belmont Historical Society.
The Belmont Historical Society was founded in 1985 as a non-profit organization dedicated to collecting and preserving artifacts of Belmont's history. More information found at: belmonthistoricalsociety.com
Audio Clips:
Originally created as part of the 2023 City HALLoween decor, the following short audio clips are now available for anyone to hear Belmont's Historian Karl Mittelstadt share insights on Belmont's past.
The voice recordings were enhanced by Belmont city staff.
Belmont History Room
LOCATION: 10 Twin Pines Lane, Belmont (Twin Pines Park, back of Manor Building/Twin Pines Art Center)
PHONE: 650-654-4068
HOURS: Visit the website link below for the most current hours
For special group tours or questions about Belmont history, leave a message on above number or email belmontcahistory@aol.com
Related Links: Contact Info | Website | Belmont History book
Historic Photo Tour Map: Do you want more info about these photos? Examine the map below for some locations of Historical Hot-spots in Belmont. After clicking on a map icon related to a location of interest, a pop-up window will appear. You can discover more information about the location by clicking on the title in the pop-up window. Please let us know what you think about the "Then & Now" photos, and feel free to share with us any historical photos of Belmont you may have, by submitting your photos.
Historic Photo - Old County Rd (Looking South)
- Address:Old County & Ralston Ave
Belmont, CA 94002 - Phone:(000) 000-0000
- Capacity:N/A
Details:- Historical Photo Tour Location
- PhotoTour, "Old Town"
- Address:Old County & Ralston Ave
Caption provided by Denny Lawhern, (Belmont Historian):
December 18th, 1850 Aubrey Angelo established the first business, Angelo's Road House to serve travelers traveling along the Old County Road (Old El Camino) from San Francisco to San Jose area. For the first couple of years, this area would be tagged with a number of different names: The Corners, 4 Corners, Angelo's Corners, Waterview, Flashner's Corners and finely in 1853 was named Belmont, (belle montagne is French for beautiful mountain), by San Francisco Realtor Elias Beard who was promoting property in the area. The Corners became a stop for the San Francisco to San Jose stage line and later a stop for the San Mateo to Half Moon Bay stage line. In July 1854, a US Post Office at the Corners was established, the third Post Office in San Francisco County. Belmont was part of San Francisco County until 1857 when San Mateo County was created. Belmont was the first San Mateo County Seat.
The businesses along Old County Road area continued to grow. Steamship captain Owen O'Neill opened a wharf along the marshland east of Old County Road and began carrying freight and passengers between San Francisco and Belmont. Much of the building materials to build the early homes and buildings came in by ship. Next came the Ellet Hotel, Belmont Hotel, the American Hotel, Belmont Soda Works, Emmett- O'Neill Store, Waltermire's Saloon, Emmett's Livery Stables, Rowell's Stage Coach Barn, and Hammerson Blacksmith Shop. The first one-room School House serving Belmont and San Carlos was on Old County Road, and the first Belmont church, (Church of the Good Shepherd), was built in 1865 on Old County road. (It was moved to its current location on 5th Ave in 1935.)
The first train to serve Belmont begun service in September 1863, allowing the business community to provide faster service and better merchandise to the area. Belmont became a destination place by train to visit and enjoy on the weekends and holidays with the opening of Carl Janke's Belmont Park in 1864, (now Twin Pines Park). By 1900 there were 35 to 40 businesses in the Old County Road 4 Corners Area.
If you are interested in viewing more historical photos of Belmont, click here.
Also, if you would like to share any historical photos you have of Belmont, (or share your own "Then/Now" photo creations), please email them to: maps@belmont.gov