Town of Atherton
Location of Atherton within San Mateo County
Coordinates: 37°27′31″N, 121°12′0″W
Country	United States of America
State	California
County	San Mateo
Incorporated	September 12, 1923
Government
- Mayor	Charles E. Marsala
Area
- City	4.9 sq mi (12.8 km²)
- Land	4.9 sq mi (12.7 km²)
- Water	0.04 sq mi (0.1 km²)
Elevation	53 ft (16.2 m)
Population (2000 Census)
- City	7,194
- Density	1,467.6/sq mi (556.9/km²)
Time zone	PST (UTC-8)
- Summer (DST)	PDT (UTC-7)
Website: http://www.ci.atherton.ca.us/

Atherton is a town in San Mateo County, California, United States. The population was 7,194 at the 2000 census. Image File history File links Download high-resolution version (561x614, 114 KB) Atherton highlighted in the map of San Mateo County, California, USA with County highlighted in California. ... This is an alphabetical list of countries of the world, including independent states (both those that are internationally recognised and generally unrecognised), inhabited dependent territories and areas of special sovereignty. ... The political units and divisions of the United States include: the fifty states, which units are typically divided into counties and townships, and incorporate cities, villages, towns, and other types of municipalities, and other autonomous or subordinate public authorities and institutions; and the federal state, which unit is the United... Official language(s) English Capital Sacramento Largest city Los Angeles Area  Ranked 3rd  - Total 158,302 sq mi (410,000 km²)  - Width 250 miles (400 km)  - Length 770 miles (1,240 km)  - % water 4. ... The U.S. state of California is divided into 58 counties. ... Official website: http://www. ... A mayor (from the Latin māior, meaning larger, greater) is the modern title of the highest ranking municipal officer. ... Area is a physical quantity expressing the size of a part of a surface. ... A square mile is an English unit of area equal to that of a square with sides each 1 statute mile (≈1,609 m) in length. ... To help compare different orders of magnitude and geographical regions, we list here areas between 100 km² and 1000 km². See also areas of other orders of magnitude. ... Basic Definition In geography, the elevation of a geographic location is its height above mean sea level (or some other fixed point). ... A foot (plural: feet or foot;[1] symbol or abbreviation: ft or, sometimes, ′ – a prime) is a unit of length, in a number of different systems, including English units, Imperial units, and United States customary units. ... The metre, or meter (U.S.), is a measure of length. ... Population density by country, 2006 Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. ... A time zone is a region of the Earth that has adopted the same standard time, usually referred to as the local time. ... The Pacific Standard Time Zone is a geographic region that keeps time by subtracting eight hours from Coordinated Universal Time (UTC). ... −12 | −11 | −10 | −9:30 | −9 | −8 | −7 | −6 | −5 | −4 | −3:30 | −3 | −2:30 | −2 | −1 | −0:25 | UTC (0) | +0:20 | +0:30 | +1 | +2 | +3 | +3:30 | +4 | +4:30 | +4:51 | +5 | +5:30 | +5:40 | +5:45 | +6 | +6:30 | +7 | +7:20 | +7...  DST used  DST no longer used  DST never used Daylight saving time (DST), or summer time in British English, is the convention of advancing clocks so that evenings have more daylight and mornings have less. ... PDT is UTC-7 The Pacific Time Zone observes standard time by subtracting eight hours from Coordinated Universal Time (UTC-8). ... −12 | −11 | −10 | −9:30 | −9 | −8 | −7 | −6 | −5 | −4 | −3:30 | −3 | −2:30 | −2 | −1 | −0:25 | UTC (0) | +0:20 | +0:30 | +1 | +2 | +3 | +3:30 | +4 | +4:30 | +4:51 | +5 | +5:30 | +5:40 | +5:45 | +6 | +6:30 | +7 | +7:20 | +7... Official website: http://www. ... Official language(s) English Capital Sacramento Largest city Los Angeles Area  Ranked 3rd  - Total 158,302 sq mi (410,000 km²)  - Width 250 miles (400 km)  - Length 770 miles (1,240 km)  - % water 4. ...

History

In 1866, Fair Oaks (Atherton) was a flag stop on the California Coast Line of the Southern Pacific Railroad between San Francisco and San Jose for the convenience of the owners of the large estates who lived north of Menlo Park. The entire area was called Menlo Park. It had been part of the Rancho de las Pulgas that had covered most of the area, which is now southern San Mateo County. There were several attempts to incorporate Fair Oaks, one in 1874 and another in 1911. 1866 (MDCCCLXVI) is a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar or a common year starting on Wednesday of the 12-day-slower Julian calendar. ... Nickname: The City by the Bay; Fog City; The City; Baghdad by the Bay Location of the City and County of San Francisco, California Coordinates: Country United States of America State California City-County San Francisco Government  - Mayor Gavin Newsom Area  - City  47 sq mi (122 km²)  - Land  46. ... Nickname: Capital of Silicon Valley Location of San Jose within Santa Clara County, California. ... Menlo Park is a city in San Mateo County, California in the United States of America. ... Official website: http://www. ... Year 1874 (MDCCCLXXIV) was a common year starting on Thursday (link with display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Saturday of the 12-day slower Julian calendar). ... 1911 (MCMXI) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar). ...

In 1923, Menlo Park wished to incorporate its lands to include the Fair Oaks lands. During a meeting of the representatives of the two communities, it became clear to the Fair Oaks property owners that in order to maintain their community as a strictly residential area, they would have to incorporate separately. Both groups rushed to Sacramento but the Fair Oaks committee arrived first. It was at that time they realized that they could not keep the name Fair Oaks, as it was already the name of a town near Sacramento. It was decided to honor Faxon Dean Atherton who had been one of the first property owners in the south peninsula and name the Town for him. Atherton was incorporated on September 12, 1923. September 12 is the 255th day of the year (256th in leap years). ... {{year nav|1939 1923 (MCMXXIII) was a common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar). ...

Faxon D. Atherton, a native of Massachusetts, had spent several years in Chile and Hawaii as a trader in tallow, hides and merchandise. His friend and business associate, Thomas Lark had written to him "there is education available for your children and a dignity of living on landed estates down the San Francisco peninsula (that is) convenient and accessible." Atherton purchased 640 acres (2.6 km²) for ten dollars an acre ($2470/km²)in 1860. His home, "Valparaiso Park", was built several years later. It was simple in design and ample for his family of seven children. Faxon Dean Atherton is the namesake of Atherton, California, and was a prominent citizen of San Mateo County, California[1]. A native of Massachussets, Atherton was born of an established New England family with roots in the colonial period of the United States. ...

Because of the development of the railroad, other San Franciscans traveled south and established summer homes. Because the dirt roads were usually impassable in the winter, the families were only in residence from May through September.

Thomas H. Selby purchased 420 acres (1.7 km²). A successful businessman, he served as mayor of San Francisco. His country estate was called "Almendral". John T. Doyle, an attorney, built a home off Middlefield Road, "Ringwood". James C. Flood purchased successive parcels and built an extravagant mansion, "Linden Towers".This is now Lindenwood. The Joseph A Donohoe estate was "Holmgrove" and is now the site of Menlo Atherton High School. James Thomas Watkins' home was "Fair Oaks" and after two moves, stands restored today on Alejandra Avenue.

The government was established with Edward E. Eyre as the first mayor. In 1928, the residents voted to build a Town Hall, which stands today. The early residents wanted a Town that would be divided into large parcels and would not contain businesses. The author Gertrude Atherton, daughter-in-law to Faxon D. Atherton wrote in "The Californians", "Menlo Park (Atherton) has been cut up into country places for what might be termed the 'old families of San Francisco', the eight or ten families who owned the haughty precinct were as exclusive, as conservative, as any group of ancient country families in Europe." A few of the large land holdings were subdivided during the 1920s and 1930s, James Flood estate in 1938. In the 1940s and 1950s over eighty subdivisions were recorded. With the minimum size of one acre (4,000 m²), the era of the large estates was over. Atherton is still a "plain of oaks". Native live oaks, white oaks, bays, redwoods, cedars, pines and other ornamental trees cover the six square miles (16 km²) of town. There are approximately 50 miles (80 km) of roads. The population is around 7500 with approximately 2500 households. Gertrude Atherton, American writer Gertrude Franklin Horn Atherton (1857–1948) was an American writer. ...

By 1936, ridership on the Southern pacific Coast Line was sufficient that there were 23 round trips between Atherton and San Francisco, a distance of 28 Miles^[1].

Olive Holbrook-Palmer left Holbrook-Palmer Park, a 22 acre (89,000 m²) park, to the Town in 1958. It is an open, tree-covered park, which offers recreational programs and has facilities for functions.

Geography

Atherton is located at 37°27′31″N, 122°12′0″W (37.458615, -122.200099)^GR1.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 12.8 km² (4.9 mi²). 12.7 km² (4.9 mi²) of it is land and 0.1 km² (0.04 mi²) of it (0.61%) is water. The United States Census Bureau (officially Bureau of the Census as defined in Title ) is a part of the United States Department of Commerce. ... Square kilometre (US spelling: Square kilometer), symbol km², is an SI unit of surface area. ... A square mile is an English unit of area equal to that of a square with sides each 1 statute mile (≈1,609 m) in length. ...

Atherton, California is 2 miles SE of Redwood City, California and 18 miles NW of San Jose, California. The town is considered part of the San Francisco metropolitan area.

Demographics

As of the census^GR2 of 2000, there were 7,194 people, 2,413 households, and 1,983 families residing in the town. The population density was 566.9/km² (1,467.6/mi²). There were 2,505 housing units at an average density of 197.4/km² (511.0/mi²). The racial makeup of the town was 85.36% White, 0.70% African American, 0.17% Native American, 9.79% Asian, 0.42% Pacific Islander, 1.00% from other races, and 2.57% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.78% of the population. 1870 US Census for New York City A census is the process of obtaining information about every member of a population (not necessarily a human population). ... The United States Census Bureau uses the federal governments definitions of race when performing a census. ... The United States Census Bureau uses the federal governments definitions of race when performing a census. ... The United States Census Bureau uses the federal governments definitions of race when performing a census. ... The United States Census Bureau uses the federal governments definitions of race when performing a census. ... The United States Census Bureau uses the federal governments definitions of race when performing a census. ... Race, as defined by the United States Census Bureau and the Federal Office of Management and Budget (OMB), is a self-identification data item in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify. ... The United States Census Bureau uses the federal governments definitions of race when performing a census. ... The United States Census Bureau uses the federal governments definitions of race when performing a census. ...

There were 2,413 households out of which 33.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 75.6% were married couples living together, 4.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 17.8% were non-families. 12.8% of all households were made up of individuals and 7.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.85 and the average family size was 3.06. The examples and perspective in this article or section may not include all significant viewpoints. ...

In the town the population was spread out with 23.7% under the age of 18, 7.2% from 18 to 24, 18.7% from 25 to 44, 30.3% from 45 to 64, and 20.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 45 years. For every 100 females there were 93.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 90.2 males.

The median income for a household in the town was in excess of $200,000, as is the median income for a family. Males had a median income of over $100,000 versus $68,393 for females. The per capita income for the town was $112,408. About 0.8% of families and 1.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 0.6% of those under age 18 and 3.3% of those age 65 or over. The per capita income for a group of people may be defined as their total personal income, divided by the total population. ... Map of countries showing percentage of population who have an income below the national poverty line The poverty line is the level of income below which one cannot afford to purchase all the resources one requires to live. ...

The median home value was at $1,000,001 at 2000. In 2005, Atherton's 94027 zip code was identified by Forbes magazine as the most affluent ZIP in the U.S.

Law and government

The beginning statement of the Town's General Plan says "the Town of Atherton desires, insofar as possible, to preserve its character as a scenic, rural, thickly-wooded, residential area with abundant open space and with streets designed primarily as scenic routes rather than for speed of travel."

Atherton and Hillsborough were the only two cities in San Mateo County to a have a majority voting for George W. Bush in the 2004 Presidential election; however, it was by a slim margin of 50.54%-48.27% [1]. Hillsborough is a town in San Mateo County, California, in the San Francisco Bay Area. ... George Walker Bush (born July 6, 1946) is the 43rd and current President of the United States, inaugurated on January 20, 2001. ...

Education

Among Atherton's public schools, Encinal, Las Lomitas, and Laurel are elementary schools, while Selby Lane is both an elementary and a middle school. Menlo-Atherton is a high school. Menlo-Atherton High School. ...

Among the town's private schools, St. Joseph's is an elementary and middle school, Menlo School is a middle and high school, and Sacred Heart Preparatory is a high school. Menlo School, known widely as Menlo, is an independent, private college preparatory in Atherton, California, USA, as well as a middle school, established in 1915 and located at 50 Valparaiso Avenue. ...

Menlo College is a private four-year college.

Community organizations

There are a number of active community organizations; the Atherton Heritage Association, the Atherton Arts Committee, the Atherton Tree Committee, the Friends of the Atherton Community Library, the Holbrook-Palmer Park Foundation, the Atherton Dames, the Police Task force, and the Atherton Civic Interest League. There are also home owners' associations. The Menlo Circus Club is a private club with stables and a riding ring located within the town.

Notable residents

• Eric E. Schmidt, Chairman and CEO of Google
• Charles R. Schwab, Founder and CEO of the Charles Schwab Corp.
• Thomas F. Stephenson, Venture Capitalist, Sequoia Capital
• Steven Westly, State Controller of California
• John Freidenrich, Venture Capitalist, Bay Partners
• Jerry Rice, NFL Player
• Willie Mays, Baseball Hall-of-Famer

Eric Emerson Schmidt, Ph. ... Google, Inc. ... Charles R. Schwab (born 1937) is the founder and CEO of the Charles Schwab Corporation. ... The Charles Schwab Corporation NASDAQ: SCHW is the worlds second-largest discount broker (TD Ameritrade is the largest). ...

References

1. ^ Official Guide of the Railways, August, 1936.

External links

• Town of Atherton Web Page
• Atherton Public Library - a branch of the San Mateo County Library

• Maps and aerial photos Coordinates: 37.458615° -122.200099°
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  • Satellite image from Google Maps, Windows Live Local, WikiMapia
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