Menlo Gates Project

In the early 1850s, when the Peninsula was almost totally undeveloped, 2 Irishmen, Dennis Oliver and Daniel McGlynn, bought land along the San Francisquito Creek to raise cattle for the San Francisco market. Remembering how much they had enjoyed holidays in the small Irish village of Menlo (now part of Galway City), they named their ranch Menlo Park and erected at the entrance on County Road a large gate with the ranch name in bold letters at the top. In the 1860s, when the railroad along the Peninsula was built, the local station was given the name of the ranch. The surounding area including today's Atherton and East Palo Alto then became known as Menlo Park. After surviving weather damage and the 30,000+ soldiers of Camp Fremont (during WWI), the gate was destroyed by a careening automobile in 1922. The City of Menlo Park consisted of 1 square mile centered on the train station when it incorporated in 1927.

The goal of this Project is to construct a replica of the original gate and erect it near its original location on El Camino Real opposite Ravenswood Avenue. The drawings for the gate are being done by volunteers, but we are asking those who live in and love Menlo Park to fund the construction and installation.

All donations to the Menlo Gates Project will go directly to the cost of construction and installation.

The Menlo Gates Project has been created by the Menlo Park Historical Association (MPHA). For more information about MPHA, visit the MPHA website at sites.google.com/site/mphistorical .

The Menlo Gates Committee Members (updated 11/29/2018) are:

Ernst Meissner, A.I.A. (deceased)
   (Project Originator)
Dick Angus (deceased)
Bobbie Carcione
Dexter Chow, Cheeky Monkey Toys
Jym Clendenin
Michael Demeter
Brian Flegel, Flegels Home Furnishings
Cynthia Lewis, P.E.
Jim Lewis
Betty Meissner
Melinda Meissner, Architect
Greg Mellberg, Architect
Matt Richardson, Landscape Architect
Sam Sinnott, A.I.A.
Bill Weseloh, Weseloh & Young Real Estate (deceased)
Keith Willig, A.S.L.A.