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In our quest to prove ourselves as the best San Francisco roofing contractor, we’ve worked in many cities within the Bay Area. Portola Valley is quickly becoming one of our favorite places.
In our ongoing series, exploring different cities on the peninsula, we’ve walked through Redwood City, Colma, and Atherton. Today we’re focusing on Portola Valley
The town is quiet and photogenic-- it’s a gold and green valley full of wildflowers, open space, and nature trails. We’ve recently been installing roofs for a retirement community in Portola Valley, and we can’t believe how picturesque it is.
Retaining Rural Charm
Portola Valley was officially incorporated in 1964. Before that, it was part of Maximo Martinez’s Rancho el Corte de Madera. A small logging town known as Searsville once stood in the valley, providing goods and services for people who came in to cut the redwoods and cash in on the post-gold rush building boom.When the 20th century rolled around, Searsville and the redwoods were both gone. It became an area where huge estates and small farms coexisted with one another. After World War II, the land was further developed, and by the mid 1960s, it was incorporated.
Portola Valley still retains much of that quiet, pastoral charm. Compared to big cities in the Bay Area, it’s positively rural. Only 4500 residents live in the valley, so it’s easy to keep that scenic, country allure.
Trails for Days
Despite its small population, Portola Valley covers 11 square miles and is covered in trails. Cars do well here too, of course, but hikers, runners, cyclists and horses have it especially good.From Portola Valley resident Sheldon Breiner’s personal essay:
“Almost all the major roads are bordered by horse trails that are wonderful for walking or running and you see so much more just a few feet off the road. A few others have been withdrawn from easy access, such as the Jasper Ridge Biological Preserve of Stanford (bordering Portola Valley at Mapache and Escobar) which includes Searsville Lake on Portola Road, until the 1970's, the only public beach and swimming hole around.”That essay is definitely recommended reading if you want to learn about Portola Valley’s little nooks and crannies.
The homes, the scenery, and the people in Portola Valley are beautiful. We love the work we’re doing there. Inevitably, we’ll find a little more time to explore, too.
We hope you’re still enjoying this series. Stay tuned for more!
~Mr. Roofing San Francisco’s residential & commercial roofing experts
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