A Short History of the Highlands

by Florence Beier

The Highlands community sits on the hills overlooking San Francisco Bay on the east side and the mountains between us and the Pacific Ocean on the west.  An enclave in San Mateo County, the Highlands has its own community association, elementary school, recreation center, and sheriff’s office.  About 750 homes, mostly built by Joseph Eichler, are occupied by a diverse population.

Before Highways 92 and 280 were built, access to the Highlands area was only from Ralston, Skyline, Cañada, and Crystal Springs Roads or Parrot Drive and across the Bay on the San Mateo drawbridge.  Now, without traffic delays, residents live less than an hour from any location in the Bay Area.           

The first models in the Highlands were built by Eichler about 1955, using an innovative post-and-beam construction, open plans, glass walls, atriums and other techniques to make affordable, attractive, and comfortable homes.  The neighborhood was intentionally open to all races, something new on the San Francisco Peninsula. 

The earliest community activity was establishment of a newsletter for the residents, appropriately named lowdown, and typed, mimeographed, and stapled by volunteers.  This informative, and occasionally provocative, 12-page publication, now computer desktop published,  has been delivered to every household ten months a year without interruption until the present.

As young families flocked to the new area, an elementary school was built in 1956. In the 1960’s and 70’s many blocks had as many as fifty children, who walked to the elementary school or took school buses to Borel Middle or Aragon High School.  With little traffic,  kids played on every corner and rode bikes or skate boards all over the neighborhood. 

The Highlands Recreation Center was built in 1957.  The residents had voted to tax themselves to support a swimming pool, gym, and tennis courts.  A longtime resident reports that when the Rec Center levy passed, cars drove up and down the Highlands streets honking with joy.  All kinds of classes and activities for young, old, and canine have attracted participation ever since.

The Highlands July Fourth celebration was born in 1960 out of community spirit and a desire to keep neighbors off dangerous highways and safely celebrating near home.. In the 60’s the big deal was competition to be Fourth of July queen.  Queen contestants from each few blocks were judged on community achievement, poise, personality, and natural beauty.  The queen rode in a parade of convertibles with the other contestants – “lined up so as to coordinate the color of bathing suits with color of car and upholstery.”

The Highlands Community Association has served as a local representative body since the beginning.  Although it is voluntary, membership runs as high as 80% of the residents.  The neighborhood is divided into 19 areas, with each sending a representative to the HCA board meetings.  Dues have grown from $5 to $30.  The HCA works with San Mateo County government, which provides our police (sheriff), firefighting and paramedics, sewer, road, and sidewalk maintenance, lighting, and other services.  HCA committees protect our interests on issues concerning public utilities, emergency services, environmental hazards, and land development. The HCA helps to ensure our continued quality of life in the Highlands.

As the years have gone by, the Highlands has remained one of the most desirable places to live in the Bay Area.  Some homes have stayed completely unchanged, others restored in the original Eichler style, and others expanded or remodeled.  Although there is disagreement about style, all residents are all concerned about maintaining the character of the neighborhood. 

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