Redwood Shores, California
Encyclopedia
San Mateo County, California
San Mateo County is a county located in the San Francisco Bay Area of the U.S. state of California. It covers most of the San Francisco Peninsula just south of San Francisco, and north of Santa Clara County. San Francisco International Airport is located at the northern end of the county, and...
on the San Francisco Peninsula
San Francisco Peninsula
The San Francisco Peninsula is a peninsula in the San Francisco Bay Area that separates the San Francisco Bay from the Pacific Ocean. On its northern tip is the City and County of San Francisco. Its southern base is in Santa Clara County, including the cities of Palo Alto, Los Altos, and Mountain...
in California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
. It is located on the eastern edge of Belmont
Belmont, California
Belmont is a city in San Mateo County, California, United States. It is in the San Francisco Bay Area, located half-way down the San Francisco Peninsula between San Mateo and San Carlos. It was originally part of the Rancho de las Pulgas, for which one of its main roads, the Alameda de las Pulgas,...
, but is actually part of incorporated Redwood City
Redwood City, California
Redwood City is a California charter city located on the San Francisco Peninsula in Northern California, approximately 27 miles south of San Francisco, and 24 miles north of San Jose. Redwood City's history spans from its earliest inhabitation by the Ohlone people, to its tradition as a port for...
.
Redwood Shores is populated with million-dollar homes and waterfront marinas, and many of the houses and condominiums surround the lagoon and have access to water through private boating docks. According to Forbes magazine, Redwood Shores is placed on top of "America's Top Selling Luxury Neighborhoods in 2009".
Major technology companies maintain headquarters in Redwood Shores, among them Oracle Corporation
Oracle Corporation
Oracle Corporation is an American multinational computer technology corporation that specializes in developing and marketing hardware systems and enterprise software products – particularly database management systems...
and Electronic Arts
Electronic Arts
Electronic Arts, Inc. is a major American developer, marketer, publisher and distributor of video games. Founded and incorporated on May 28, 1982 by Trip Hawkins, the company was a pioneer of the early home computer games industry and was notable for promoting the designers and programmers...
. Redwood Shores is the setting for college rowing races, including competitions among Pacific 10 Conference universities. To the south it is bordered by the San Carlos Airport
San Carlos Airport
San Carlos Airport is a county-owned public use airport in San Mateo County, California, United States. It is located two nautical miles northeast of the central business district of San Carlos, California. The FAA's National Plan of Integrated Airport Systems classifies San Carlos as a reliever...
.
It was the home of the Marine World/Africa U.S.A., California
Marine World/Africa U.S.A., California
Marine World/Africa USA, was a tourist attraction located in Redwood Shores, California. The park was named Marine World when it first opened.-Origins of the Africa U.S.A. name:...
park from the 1960s to 1986, when the park moved to Vallejo, California
Vallejo, California
Vallejo is the largest city in Solano County, California, United States. The population was 115,942 at the 2010 census. It is located in the San Francisco Bay Area on the northeastern shore of San Pablo Bay...
(eventually becoming Six Flags Discovery Kingdom
Six Flags Discovery Kingdom
Six Flags Discovery Kingdom, formerly Six Flags Marine World, Marine World, The New Marine World Theme Park, and Marine World Africa USA, is an animal theme park located in Vallejo, California. The park includes a variety of roller coasters and other amusement rides, along with a collection of...
), and the land was occupied by the headquarters of Oracle Corporation
Oracle Corporation
Oracle Corporation is an American multinational computer technology corporation that specializes in developing and marketing hardware systems and enterprise software products – particularly database management systems...
.
Redwood Shores is also the home to the Pacific Athletic Club, a private sports club with tennis, squash, pool, yoga, gym and clubhouse facilities, hotel Sofitel Bay Area, Sandpiper Elementary School and a branch of the Redwood City Library. Redwood Shores elementary school opened in the fall of 2010.
Redwood Shores was built up from reclaimed land
Land reclamation
Land reclamation, usually known as reclamation, is the process to create new land from sea or riverbeds. The land reclaimed is known as reclamation ground or landfill.- Habitation :...
in the marshes of the San Francisco Bay
San Francisco Bay
San Francisco Bay is a shallow, productive estuary through which water draining from approximately forty percent of California, flowing in the Sacramento and San Joaquin rivers from the Sierra Nevada mountains, enters the Pacific Ocean...
in the 1960s, much like its neighbor to the north Foster City
Foster City, California
Foster City is an affluent planned city located in San Mateo County, California, 94404. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 30,567. Forbes ranked Foster City #10 on their 2009 list of America's Top 25 Towns to Live Well. Money has also recognized Foster City multiple times as...
, but the development almost never came to be. The owner of the land, the Leslie Salt Company, filled in soft ground known as "bay mud" formerly used for salt-evaporation ponds, but a significant controversy developed over fears of its susceptibility to serious earthquake damage because the area is between and close to the San Andreas and Hayward faults. The ensuing battle between various government agencies and business interests eventually put Leslie Salt out of business. As a result, Bank of America became the owner of the development in 1972.