Dressage Horses for Sale in Portola Valley CA, Santa Cruz CA

About Palo Alto, CA

Prior to the arrival of Europeans, the Ohlone lived on the San Francisco peninsula; in particular, the Puichon Ohlone lived in the Palo Alto area. The area of modern Palo Alto was first recorded by the 1769 party of Gaspar de Portolá, a 63-man, 200-horse expedition from San Diego to Monterey. The group overshot Monterey in the fog and when they reached modern-day Pacifica, ascended Sweeney Ridge and saw the San Francisco Bay. Portolá descended from Sweeney Ridge southeast down San Andreas Creek to Laguna Creek (now Crystal Springs Reservoir), thence to the San Francisquito Creek watershed, ultimately camping from November 6–11, 1769, by a tall redwood later to be known as El Palo Alto. Thinking the bay was too wide to cross, the group retraced their journey to Monterey, and never became aware of the Golden Gate entrance to the Bay.