At Crystal Springs, New Markers Highlight Ohlone Role in Portolá Expedition

SAN MATEO - On a cool spring morning near Crystal Springs Dam, where deer moved through the hills above the reservoir, local officials gathered Friday to unveil interpretive panels and a historic marker highlighting the role of the Ramaytush Ohlone in guiding the 1769 expedition led by Gaspar de Portolá.

The installation is part of the Ohlone-Portolá Heritage Trail, an ambitious effort to trace the expedition's route through San Mateo County while recognizing the Ohlone who lived in the region for thousands of years before Spanish arrival.

"To be able to see it, understand that moment and communicate it to the next generation is so important," San Mateo County Supervisor Ray Mueller said at the dedication ceremony. "And to do it in a way that is respectful and accurate makes this incredibly meaningful."

The installation sits near the southern entrance to Sawyer Camp Trail, one of the county's most popular recreation areas, where officials said they hope visitors will pause to read the panels.

The ceremony marked a milestone in the yearslong project to document the roughly 90-mile route the Portolá expedition took through what is now San Mateo County.

The Spanish party set out from what is now Southern California in search of Monterey Bay, overshooting its destination before becoming the first recorded Europeans to sight San Francisco Bay.

State Sen. Josh Becker, who helped secure $500,000 in state funding to support the trail effort, said the project reflects an effort to tell a more complete history.

"We're fortunate to live in a place that recognizes its rich and complicated history, and is willing to memorialize both the original inhabitants of this land and the European explorers through efforts like this," said Becker (D-Menlo Park).

The panels are part of a multi-agency effort that began in the mid-2010s around the 250th anniversary of the expedition, updating existing historical markers to include Indigenous perspectives. The work has involved local Indigenous representatives along with County and regional agencies.

"This is a meaningful step in helping tell a more complete story of this place," said Emma Gonzalez, Interim Director of San Mateo County Parks. "We're proud to work with our partners to share these stories in a way that is respectful and accessible to the community."

The panels describe the expedition as a turning point in California history, noting both the encounter and the disruption that followed, part of an effort, officials said, to present a more complete account.

As Parks crews set up for the event, a passer-by stopped by the panels and read quietly before moving on.

Marisol Escalera Durani
Chief of Staff, Office of Supervisor Ray Mueller
650-363-4569
[email protected]

Charles Lawlor
Office of State Sen. Josh Becker
916-651-4013
[email protected]

Marshall Wilson
Communications Officer, County of San Mateo
650-465-7289
[email protected]