California Historic Location: Portola Expedition Camp, November 4, 1769

Captain Gaspar de Portola is an honored name in California history. It was he who led the first European expedition that on November 4, 1769 climbed the slopes of Sweeney Ridge and saw the San Francisco Bay for the first time. Today his expedition has become memorialized with several of the places where they camped being considered historical landmarks. Located just off of Interstate 280 in Millbrae is California Historic Landmark No. 27 dedicating the first campsite after the discovery of the bay.

The marker can be found at the western end of Hillcrest Blvd directly in front of the south 280 onramp and at an entrance of the San Andreas Trail. You can find parking along the roadway.

The large monument is pretty easy find and the plaque on it pretty much explains what it is all about:

“First Camp after Discovery of San Francisco Bay

On November 4, 1769, the expedition of Captain Gaspar de Portola, after crossing Sweeney Ridge, beheld the Bay of San Francisco for the first time. That night they camped at a small lagoon, now covered by San Andreas Lake. Finding the bay too large to go around and thinking they had bypassed Monterey Bay, the expedition camped here again on November 12, 1769 on their return to San Diego.

First made a state registered historical landmark no. 27, June 15, 1932, this site was rededicated as a U.S.A. Bicentennial Project of San Andreas Lake Chapter, Daughters of the American Revolution and the city of Millbrae, California on November 8, 1976.

Location granted by the state of California.

Monument base of serpentine rock, official state rock of California, furnished by the San Francisco Water Department.”

A second plaque located directly below the main one honors the person who was mainly responsible for the rededication of this site.

“Mrs. Alfred P. Hall

(Ethel Leota Bernritter)

Organizing member of San Andreas Lake Chapter NSDAR, of Millbrae, California, after nearly ten years of research, was successful in restoring and rededicating California Registered Historical Landmark No. 27.”

Mrs. Ethel Hall passed away in February 1986 but thanks to her hard work, a small yet important piece of California history has been safely preserved for everyone to enjoy and remember.