San Mateo County adds historic marker to highlight Ramaytush Ohlone guidance in 1769 expedition

San Mateo County – Local officials recently unveiled new interpretive panels and a historic marker near Crystal Springs Dam to highlight the role of the Ramaytush Ohlone in guiding the 1769 expedition led by Gaspar de Portolá through what is now San Mateo County.

The installation is located near the southern entrance to Sawyer Camp Trail, one of the county’s most visited recreation areas. Officials said the location was chosen in part because of the number of visitors who pass through the area and may stop to learn more about the region’s history.

The panels are part of the Ohlone-Portolá Heritage Trail, a yearslong project designed to trace the roughly 90-mile route taken by the Portolá expedition through San Mateo County. The effort also seeks to recognize the Ohlone people, who lived in the region for thousands of years before the arrival of Spanish explorers.

“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 Portolá expedition began in what is now Southern California as the Spanish party searched for Monterey Bay. The group overshot its destination and later became the first recorded Europeans to sight San Francisco Bay.

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Officials said the new panels are intended to provide a broader account of that history by describing both the encounter and the disruption that followed. The project is part of a multi-agency effort that began in the mid-2010s around the 250th anniversary of the expedition, with the goal of updating existing historical markers to include Indigenous perspectives.

State Sen. Josh Becker, who helped secure $500,000 in state funding for the trail effort, said the project reflects the importance of presenting a more complete history of the region.

“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 work has involved local Indigenous representatives, San Mateo 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.”