epa.net
Home| About Us | News| Find Jobs| Events| Voices| Discussions| Features & Profiles| |

Back On the Waterfront: the Public Use of Cooley Landing

Main Site : Inside EPA.net : Community Voices : Community Reports : Back On the Waterfront: the Public Use of Cooley Landing

Back On the Waterfront: the Public Use of Cooley Landing
News @ EPA.NET
11/6/2003
people stand for anthem
Aerial photo of Cooley Landing courtesy of Mike Rafferty.

Back On the Waterfront: The Public Use of
Cooley Landing

This Friday and Saturday, visit where the dream of East Palo Alto began in 1849

Then help decide the future of Cooley Landing on Wednesday, November 12

By Lily Lee, Environmental & Economic Coordinator, City of East Palo Alto

The origins of the City of East Palo Alto have to do with being a port, but EPA hardly feels like a “waterfront town.” And yet it is. Though this history has been obscured, it is about to return.

At a special City Council meeting next Wednesday November 12th at 6:30pm, the Council will be seeking input from the public on the future of Cooley Landing, the piece of land extending into the Bay from the end of Bay Road. Cooley Landing has been closed to the public for decades, and unless you are a naturalist, a history buff or snuck around the fence as a kid, you might not know much about this unique part of East Palo Alto. Come and share your ideas about how Cooley Landing should be used.

The City’s history of dreams began in 1849 at this spot. San Francisco banker Isaiah Wood planned and built a wharf at what is now Cooley Landing to take advantage of the best location in the region where dry land was closest to deep water. The port town of Ravenswood lasted only a few decades but dreams for this location never went away; in fact, they will be on the Council agenda again next Wednesday. This Friday and Saturday, for the first time in decades, Cooley Landing will be open for residents to experience being out in the Bay, view swirling flocks of birds and hear jack rabbits in the brush around the old harbor.

people stand for anthem
This dredge at the tip of Cooley Landing once was used to remove Bay sediment blocking harbors.

What is Cooley Landing?
Cooley Landing was built up from landfill beginning around 1932, but its history goes back to 1849. This was the site of the original Town of Ravenswood where San Francisco banker Isaiah Woods settled in 1849 and built a home, dairy, and wharf. The name Ravenswood supposedly comes from the crows living there. It became a bustling port, shipping bricks to build homes everywhere, including the San Francisco Palace Hotel. For a while it was the only port between San Jose and San Francisco.

Ravenswood did not ultimately succeed as a port or a town. The name “Cooley Landing” comes from Lester Cooley who purchased the nearly abandoned area in 1868 and built an estate there. From 1932 -1960, the landing became a San Mateo County dump, with open burning of refuse. The artificial peninsula that exists today was built up from the landfill at the dump. Then Mr. Carl Schoof bought it in 1960 and started Palo Alto Boat Works which operated until the late ‘90s.

In 1998, Mr. Schoof sold the 6.75-acre area to the Peninsula Open Space Trust (POST), which has kept it as a nature conservation area. The area owned by POST actually includes only the center part of Cooley Landing and the area extending out into the Bay. The land on either side is already owned by the Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District. Only the center is within the City of East Palo Alto; the side areas are part of Menlo Park.

people stand for anthem
East Palo Alto seen from Cooley Landing. University Circle appears in the far background.

What can I see at Cooley Landing?
You can still see historic remains of a dredge and other buildings, wetland plants and animals, views of the entire San Francisco Bay, and other surprises. There’s a free and open feeling from being way out in the Bay surrounded by water – yet still within East Palo Alto city limits. The Landing ends in two narrow and rocky bars of land that create a small harbor between them. Within the harbor two posts remain, short and tall, which might have been part of the original wharf.

Even if it is raining, please join us for a walking tour open to all East Palo Alto residents, young and old. There will be three different tours: Friday at 11:00am and 4:00pm, and again Saturday at 3:00pm. Here are directions for these tours guided by rangers from the Department of Fish and Wildlife.

Friday, Nov. 7, 11:00am
Meet at the East Palo Alto Charter School at the east end of Runnymede St. by the baylands

Friday, Nov. 7, 4:00pm - sunset
Meet at the parking lot at the end of Bay Road by the baylands

Saturday, Nov. 8, 3:00pm - sunset
Meet at the parking lot at the end of Bay Road by the baylands

Binoculars and magnifying glasses will be available, as well as staff who can answer questions about history, wildlife, and geography. For more information, contact Alicia Williams, City of East Palo Alto Community Services Department, 650-853-3140. Please bring comfortable walking shoes, warm clothes, and your friends, neighbors, and family members!

Come along with us and get ideas for what you think should be the future uses at Cooley Landing. And then come share your ideas at a special Council meeting:

City Council Study Session on
What should be the future for Cooley Landing?
Wednesday, November 12, 2003, at 6:30 pm
City Council Chambers, 2415 University Avenue

For more information, call 650-853-3122. Please let your friends and neighbors know about this unique tour!

Contributed by Rolando Zeledon Jr

Approved by: Content Manager

Comments

A secret revealed.

Stepping out of my car I was greeted by folks anxious to see for the first time an area of our city most local citizens have never viewed before. It’s funny to see the young folks, not really knowing the importance of the moment, yet still there taking in the events that unfold. It’s wonderful to see the adults who really get it, yet I wonder, when will we truly look up and see what is around us and say proudly, I live in East Palo Alto. After visiting Cooley Landing again in what has been almost 25 years, I was in awe. During my first visit the area was privately owned, and it seemed like a secret was being kept behind the gate that led into the property. I was allowed on the property, but was shown neither the buildings, the dredge, or really allowed to see much more than I could see from my car, yet I knew even then that Cooley Landing was a very special place. After the tour this past Friday, I had to revisit Shore Line Park, in Mt. View, and the Palo Alto duck pond area where they’ve developed a Baylands sailing station. All of that just to reaffirm what I’ve always known, we are in the most beautiful of the part of the south bay. Isaiah Woods had it all over 150 years ago, location, location, location, and we have it today. We occupy the one spot on all the south-bay where good land comes close to deep water with no mud flats or winding sloughs, add to that the breath taking view. I plan to join the meeting on Wednesday and I do want to see the area developed, but how is the real question. I hope that someday we will become a destination, Cooley Landing could help make us that place. Isaac Stevenson

-- Isaac Stevenson on November 11, 2003 08:18 PM (view details)

Cooley Landing photos by Dennis Parker

Dennis Parker took some gorgeous photos from his November 7 visit to Cooley
Landing. You can see the photos in the EPA.net Photo Album at this web address:

http://www.epa.net/launch/epaphts/album?album_id=561339


-- Content Manager on November 11, 2003 09:58 PM (view details)

It was so beautiful

I just went out there and like everyone else thought it was so beautiful that
we should have access to it, for walking, meditation and meeting friends.

Comment by Midge Dorn


-- Content Manager on November 12, 2003 09:19 AM (view details)

This Picture looks very very nice

Wow, what a great picture of this house on Cooleys landing.

Attachments
-- Michael Levin web Administrator on November 12, 2003 11:51 AM (view details)

11/12/03 Council Study Session on Cooley Landing

On Wednesday November 12, 2003, following the three tours of Cooley Landing, the EPA City Council met to hear public input and consider options for Cooly Landing. Here is a brief report and some ideas from resident Rosemary Burgess.
(Thanks, Rosemary, for providing this to post on EPA.net - Michael Levin, Content Manager)

-----Origingal Message-----
Sent: Wednesday, November 12, 2003 10:03 PM
To: mlevin@pluggedin.org
Subject: Re: Cooley Landing

Surprisingly, most people that spoke were of one accord - they would like to keep Cooley Landing as the peaceful place that it is and most
preferred a nature preserve. Seems the Audubon Society is looking at 4 sites in the Bay Area, Cooley Landing is among them, one of which they would like to turn into a natural nature study site. They have one in the L.A. area which received excellent reviews. Pat Foster is going there this weekend to look it over.

Another popular idea was a small art and/or cultural centerutilizing one of the existing buildings. Also mentioned was a small restaurant for snacks taking advantage of the view. The council's decision was to first, acquire the land, and then finish discussing how best to use it. There were some unanswered about the land that still would have to be resolved. Also there are other agencies involved and their wishes would have to be sorted out.

My suggestion (not made at the meeting), was a small restaurant, nature preserve, and a small cultural/art center. However, after seeing your aerial photo on the web page, I realized all of that could not be done. Now I would settle for the preserve and either a restaurant or a cultural center. If the entire landing became a preserve that would be OK with me as well. I just thought it would be nice to have a warm place where seniors could sit and enjoy the scenery. Not everyone can get on a bicycle, skate board or walk all over the place.

That's my take on it.

Rosemary Burgess

-- Content Manager on November 13, 2003 06:29 AM (view details)

What has come of this?

Hi, I am curious as to what has come of Cooley Landing. I see that this meeting took place over five years ago with no updates since. I like the sugestion of a restaurant and would add the possibility of a boat dock. I have a Sail Boat. As a boater, it seams like it would be a nice day sail. Maby a set up like Angel Island marina ( http://www.panoramio.com/photo/2754922 ) would work out for Cooley Landing. This could bring Revenue to EPA as well. Just some things to think about. Thanks for your time. Joseph

-- Joseph StClair on April 11, 2009 05:58 PM (view details)
EPA.net Administrator

Feedback

Technical Problems

Copyright © 2002-2005 by EPA.net. All rights reserved. Terms of Use
Notice: we collect some personal information on this site.
To learn more about how we use your information,
see our Privacy and Security Policy. and Our Acceptable Use Policies.
This information was made possible in part by a grant from the Technology Opportunities Program, National Telecommunications and Information Administration, U.S. Department of Commerce.