Opening of Foster City Recreation Center (1974)

Opening of Foster City Recreation Center (1974)

Opened February 9th, 1974, the original Foster City Recreation Center was created as part of the “City Recreation Plan” created by Ellis Arndt and Truesdell, Inc in 1971. It included a three phase plan that would have included an integrated Recreation Center, a Pre-School, and Arts & Craft Wing, Teen Center with 1970’s ‘conversation pit’ with fireplace, and eventually a 11,000sf Gymnasium complex & a recreation pool indoors. The different “wings” were connected by covered walkways. Foster City’s quarterly Recreation…

Read More Read More

WHY FOSTER CITY WANTS SCHOOL UNIFICATION (1990’s)

WHY FOSTER CITY WANTS SCHOOL UNIFICATION (1990’s)

Foster City has always had a healthy continuing discussion about the desire for a local High School. This document found in our archives is from the 1990’s group the “Citizens Allied for a Multipurpose Unified School” and lays out some of the arguments 30 years ago for a High School.

Draeger’s (San Mateo) 1997

Draeger’s (San Mateo) 1997

The Historical Society has a lot of older newspapers. Never archived at in any of the local libraries. Foster City used to have a newspaper called the Foster City Progress. Here is the front page story on the San Mateo Draeger’s opening in June 1997. Today the Draeger’s is set to close soon. However, it was once new, some 26 years ago, in 1997.

Foster City Housing Element 2002 (Cycle 4)

Foster City Housing Element 2002 (Cycle 4)

Foster City in 2022 is in the process of updating our housing element for RHNA Cycle 6 (2021-29). What did people think in 2002 vs 2022? Let’s find out! These documents were found in the Foster City Historical Society Archives. The ABAG handout for the Cycle 4 housing element, an advertisement for the General Plan Update for the housing element and a Council Corner from Councilmember Russ Harter. All written in 2002. Foster City Islander 1/16/2002 Foster City Council Corner…

Read More Read More

Bayside Towers

Bayside Towers

Bayside Towers. Located at 4000 and 4100 E. Third Avenue, Foster City. This article concerns another historic development in our city.  And while Bayside Towers may not have the long history of some of the other developments, it still represents a novel one and is associated with some interesting history of the area and our city. The area itself, a small northeastern segment of Foster City, close to the San Mateo Bridge, interestingly enough, was referred to as Guano Island,…

Read More Read More

Dream Girl Pageant 1976

Dream Girl Pageant 1976

Back in 1976 miss Foster City Kelli McKenney won San Mateo County Dream Girl Pageant. Dennis Wilson, an American singer, and songwriter presided over the jury. Denis co-founded The Beach Boys, that began as a garageband and became one of the most influential acts of the rock era. https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/39038035

Foster City Home Owners’ Landscape Planting and Maintenance Guide (1960’s ?)

Foster City Home Owners’ Landscape Planting and Maintenance Guide (1960’s ?)

Happy to share with the community another gem of landscaping Foster City. This item was found in a garage and we believe it to be original. It is the Foster City Home Owners’ Landscape Planting and Maintenance Guide and it goes through some of the original planting guidelines in Foster City. The documents are not dated but due to the thick high quality paper, typeface and oxidation on the pages we suspect his is from the 1960’s.

1993 Recreation Center Feasibility Study

1993 Recreation Center Feasibility Study

Today we are happy to share with the community the 1993 Foster City Recreation Center Feasibility Study. As Foster City launches into a new $40+ Million Dollar Recreation Center project plan it is informative to show the last major change to the recreation center. (William Walker Recreation Center) This is a 50+ page report with many details. It may be informative to current projects to understand where Foster City came from and how the recreation center has evolved over many decades.