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The Woodside Store
| This is a fully restored wooden structure once used by Dr. Tripp as a general store, post office, and dental office in the heyday of Lumber industry in Woodside. Today, it is a county store filled with goods that a teamster, wagon maker, lumberman, or blacksmith might want.....in the 1800s that is! The Woodside Store is a house museum containing artifacts of the period displayed in the fashion of the times, offering a glimpse into the past of this once bustling logging area. |
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3300 Tripp Road, Woodside 94062 (650)851-7615
    
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In October 1849, Matthias Alfred Parkhurst, age 20, purchased 127 acres of John Copinger's Rancho Canada de Raymundo near old Mexican saw pits and began shingle making and lumbering. His partners were a man named Ellis (who even those in the lumbering community said drank to much), James H. "Grizzly" Ryder, a Mexican War veteran, and a 33-year-old dentist named Robert Orville Tripp who had accompanied Ryder to California. All were from Massachusetts. Parkhurst and Ellis began with a shingle camp. Tripp and others joined them. Using an old trail along Redwood Creek to the bay, the partners dragged wharf timbers to a Mexican embarcadero at the site of present day Redwood City. There they made rafts and floated them on the tides to San Francisco's bay waterfront. Gold Rush growth and several severe fires in the city created high demand for building materials. Thus did a prosperous commerce open in 1850 for lumbermen, teamsters, blacksmiths, wagon makers, storekeepers, and saloon owners. Parkhurst at first sold goods from his modest hut, then Tripp joined him in a small store building. In 1853 when stage service began to their store in the Red Woods, they renamed their business site Woodside. A year later, they built a new store, the present building. Their partnership was dissolved in 1860. In 1863 Parkhurst died. Dr. Tripp took over, operating the store until his death in 1909. He became a legendary character, his name synonymous with Woodside. During his lifetime, Tripp was a San Francisco county supervisor, U.S postmaster, San Mateo County deputy sheriff, public administrator, deputy assessor, and custodian of the library. In 1940 the San Mateo County Historical Association urged the store's preservation and it was purchased by San Mateo County. The store has since been restored to its 1880s condition and stocked with period items |
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The Woodside Store is reached using the lower trails from Huddart Park onto Greer Road then onto Kings Mountain Road south to the Store. From Woodside Road, the Store can be reached using either Tripp Road or Kings Mountain Road. |
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The Woodside Store has water and restroom facilities. Inside the store are displays of period articles. |
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Special programs are often held at the Woodside Store to educate visitors and students about its colorful past. On the first Sunday in May, step into the past during Old Woodside Store Day featuring demonstrations and hands-on activities for families. The San Mateo County Historical Association has a popular school fieldtrip program at the Store. Scheduling for the following school year opens April 15 for all San Mateo county schools. Requests for field trips are made via the form on the San Mateo County History Museum web site. |
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The Woodside Store is open Tuesday and Thursday from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., and Saturday and Sunday from 12 noon to 4:00 p.m. The Store is closed other days and holidays. |
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The Woodside Store is situated on a level one-acre parcel adjacent to Kings Mountain and Tripp Road where it was originally build. It is surrounded on two sides with native oaks and Redwoods. Years of use have created open field or dirt areas around the Store with a few native trees nearby. |
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When coming to the Woodside Store the bayside of the peninsula, use Highway 84 west from either Highway 280 or 101. Travel westbound through the Town of Woodside to Kings Mountain Road. Turn right (north) on Kings Mountain Road. Proceed to Tripp Road. The Store is located at the corner. When coming to the Woodside Store from the coast side, use Highway 1 or 35 (Skyline Boulevard) to Highway 84. Take Highway 84 east to Kings Mountain Road. Turn left (north) on Kings Mountain Road. Follow Kings Mountain Road to Tripp Road. The Store is located at the corner. |
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Scheduling for school fieldtrips for the next school year starts April 15 for San Mateo County schools and May 15 for all other schools. Requests for field trips are made via the form on the San Mateo County History Museum web site. Other large groups are requested to phone the Store at (650) 851-7615 for reservations. Reservations are not needed for family or individual visitors, who are served on a first-come, first-served basis. |
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The Woodside Store is operated for the Department of Parks by the San Mateo County Historical Association. The docents working at the Store are volunteers. Special presentations and exhibits are also the work of these dedicated Association volunteers. If you are a history buff, a person interested in the County's colorful background, or just someone who would like to help the Association operate and maintain the Woodside Store, Sanchez Adobe, or the History Museum in Redwood City, you can call them at (650) 299-0104. |
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To preserve the Woodside Store and its area, all plants, animals, natural features and historic features are protected.
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