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Health & Fitness

For Those Who Missed the "HUNT"

City of San Bruno Centennial Scavenger Hunt

In celebration of the City of San Bruno's Centennial, the family scavenger hunt promoted the history and spread awareness by encouraging residents to explore and learn about San Bruno's significant historical treasures. The goal was to take "selfies", pictures taken of oneself while holding the camera at arm's length in front of all of the locations listed below.

1        - American Legion Hall: 757 San Mateo Avenue

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Celebration Fact:  This location was the home of the San Bruno Station and Hotel, one of the first landmarks in San Bruno. It was built near the intersection of San Bruno Ave and San Mateo Ave (San Bruno Toll Road) in 1860. It was the first telegraph office and first post office in San Bruno. The right of way of the San Francisco and San Jose Railroad (no Southern Pacific) crossed in front of the hotel. When the tracks were laid, San Bruno Hotel became our first railroad station.

2        - Fire Station: 555 El Camino Real * Left of flag pole

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Celebration Fact: This location is the resting place of the fire station's mascot, "Sparky" (Dalmatian) from 1955­-1961

3       - Business: 440 San Mateo Avenue

Celebration Fact:  Formally known as Green's Hall. It was built by developer Hyde Green and was one of the first buildings on San Mateo Ave. On December 23, 1914, the City of flag San Bruno was organized as a city of the sixth class in the hall. For a few months it housed the city's offices. Green's Hail was a community center where social activities took place and movies were first shown, as well as being the city's first bank. It was condemned and torn down in the late 1950's to make way for a business.

4       - Melody Toyota: 750 El Camino Real

Celebration Fact: In 1915, the children were moved to Edgemont and Northbrae schools and the tin school house became San Bruno's First City Hall.  It was remodeled and enlarged in 1931, its tin sliding was covered with stucco and the roof tiled. It served the City until 1953 when the present Civic Center was built. The building was converted into a hat factory, which was torn down in 1963.

5        - San Bruno Park School District: 500 Acacia

Celebration Fact: Edgemont Grammar School was built for $25,000 on a half block of property acquired on Elm Avenue. Matt Dixon, architect, designed eight rooms for the three-story structure that had a basement as well as a cupola-type tower on the roof. The cupola proved to be a mistake as the wind from the west proved to be too strong, and the proposed bell was never hung in the cupola. The school was painted white with black trim around the windows. The arched entrance gave it an air of dignity. Named Edgemont, it was an instantly noticed building to any traveler on El Camino Real as it sat by itself in the fields to the west of the business district.

6        – Carlton Corners:  299 Carlton Avenue

Celebration Fact:  The Cupid’s Row Historic District consists of a variety of early to mid-twentieth century residential building styles generally associated with the development of railroad/streetcar and automobile suburbs concentrated in a curvilinear heart-shaped novelty street pattern unique in California.  The Girl Scouts collected pennies and dimes and local businessmen and craftsmen donated material and labor to construct this meeting place that is still used by the City of San Bruno for community events.

EXTRA CREDIT FINDS:

-          An open "24 hours" sign

-          A pay phone

-          An outdoor clock

Thanks to Dee Kranitz, Recreation Supervisor and her crew for putting this all together.

If you did not “Walk the Hunt”, you can still walk or drive the hunt and find a few of the locations in San Bruno that make up San Bruno’s 100 years of history.

 

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