[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 163 (2017), Part 6]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 8146]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




              IN HONOR OF REDWOOD CITY'S SESQUICENTENNIAL

                                  _____
                                 

                           HON. JACKIE SPEIER

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                          Friday, May 19, 2017

  Ms. SPEIER. Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor the 150th birthday of one of 
the most beautiful and vibrant cities in my Congressional District: 
Redwood City.
  Long before Redwood City was incorporated, the area was inhabited by 
the Ohlone who lived by hunting, fishing and gathering. The Ohlone had 
a rich culture and thrived on both sides of the mountain range that 
divides San Mateo County. Their villages dotted the countryside and the 
residents traded regularly with nearby tribes.
  Spanish and Mexican explorers and settlers came later, and with them 
came rapid and substantial change. After the Mexican-American War, 
Spanish and Mexican land grants were challenged. Such was the case for 
Dona Arguello, who hired Simon Mezes to defend her land title. His 
payment was the land that now includes most of downtown Redwood City. 
Rather than fighting the squatters, he laid out the town and sold lots 
to them, naming his town Mezesville.
  Access to San Francisco Bay made Redwood City an ideal location for a 
port. The port and the railway revolutionized shipping and travel in 
the 1800s. Industries continued to develop from oyster farming and 
canning to cement and salt production, to nurseries and small 
manufacturing plants.
  Redwood City was incorporated in 1867 with the purpose of raising 
funds to pave downtown streets. The city has always been home to a 
diverse population. Joining the large Latino population, German 
immigrants started breweries and a tannery, the Chinese helped build 
the railroads and were engaged in shrimp fishing, and the Japanese 
brought the floral industry. In 1926, the Chamber of Commerce 
proclaimed Redwood City the ``Chrysanthemum Capital of the World.'' The 
floral industry thrived until one of the darkest chapters of U.S. 
history, the internment of Japanese Americans during WWII.
  Redwood City experienced several population and housing booms. The 
1906 San Francisco earthquake displaced thousands who built new 
neighborhoods on the Peninsula. By 1920, many Redwood City residents 
were commuting to jobs outside the city. In the 1930s the population 
doubled. By 1937, a municipal marina and an international port with a 
widened channel were ready to ship cargo.
  The largest population increase took place after World War II when 
Redwood City grew from 12,400 in 1940 to 46,300 in 1960. Today, there 
are 82,000 residents.
  No one can mention Redwood City without celebrating its schools and 
the families that thrive through the district's services. Two great 
public high schools and multiple public elementary and middle schools, 
as well as several charter schools, offer the American dream of a 
quality, free public education to all. The city also incorporates 
several quality private schools.
  Redwood City has amazing parks and is dotted with redwood trees. 
Beautiful hillsides in a nearby county park are covered with a plethora 
of wildflowers and are home to majestic mountain lions. The city itself 
is home to the San Mateo County History Museum. The city is also the 
county seat of San Mateo where I started my political career and have 
watched history unfold. Courthouse Square anchors a revitalized city 
core that includes a wonderful theater, restaurants and bakeries.
  Redwood City is family-focused and young, with nearly 25 percent of 
its residents being under age 18. It offers cultural and recreational 
events in Courthouse Square throughout the year, aided in part by the 
city's wonderful weather. In fact, the beautiful weather is famously 
memorialized by the city's motto ``Climate Best by Government Test.'' 
There are celebrations of multiple national backgrounds, religions and 
cultures that are welcomed by city residents. Foreign-born residents 
are 32 percent of all residents. The people of Redwood City are proud 
that their city is a miniature United Nations, speaking to America 
through dozens of languages heard daily on its streets.
  In the heart of Silicon Valley, the city is home to such global 
brands as Oracle, Box.com and Google. One of today's newer and smaller 
companies creates 3D printers that will save our armed forces tens of 
millions of dollars and strengthen our national defense, while another 
small company seeks to end the dangers of hospital infection and opioid 
addiction by transforming the delivery of pain medications.
  Mr. Speaker, I ask the members of the House of Representatives to 
join me in celebrating the sesquicentennial of Redwood City, a 
community that serves as a model for vibrancy and friendliness. It's a 
place where innovation soars because the celebration of the American 
spirit is ever-present. It is the real frontier of America because 
tomorrow is emerging through the celebration of our shared past, 
present and future.

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