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The historic Woodside Store, sometimes called the “Tripp Store,” has been around since the mid 1850s. Located at 3300 Tripp Rd., the building you see today is not the original. It was first built in 1851 but was destroyed by a fire. The building you see today was constructed in 1854.
A little background….
Robert Orville “Doc” Tripp and Mathias Parkhurst partnered to build the Woodside Store. Like thousands of others, they came to the area seeking their fortune. However, since there was no gold on the San Francisco Peninsula, they discovered another way to make money.
The vast redwood forests gave rise to a booming lumber industry. The massive influx of lumberjacks, millworkers, etc., meant they would need someplace to purchase necessities for daily living and work.
Enterprising Tripp and Parkhurst purchased 127 acres of the Rancho Cañada Raymundo land and built the Woodside Store.
The store quickly became well-known. It was the only stagecoach stop between San Francisco and Santa Clara for some time. In addition to food and construction supplies, the store served as a post office, dental office and bank.
Parkhurst died in 1863. However, Tripp continued to operate the business until his death in 1909 at age 93. In addition to running the store, Tripp was a winemaker, a San Francisco Supervisor, a postmaster and a shingle maker.
The County purchased the store in 1940, and it became a museum in 1947. In 1949, it was registered as a State Historical Landmark. The building was restored to its original 1880s appearance in 1994.
During the 1960s, the Tripp Road sign went missing and needed to be replaced often. I think most people can figure out why.
Local legend is Tripp had a large dog that followed him everywhere, and its ghost continues to prowl around the area to this day. You’ve been warned…. (wink)
Everything else is just history
Some of the photos used in this blog are courtesy of the Local History Room, Redwood City's best-kept secret. The Local History Collection covers all aspects of Redwood City's development, from the 1850s to the present day, with particular emphasis on businesses, public schools, civic organizations, city agencies, and early family histories. The Local History Room is not affiliated with the Redwood City Public Library, but it is inside it.
