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Roughly one-quarter mile east of Highway 280, along Old Page Mill Road, is a relic from the past. It's a 32-foot-tall brick masonry structure known as "Frenchman's Tower."
The tower, as well as the owner Peter Coutts, has a mysterious and colorful history.
Coutts, a Frenchman whose real name was Jean-Baptiste Paulin Caperon, was born to wealthy parents. He founded a private bank which he sold in 1873, and then left France. Coutts traveled under the name of his deceased cousin, Peter Coutts. Rumor is he was not well-liked in France because he opposed Napoleon and was against the Franco-Prussian War.
He decided to come to the U.S. and settled in Mayfield (Palo Alto) in 1874 at the approximate age of 60. While polite and well-mannered, he maintained an air of aloofness and mystery.
A man of considerable wealth, he constructed a country home reminiscent of European estates.
His land which was bordered by El Camino and today's Stanford Avenue allowed for all the room he needed.
Once the home was finished and the family settled in, gossip began to circulate. For example, all of his business transactions and purchases were conducted in the name of his governess, for which no reason was given.
In addition to his estate, he built a sizable farm. Stanford Memorial Church and the adjacent Quad now occupy some of what was his land.
Coutts also constructed a brick masonry tower on his estate. While having all the appearance of a water tower, rumor is it actually had other purposes.
While part of it did contain water, it also included a library, where Coutts (Caperon) spent many hours reading. However, according to speculation, it was connected to a labyrinth of tunnels, which was used for escape. Escape from what? Under Coutts' actual name in France, he had certain responsibilities and obligations in the financial world, which some suggest he did not honor. Moreover, it is said he left France with a considerable sum of money, which some say was not legally his.
The tower, built in 1875, is reminiscent of medieval fortifications built centuries earlier. There were no doors. Entry had to be through a window.
The estate, tower and the owner were shielded in mystery. Then, one day just as suddenly as he appeared, he disappeared in 1883, returning to Paris. The property was sold to Leland Stanford and remains part of Stanford University.
Coutts lived the remainder of his life in Paris under his actual name until he passed away in 1889.
Today, his once colossal estate and farm are only a memory. In addition to the actual tower, what remains is a somewhat rustic park, appropriately named Frenchman's Park. The actual purpose of the tower may have only been known by its owner. Both he and it remain a mystery.
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.
