San Mateo County Zip Codes

     Ranked as one of the most affluent and luxerious towns across the entire United States, Atherton is one of the most desirable places to live. The town is purely residential, but located in a close proximity to a variety of entertainment, shopping, and dining options in neighboring Palo Alto, Redwood City, and Menlo Park.

     The community feeling of Atherton is unique within the Bay Area as it intentionally maintains its green atmosphere, having many tree lined streets and open spaces canopied by large oaks, redwoods, and cedar trees.

     In 1866, Atherton was known as Fair Oaks, and was a flag stop on the California Coast for the Southern Pacific Railroad between San Francisco and San Jose for the convenience of the owners of large estates living north of Menlo Park. The entire area was called Menlo Park. It was part of the Rancho de las Pulgas, which is now southern San Mateo County.

     In 1923, Menlo Park wanted to incorporate its lands to include Fair Oaks. During a meeting of the representatives of the two communities, the Fair Oaks property owners maintained their community as a strictly residential area and they would incorporate independently. Both groups rushed to Sacramento but the Fair Oaks committee arrived first. It was at that time they realized that they could not keep the name Fair Oaks, as it was already the name of a town near Sacramento. It was decided to honor Faxon Dean Atherton who had been one of the first property owners in the south peninsula and name the town for him. Atherton was incorporated on September 12, 1923.