San Bruno Creek - History

History

Prehistorically the banks of San Bruno Creek were settled by the Buriburi tribe of the Ohlone, who are imputed to have lived there as early as 2000 BC. One Buriburi campsite has been identified along San Bruno Creek, which may have had a population of 15 to 25 people. This watershed was first explored by Europeans in 1769 by a Spanish expedition led by Gaspar de Portolà. Later, more extensive explorations by Bruno Hecate resulted in the naming of San Bruno Creek after St. Bruno of Cologne, the founder of a medieval monastic order. This creek later gave its name to the community.

With the establishment of the San Francisco de Asis (St. Francis of Assisi) mission, much of the catchment basin became pasture for grazing mission livestock. Following the decline of the missions, the San Bruno Creek watershed became part of Rancho Buri Buri granted to José de la Cruz Sánchez, the eleventh Alcalde (mayor) of San Francisco. Dairy farms later became common in much of the area.

One of the earliest maps showing San Bruno Creek appeared in 1893, prepared by Andrew Cowper Lawson, professor of geology at the University of California, Berkeley. At that time San Bruno Creek was drawn as sharing headwaters with another creek which drained away from the bay into what is now called Crystal Springs Reservoir. Later development of the reservoir by the city of San Francisco and lower reach urbanization by the city of San Bruno modified greatly the upper and lower reaches of the watercourse.