THE EVOLUTION OF : El Camino Real
Looking Back at the Local History of California ’ s First Highway
By Pamela Baird MVHA President
El Camino Real . The Royal Road . The San Francsico-San Jose Road . Highway 101 . Highway 82 . ECR . No matter what ’ s it ’ s been called , El Camino Real is a story of colonization , conversion , coercion , connections , and commerce .
Before the arrival of the Spanish , indigenous people lived throughout California . Whether living in coastal , desert or mountainous regions , the many tribes had survived and prospered for thousands of years . They created many paths and trails used for trade , communication and hunting . Those trails were later used by the Spanish as they moved into Alta ( Upper ) California to establish missions , presidios ( forts ) and pueblos ( towns ). As more missions were founded , the trail and roadway used to connect these outposts was called “ El Camino Real ” because it was financed by the Spanish crown .
Led by priests of the Catholic church , the missions were created by a religious zeal to convert the indigenous peoples to Catholicism and establish a “ better ” way of life through farming and industry . Twenty one missions were built in areas containing access to water , good soil and nearby indigenous people . It ’ s a common misconception that the missions were spaced a day ’ s walk apart . Some were , like the missions now located in San Jose and Fremont . These two centers were about 14 miles apart . The average distance between the missions is about 30 miles , a two day walk or a long day on horseback .
Mexico gained independence from Spain in 1821 . Life changed little , other than the people in Alta California now called themselves “ Californios .” In 1834 , Mexico secularized all church property and many missions were no longer supported by the Catholic church . Most fell into disrepair . After the Mexican American war ( 1846-1848 ) the Mexican Republic was forced to relinquish any claim to California to the United States .
The California Gold Rush ( 1849-1855 ) brought many people to northern California , which increased the need for better roads and settlements , many starting along one of the few established transit routes — El Camino Real .
ABOVE : Picket fences line both sides of an unpaved El Camino Real in this early 1900s photo . The building in the background is the Mtn . View Elementary School , built in 1872 , now the location of the Two Worlds development .
San Francisco became the starting point for many gold seekers . San Jose became the state Capital ( California became the 31st state in 1850 ) so a better road was needed between the two cities . Most of El Camino Real was incorporated into a stagecoach route . The road became known as the “ San Francisco-San Jose Road ”.
The increasing transit along the road created the need for services , such as lodging , liveries and stores . Small settlements along the road increased the local population . In 1852 the town of Mountain View ( so named in 1854 ) was founded as a stagecoach stop on El Camino Real near the crossing of Stevens Creek . It quickly grew to have homes , several hotels and saloons , two general merchandise stores , a livery , lumber yard and grammar school .
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