Hillsborough in San Mateo County, California — The American West (Pacific Coastal)

The Last Stagecoach Hold-Up In San Mateo County

Photographed by Syd Whittle, April 24, 2009

1. The Last Stagecoach Hold-Up In San Mateo County Marker

Inscription. Near this location on Aug.17, 1905, a masked desperado described as "nine feet high and armed with a small canon" stopped the Half Moon Bay Stagecoach. He angrily demanded driver Ed Campbell to throw down the Wells Fargo Co.'s treasure box, Levy Bros. strongbox, and the U.S. Mail bag. No valuables here but five passengers hid their gold and only gave $4.30.

A Poet Commemorated:

Huzza! romance returns again,
Once more as in the days of old,
Disdaining banks or Chu-chu train,
A robber stops a stage for gold,
Trouble for the terrible tempered
trigger man terminated.
Hurrah! Such news is great, immense -- -
But softly, what is this I’m told?
This robber robbed me for thirty cents!

Erected 2009 by E. Clampsus Vitus, Yerba Buena Chapter #1.

Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Notable Events. In addition, it is included in the E Clampus Vitus series list. A significant historical month for this entry is March 2009.

Location. 37° 31.797′ N, 122° 21.495′ W. Marker is in Hillsborough, California, in San Mateo County. It is at the intersection of Crystal Springs Road and Woodbridge Road, on the left when traveling west on Crystal Springs Road. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Burlingame CA 94010, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in California’s San Francisco Bay Area

and on the Coast Ranges.

It is also on the American Pacific Coast.

Globally, it is in North America,

on the Ring of Fire,

in the Pacific Rim,

in the Western Hemisphere,

in the Western World,

and in the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once New Spain

and also Mexico’s Alta California.

Other nearby markers.

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At least 8 other markers are within 3 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies: 100th Anniversary of the Crystal Springs Dam (approx. ¼ mile away); A Feat of Gravity (approx. ¼ mile away); Officer Eugene A. Doran (approx. 0.3 miles away); Eugene A. Doran Memorial Bridge (approx. 0.7 miles away); Carolands (approx. 1.9 miles away); Len Turner (approx. 2.4 miles away); Historic Camp Site (approx. 2.8 miles away); Higurashi-en (approx. 2.8 miles away).

Also see . . . A First Hand Account of the Plaque Dedication. The poem on the marker is quoted in full. (Submitted on April 29, 2009, by Syd Whittle of Mesa, Arizona.)

Photographed by Syd Whittle, April 24, 2009

2. The Last Stagecoach Hold-Up In San Mateo County Marker

Photographed by Stephen R. Myers, March 28, 2009

3. The Last Stagecoach Hold-Up In San Mateo County Marker

Noble Grand Humbug, Steve "Iggy" Myers, of Yerba Buena #1 worked with Paul Saffo and the City of Hillsborough to make this monument possible

Credits. This page was last revised on August 3, 2022. It was originally submitted on April 29, 2009, by Syd Whittle of Mesa, Arizona. This page has been viewed 4,275 times since then and 73 times this year. Last updated on November 28, 2018, by Stephen R. Myers of Dublin, California. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on April 29, 2009, by Syd Whittle of Mesa, Arizona. 3. submitted on June 13, 2010, by Stephen R. Myers of Dublin, California.