San Mateo County’s Historic Lathrop House Being Relocated

SAN MATEO COUNTY, CA -- County officials have begun inching the 1860s-era Lathrop House in the center of Redwood City’s downtown area toward its new home just across the street outside the historic courthouse currently housing the San Mateo County History Museum.

The two-story, 10-room house, which is being moved to make room for the construction of a new County office building, has been relocated twice before in its history.

The public is invited to view the ongoing preparations and move, including the final leg. The move across Marshall Street begins 10 a.m. Sunday, May 12 at 627 Hamilton St., Redwood City.

On Wednesday, May 8, crews began moving the house very slowly from its current Hamilton Street location across from County Center to the edge of the block bordered by Marshall Street. That stretch is estimated to last through Friday, May 10. After a break on Saturday, crews will begin anew on Sunday, May 12 for what they hope to be the final push across Marshall which will be closed to traffic. The move may continue into Monday, May 13.

“The Lathrop House is a jewel of San Mateo County’s history and will be a wonderful addition in its new location where hopefully even more people can visit,” said San Mateo County Board of Supervisors President Carole Groom. “Moving the house just down the block lets us remain connected to our past while making way for our future office space.”

While the move itself will seem slow to the observer — just three to six per hour— the County is capturing the entire process with time-lapse photography which will be published after the move is complete.