Mountain View Historical Timeline

Tamien-speaking indigenous communities, later known as the Ohlone, live in villages in what is now Mountain View. A large earthern mound created by the local tribes (near the present-day Monta Loma neighborhood) serves as a ceremonial and cultural center for the area.

Mexico wins independence from Spain and Alta California becomes a territory of the newly established nation.

The Mexican government grants the 8,800-acre Rancho Pastoria de las Borregas (ranch of the lambs pasture) to Franciso Estrada and his wife, Inez Castro. Estrada builds the first permanent home in what is now Mountain View, near what is now Central Expressway and Rengstorff Avenue. After Estrada dies in 1845, ownership passes to Inez's father, Mariano Castro.

A stage coach service begins on El Camino Real and a stop is established near Grant Road, creating a center of activity for the surrounding area and leading to the establishment of a settlement soon to be named Mountain View.

Mountain View's San Francisco bay shoreline becomes a center of local economic activity. Henry Rengstorff, John G. Jagels and Charles Guth build docks and warehouses to ship the region’s produce and supplies. Their landings were located on land now part of Shoreline Park, the Don Edwards San Francisco Bay National Wildlife Refuge, and Moffett Field.

The San Francisco San Jose Railroad begins service (now operated by Caltrain) with a station one mile from the original town of Mountain View on El Camino Real. The town of New Mountain View, also known as Mountain View Station, is established near the train stop and Castro Street becomes the new community's downtown. The Castro family is given a "flag stop" station near their home, known as Castro Station, in compensation for the railroad running through their rancho lands. Castro Station remains in operation until its replaced by San Antonio Station in 1999.

Henry Rengstorff leads efforts to form the Whisman School District, serving students in what is now northern Mountain View. The district is named after local stagecoach line operator John Whisman. The first Whisman School was located on Stierlin Road (now N. Shoreline Boulevard) on land donated by Rengstorff.

Local residents vote to incorporate and the City of Mountain View is officially established on November 7, 1902. The initial population of the city is 610 people, with city limits defined on the north by Washington Street, on the south by El Camino Real, on the west by Pettis Avenue, and on the east roughly to Calderon Avenue.