About the BHS

The Burlingame Historical Society seeks to promote interest in and preservation of all matters relating to the history of Burlingame and neighboring Hillsborough, California. The society was founded on December 3, 1975 in cooperation with the San Mateo County Historical Association, with whom it shares common goals, particularly as they relate to the Burlingame and Hillsborough, California area.

The Burlingame Historical Society’s single minded goal is to preserve Burlingame and Hillsborough’s history and educate those who would like to learn more. The Society is the sole repository for Burlingame and Hillsborough’s history. Since its inception the society has been quietly preserving artifacts, documents, photographs, films and audio tapes as well as many other items that help tell the story of Burlingame and Hillsborough’s rich and diverse past. From photographs of Teddy Roosevelt’s visit here in 1903 to Miss Burlingame of 1935’s wedding dress, nowhere else does there exist the depth and breadth of materials available to research the towns of Burlingame and Hillsborough, California.

Membership is open to all individuals and associations who have an interest in the history of the area regardless of their city of residence. We exist through the generous support of community members, old and young. We gain financial and material support through individual and corporate community donations. Our acquisitions are almost exclusively donated by private individuals and much of our support is through membership fees.

It is with this focus that we reach out to the community and tell tales of Burlingame and Hillsborough so that the residents of the future will grow closer together through our shared interest in our town.

We hope we see you at one of our quarterly meetings soon. Open to members and non-members alike the Historical Society meetings are for all community members interested in Burlingame and Hillsborough’s past.

Quarterly Meetings
Our quarterly meetings are open to the public and attendance is free of charge. The meetings provide an opportunity to enjoy presentations by local experts of archival materials about Burlingame’s past. Of course contributions that support the society are always welcome. Plan on meeting old and new friends at the Burlingame Historical Society’s quarterly meetings. Some of our recent presentations can be viewed online by visiting the “Exhibits” tab on the main page of this website.