Waltermire Avenue: The Man Who Helped Build Belmont’s First Downtown
Every day, locals travel Waltermire Street in Belmont without giving much thought to the name on the sign.
Yet long before Belmont was a city, before there was a Ralston Avenue interchange, before there were neighborhoods climbing the hillsides, Waltermire was one of the names that helped define the community itself.
In fact, there was a time when Belmont’s entire business district could be counted on a single hand, and Edward Waltermire seemed to have a role in nearly all of it.
The Crossroads of Belmont
To understand Waltermire, you have to picture Belmont in the 1860s.
There was no city.
There was no downtown.
There was simply a crossroads where Old County Road and the routes leading into the surrounding countryside met. Travelers moving between San Francisco and San Jose passed through. Farmers, ranchers, teamsters, and stagecoach passengers stopped to rest, eat, conduct business, and continue their journeys. Almost all of what one could call a city was developed east of Old County Road
This humble intersection would become the center of Belmont commerce.
And few people were more involved in its development than Edward Waltermire.
Hotel Owner, Merchant, Postmaster, and Entrepreneur
In 1863, Philip Clark and Edward Waltermire leased the Belmont Hotel, one of the community’s earliest gathering places.
Soon afterward, they purchased the property outright.
But operating a hotel wasn’t enough.
The partners acquired nearby commercial property and opened a general merchandise store. They added a blacksmith shop. Waltermire became Belmont’s fifth postmaster. Clark served as railroad agent and Wells Fargo agent. Waltermire handled shipping and freight business.
By the late 1860s, the two men had woven themselves into nearly every aspect of local commerce.
If you arrived in Belmont by stagecoach, received mail, purchased supplies, shipped goods, stayed overnight, or needed blacksmith services, chances are you were doing business with Waltermire or one of his associates.
Building Belmont’s First Business District
The maps tell the story.
An 1885 promotional illustration of Belmont shows Waltermire Avenue running through what was then the center of town. Nearby stood the Belmont Hotel, the American House Hotel, Emmett’s General Store, the railroad depot, stables, saloons, and other businesses that formed Belmont’s commercial heart.
What is remarkable is that this wasn’t simply a collection of unrelated buildings.
Many of them existed because local entrepreneurs like Waltermire had invested their time, money, and energy into transforming a rural crossroads into a functioning community.
Today, we think of downtowns as things that naturally appear.
In Belmont’s earliest years, they had to be created.
The Rise and Fall of the Belmont Hotel
The Belmont Hotel became one of the most recognizable landmarks in town.
For decades, it welcomed travelers and local residents alike. Ownership changed hands numerous times, and the property evolved with the community.
By the early twentieth century, however, the hotel had fallen on harder times. During Prohibition, it reportedly gained a reputation as a speakeasy. Its upper floors later housed bookmaking operations and became the scene of police raids.
The once-proud landmark gradually deteriorated.
In 1949, after nearly a century of service, the Belmont Hotel was condemned as a fire and health hazard and demolished.
Today, only the Wendy’s restaurant remains of the structure that once stood at the center of Belmont life.
Why Waltermire’s Name Endures
Many street names honor politicians, generals, or distant historical figures.
Waltermire Avenue is different.
It commemorates a local businessman whose efforts helped create Belmont’s earliest commercial center.
Edward Waltermire was not merely a resident. He was a hotel operator, merchant, shipping agent, postmaster, property owner, and civic builder. He helped establish the businesses and services that transformed Belmont from a stopping point on a stage route into a functioning community.
The next time you drive down Waltermire Avenue, adjacent to the newer Safeway at the El Camino Real (it also reappears east of Old County Road), remember that the name belongs to one of the men who helped build Belmont before Belmont was Belmont.
The street is more than a name.
It is one of the last visible reminders of the entrepreneurs who created the town’s first downtown.
As always, thankjs for reading along…
Drew and Christine Morgan are experienced REALTORS and NOTARY PUBLIC located in Belmont, CA, where they own and operate MORGANHOMES, Inc. They have assisted buyers and sellers in their community for over 30 years. Drew and Christine have received the coveted Diamond award, ranking among the top 50 agents nationwide and the top 3 in Northern California by RE/MAX. To contact them, please call (650) 508.1441 or emailinfo@morganhomes.com.
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This article provides educational information and is intended for informational purposes only. It should not be considered real estate, tax, insurance, or legal advice; it cannot replace advice tailored to your situation. It’s always best to seek guidance from a professional familiar with your scenario.
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