Welcome to Felton Gables!
Felton Gables’ sense of historicity, serene nature, and strong neighborhood pride make it a truly attractive place to live.
Originally, Senator Charles Felton built his mansion on the grounds that is now Felton Gables (hence its name) but the structure was demolished in the 1930s to make way for the 115 homes that would take its place. Now, the neighborhood consists of mainly single-family homes on larger lots with a collection of different styles such as Tudors, Mediterranean Villas, quaint English cottages, Colonials, Craftsman, as well as traditional ranchers. All of these diverse architectural styles culminate to make Felton Gables an incredibly dynamic and visually stunning area. Felton Gables is nestled between Encinal Avenue to the south, the railroad tracks to the west, Holbrook Palmer Park to the north, and Encinal Elementary School to the east. The narrow streets with their beautiful foliage and grand oak trees all loop around and lead back to Encinal Avenue diverting any through-traffic and preserving the peaceful quiet of the neighborhood.
Atherton surrounds the area on three of its sides, one being the Holbrook Palmer Park to the north. The park is 26 acres of spacious grassy fields perfect for picnics. There are also historic buildings, a baseball diamond, and a nursery school. Residents have their own special entrance into the park from a gate at the back of the neighborhood, which they can use for a nominal fee. They are also close to the fabulous downtown area of Menlo Park as well.
In terms of schools, children attend Encinal Elementary until grade five then graduate on to Hillview Middle School for grades six through eight. Both schools have outstanding API scores, standing just above 925. The high school is the Menlo-Atherton High and though it has a slightly lower API score, it has a phenomenal program for its gifted students. However, many parents choose to send their children to one of the prestigious private schools in the area such as Sacred Heart or Menlo School. One aspect worthy of note is due to Felton Gables’ adjacent location to Encinal Elementary, there is significant traffic on Encinal Avenue during morning drop-off and afternoon pick-up times. However, the active homeowners association is working towards a solution.
If Felton Gables has a downside, it would definitely be its proximity to the Caltrain tracks as they do create a bit of noise. There’s also the issue of the high speed rail project that is a big concern for the neighborhood. Particularly those living along the tracks as they fear they might lose their property. Homeowners living nearer the eastern side of the area will still endure some affects but not to the same extent. The homeowners association is deeply involved in dealing with the high speed rail project and do not want it to pass through their neighborhood.
There is a great sense of community in Felton Gables with a clear presence of neighborhood pride. They host many a get together and come Halloween, it is the place for kids to trick-or-treat due to the spirited and festive people who live here.