Casa de Tableta
Also known as: Alpine Inn Beer Garden
Why it's listed
Casa de Tableta, later known as the Alpine Inn Beer Garden, is a small redwood saloon at 3915 Alpine Road in Portola Valley, built about 1851. It began when Maximo Martinez, grantee of Rancho del Corte de Madera, gave Felix Buelna land where he set up a roadhouse. Displaced Californios met there to play Monte after the Gold Rush. The site lay at the junction of an Indian trail across the San Francisco Peninsula and the Arrastrado road to San Jose. Buelna lost the property in a poker game in 1868 to William Eccles Stanton. Later the saloon drew Stanford students and stayed open when nearby towns banned saloons. It carried the sign "The Wunder" and continued operating through Prohibition as a picnic park. The false front was raised and painted white in 1904, and the interior was later opened into one large room. The building looks much as it did after nearly 125 years of use, and it remains in commercial use.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the building served as a gathering place for Spanish-speaking Californios after the Gold Rush, stood at the junction of an Indian trail and the Arrastrado cattle and logging road, and has dispensed liquor throughout the American period. It is described as largely unchanged after about 125 years. Significance is rated at the local level.
Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 73000447, listed August 14, 1973. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 3915 Alpine Rd., Portola Valley |
|---|---|
| County | San Mateo County |
| Listed | August 14, 1973 |
| Reference number | 73000447 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 19th Century; specific date ca. 1851 |
| Areas of significance | Commerce, Politics/Government, Social History |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Listed as occupied, in commercial use, and in fair condition; the form describes it as unaltered and on its original site. |
| Acreage | 1.9 |
| Coordinates | 37.38210, -122.19380 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
National Register listing is honorary: it recognises significance and does not restrict what a private owner may do without federal money or permits. It unlocks the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit for income-producing buildings, state credits in many states, and Section 106 review when federal agencies are involved. See what listing means in practice.
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 73000447.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q49477131
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.