Felton Gables, Menlo Park

Tucked between Encinal Avenue, Holbrook Palmer Park and the railroad tracks, and buffered from El Camino by a commercial development is a neighborhood that retains the name of one of its first residents: Charles Norton Felton.

Senator Felton made his fortune in the Comstock Lode and settled in Menlo Park in the 1870's. He built "Felton Gables" a pink, two story mansion on 3.5 acres on the north side of Encinal and there he entertained presidents and royalty. President Harrison made a quick visit in l891 -- when the population of Menlo Park was 400.

By the time Harvey and Barbara Slate moved into their circa 1934 English Tudor home in 1967, most of the neighborhood's 115 homes had been built. The major development took place in the 1930s and 40s -- which accounts for the mature foliage.

"The neighborhood has a lot of architectural diversity: Craftsman and New England styles, ranches and cottages. Now there are more two-story homes," Harvey Slate says, noting that their area has had its share of tear-downs and renovations. Felton Gables has its own zoning restrictions, which limit the footprint and height of homes.

Brian and Katy Keating have lived in Felton Gables for seven years. In 2001 they took their home down to the studs and rebuilt a "country French" home with a brick front that retains the flavor of the area. At 7900 square feet, their lot is one of the smaller ones -- more typical is 1/4 to 1/3 of an acre, with a few double lots.

Both the Slates and the Keatings attest to the cohesiveness of the area. Neighborhood get-togethers are frequent and people are invested in one another. "It's basically one giant cul-de-sac with no through streets," Mr.Slate says.

"I like to walk outside and know who my neighbors are," says Mr. Keating. "I also like that it's close to downtown and schools," he adds, pleased that his daughters were able to walk places as they grew to be more independent.

Laurie Thomas, president of the neighborhood association, and resident of the oldest home in the neighborhood (1922), says that one of the major concerns is, in fact, for the safety of children walking to and from school. Ways to enforce the speed limit are being considered.

The association is also making sure that people are both informed of and represented on the issue of high speed and/or elevated rail and its impact. Some of the Felton Gables homes border the train tracks and could lose property to eminent domain. But the neighborhood remains a stable one.

"There's not a lot of turnover in this neighborhood," says Ms. Thomas.

Mr. Keating echoes his neighbors' sentiment: It's "charming and delightful."

-- Susan Golovin