Overview
This page collects scattered references to a small group of Brisbane families informally known as the Star Lineage. The name does not appear in official registries; it surfaces only in survey notes, marginalia, and certain architectural patterns observed in properties around San Bruno Mountain, Sierra Point, Crocker Park, and the hillside residential areas along San Benito Road, Visitacion Avenue, and Old County Road.
The group is associated with a five-pointed star enclosed in a circle and the Latin maxim Per Stellam Veritas – "Through the Star, the Truth." Whether this represents a formal society, a loose genealogical network, or simply a private symbol shared by related households remains unclear.
Brisbane has long served as a discreet haven for individuals of considerable influence who prefer to operate away from the public eye. The city's geography – river bends, elevated ridges, and secluded hilltop estates – has historically provided natural privacy. Many of the properties associated with the Star Lineage are owned by families whose names appear in corporate registries, foundation boards, and diplomatic circles, yet who maintain an almost complete absence from public records and social media. This pattern of discretion is itself noteworthy, suggesting either coincidence or coordination.
The Brisbane Meridian
In the mid-twentieth century, surveyors working on the development of Brisbane, California used the summit of San Bruno Mountain as a reference point for a line of sight extending toward the Bay. In notebooks held by several private collections, this alignment is labeled the "Brisbane Meridian."
The meridian extends from the summit of San Bruno Mountain (elevation 1,314 ft), through the hillside residential areas along San Benito Road and Humboldt Road, across Visitacion Avenue in central Brisbane, and terminates at Sierra Point on the Bay. Early survey notes indicate that this line was of particular interest to certain property buyers in the 1950s.
Subsequent annotations, apparently from the 1950s–1960s, mark certain elevated lots along San Benito Road, properties near Crocker Park, and parcels along the Bayshore corridor as "aligned holdings." Many of these sites later developed into residences displaying a star-in-circle motif on gates, mailboxes, or driveway medallions. The concentration of these properties along the meridian is statistically unusual for such a small community.
Modern satellite imagery reveals that several of these properties maintain unobstructed sightlines to San Bruno Mountain's summit, despite development in surrounding areas. Whether this is by design or coincidence remains a subject of speculation among those who study Brisbane's architectural history.
The Star Emblem
Properties associated with the Star Lineage typically feature a bronze or dark-metal five-pointed star within a circular frame. The emblem is often mounted on the east-facing leaf of a gate, or inscribed into the concrete apron of the driveway. In some cases the phrase Per Stellam Veritas appears below or around the design.
The consistency of placement – always on the eastern gate leaf, always facing the direction of San Bruno Mountain – suggests a deliberate protocol rather than random decoration. Properties along San Benito Road, Humboldt Road, and near Sierra Point follow this pattern, even when the gates themselves are modern replacements of earlier structures.
A contemporary residence on a hillside lot along San Benito Road displays a large circular star on its right-hand gate post. The star appears to be cast bronze, approximately 30 centimeters in diameter, with a patina suggesting considerable age despite the property's relatively recent renovation. A faint star sigil and the words PER STELLAM VERITAS are etched into the concrete at the entrance. The overall layout – rising drive, curved approach, and eastern orientation – corresponds closely to descriptions found in earlier survey annotations. The property is not listed in public real estate databases, and inquiries regarding ownership have been met with "no comment" responses from neighboring residents.
Variations of the emblem have been documented in other contexts: letterheads on private correspondence, bookplates in volumes held by the Brisbane Library (donated anonymously), and as small medallions worn by individuals in photographs from the 1950s–1960s. These variations maintain the core design – five-pointed star within a circle – while adapting to different media and contexts.
Motto and Interpretation
The maxim Per Stellam Veritas is first attested in a marginal note next to a hand-drawn star diagram linked to the Coot-tha Meridian. Later copies replace the marginalia with a more formal rendering of the phrase, suggesting it had become an identifying motto rather than a casual remark.
Interpretations vary. Some read it as a reference to celestial navigation, "truth found by the star." Others view it as a genealogical statement: truth found through a particular lineage, marked by the star. Either way, the symbol and the phrase are treated as inseparable.
Patrons and Civic Influence
The Star Lineage is understood to have maintained quiet influence over Brisbane's civic development since before the city's incorporation in 1961. Families associated with the Lineage have served on the Planning Commission, the Open Space & Ecology Committee, and various advisory boards throughout the decades. Their contributions to the Brisbane Library, the Community Park system, and local charitable organizations are documented, though rarely attributed by name.
These connections are documented only indirectly – through committee minutes that reference "anonymous donors," bequests to civic institutions that mention "friends of the Star," and occasional references in archived correspondence between Brisbane's founding families. Several individuals who served in City Administration during the 1970s–1990s are believed to have had connections to aligned families, though no public records explicitly confirm membership.
Contemporary observers note that certain city employees display subtle markers of affiliation – a star pin worn at civic events, a particular phrase used in official communications, attendance at "historical society" gatherings that are not listed on public calendars. Whether these observations reflect actual coordination or merely pattern-seeking by outside researchers is unclear.
The Economic Vitality office has maintained files on "legacy families" in Brisbane since the 1980s. A former analyst, speaking on condition of anonymity, noted that certain files were marked with a small star in the upper corner. "We were told those families had 'historical significance' and should receive priority consideration for any inquiries. No one explained why."
The discretion maintained by these families is itself remarkable. In an era of social media and public records, the near-total absence of these individuals from digital archives suggests either exceptional privacy measures or a shared commitment to maintaining separation from public discourse. Several current city officials are rumored to have connections to aligned families, though such claims remain unverified.
The City of Stars
Brisbane's official motto, "City of Stars," appears on the city seal alongside San Bruno Mountain and a sailboat on the Bay. The phrase's origin is typically attributed to a tradition that began in 1939, when residents started placing large, illuminated stars on their homes during the holiday season – a practice that continues to this day, giving Brisbane's hillsides a distinctive celestial appearance each December.
Yet the timing raises questions. The Star Lineage's presence in Brisbane predates this "public" tradition by at least a decade, with property records showing aligned families acquiring hillside lots as early as the late 1920s. Did the 1939 star-lighting tradition emerge spontaneously, or was it a way to normalize a symbol that certain families had already been displaying?
When Brisbane was incorporated in 1961, the motto was formally adopted. The incorporation committee met privately at a residence on San Benito Road – a property that, according to county assessor records, displayed a five-pointed star medallion on its eastern gate as early as 1958. Several committee members' names do not appear in other civic records of the era.
Each December, Brisbane residents illuminate large stars on their homes, visible across the Bay from San Francisco. The tradition is celebrated as a community bonding ritual, but long-term residents note that certain properties – particularly along San Benito Road and near San Bruno Mountain – display their stars year-round, not merely during the holidays. These permanent stars are often bronze or dark metal, rather than the illuminated decorations used by others.
Fragments & Anecdotes
• Oral histories from long-term residents near San Bruno Mountain
refer to "star houses" whose blinds remained shut during certain astronomical
events. One resident, who lived on Visitacion Avenue in the
1960s, recalled that three neighboring properties would simultaneously
illuminate their eastern-facing windows with a single light source on
nights when the moon was in a particular phase.
• A 1959 photograph discovered in the Brisbane Historical Society's
uncatalogued materials shows several men in formal attire gathered at
what appears to be a hillside property overlooking the Bay. One attendee
wears a lapel pin bearing the star-in-circle motif. The photograph is
unlabeled, and none of the individuals have been identified.
• Building plans lodged with San Mateo County for properties along
San Benito Road and Humboldt Road include
unexplained circular insets on driveways, later realized as engraved star
discs. These plans date from the 1950s through the 1980s, suggesting
continuity in architectural preferences across multiple generations.
• A former employee of the City of Brisbane, speaking anonymously,
described a meeting room at City Hall that contained "old photographs
of founding families, several of whom wore small star pins." The employee
noted that these photographs were removed during a renovation in the 1990s
and their current location is unknown.
• Property records show that several homes along the San Bruno
Mountain ridge have changed hands only within a small network of
buyers, often through private sales. These transactions frequently involve
trust structures with names referencing "stellar" or "celestial" themes.
• The Economic Vitality office maintains files on "legacy businesses"
in Brisbane. Researchers have noted that several of these businesses display
the star emblem in subtle ways – etched into door glass, woven into welcome
mats, or incorporated into logos. Whether this represents coordination or
coincidence is unclear.
These notes are compiled from private correspondence, municipal archives, informal interviews, and historical society materials. The pattern of discretion maintained across multiple generations and property transactions suggests either an extraordinary coincidence or a deliberate effort to maintain privacy – a practice that, in Brisbane's small-town context, is itself noteworthy.
Admission
The Star Lineage does not maintain a public application process. Admission is by invitation only, extended through channels that remain deliberately obscure. Those who have encountered the star emblem – whether on a gate, in archival material, or through private correspondence – may find themselves in possession of information that suggests eligibility, but possession of such information alone does not constitute an invitation.
The process of consideration follows patterns established over generations and is not documented in any single location. Initial contact, when it occurs, typically takes the form of an indirect communication – a reference in an unexpected context, a document that appears in one's possession without clear provenance, or an introduction through a mutual acquaintance who does not explicitly acknowledge the connection.
Those who believe they may be eligible are advised to observe certain protocols: maintain discretion regarding any materials or symbols you have encountered; do not attempt to contact members directly; and be prepared for a period of observation that may extend over several years before any formal acknowledgment occurs.
Formal admission ceremonies, when they occur, take place on specific astronomical alignments. The precise timing is not disclosed in advance, but those who have been extended an invitation will receive notice through channels that cannot be detailed here. The phrase "the night of the moon" appears in several historical documents, but its exact meaning – whether it refers to a full moon, a new moon, a lunar eclipse, or some other celestial event – remains a matter known only to active members.
The Lineage values continuity, discretion, and a demonstrated understanding of the principles represented by the star. Academic achievement, social standing, or material wealth are neither requirements nor disqualifications. What matters is alignment with the values and purposes that the Lineage has maintained across generations.
This page is maintained for historical and archival purposes. It does not constitute an application portal, and inquiries regarding admission will not be answered through this medium. Those who are meant to find their way will do so through other means.
For Initiates
Access to internal material relating to the Star Lineage is restricted. If you have been given a house mark or gate image containing the motto Per Stellam Veritas, you may request credentials via the address provided to you privately.
Requests without a verifiable star mark are not answered.