Evergreen was originally part of Rancho Yerba Buena, a Mexican-era rancho grant given to Antonio Chaboya, a member of a prominent, local Californio family, by Governor José Figueroa.

Evergreen was the site of gliding experiments in 1911 by John J. Montgomery, an important figure in pioneering aeronautics.

[2] Evergreen Valley College is at the base of the foothills of the Diablo Range.

A description on the commemorative plaque reads: "Three-quarters of a mile northeast is Montgomery Hill, site of the 55 successful flights of John Joseph Montgomery's 'aeroplane' that demonstrated aerodynamic developments still indispensable to modern aircraft.

Montgomery combined his engineering skill with the basic principles of aerodynamics that he discovered to produce a heavier-than-air flying machine which had complete control: cambered wing, rear stabilizer, flexible wingtips, and wing-warping aileron.