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Magnificent Marin County
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Cities in Marin: Belvedere, Corte Madera, Fairfax, Kentfield, Mill Valley, Nicasio, Novato, San Anselmo, San Rafael, Stinson Beach, Ross, Tomale
Magnificent Marin County
 Just across the Golden Gate Bridge, and minutes from downtown San Francisco, lies magnificent Marin County, California. Surrounded by water on three sides, visitors can explore wild and scenic California beaches, enjoy sailing and windsurfing in San Francisco Bay, or marvel at the ancient redwood forest on the slopes of legendary Mt. Tamalpais. The natural environment of Marin County is breathtaking!
Marin County is conveniently located between San Francisco and the Napa and Sonoma Wine Country, and its warm, sunny California climate makes it possible to enjoy Marins incredible array of outdoor attractions all year round. Marin is a natural for outdoor recreation mountain biking, hiking, fishing, bird watching, windsurfing, kayaking, golf and tennis.
Music, art and film festivals, and historical and cultural venues like the Frank Lloyd Wright-designed Civic Center continue to attract people from all over the world. Many California-grown organic fruits and vegetables, artisan cheeses, fresh seafood and some of the worlds best wines appear on the menus in Marins diverse restaurants. Wine tasting, antique shopping and exploring Marin Countys scenic countryside are all part of this California vacation paradise.
Whether its a bed and breakfast in a quaint downtown, a romantic hideaway on the coast, a full-service luxury hotel, or facilities to accommodate business meetings and conferences, Marin is an affordable alternative to its San Francisco neighbor. For an unforgettable California getaway, visit magnificent Marin. The original natives of Marin were the Coast Miwok Indians whose descendents greeted Northern California's first European visitors.
In 1579 Francis Drake and the crew of the Golden Hinde set foot in Marin, the first-known European to do so. The Spanish explorer Viscaino landed about twenty years later in what is now called Drake's Bay.
The first Spanish settlement in Marin was established in 1817 with the founding of Mission San Rafael Archangel. In 1821 control of California passed from Spain to Mexico, and in the early 1830s secularization of mission properties was decreed.
During the next decade, when the Mexican government was parceling out large grants of land in return for services rendered, Marin was divided into great ranchos. A grantee was required to become a Mexican citizen and baptized Catholic; thereafter his first name was Spanish and he was known as a don. Juan Reed, Sausalito's first known English-speaking resident, was granted the Rancho Corte Madera del Presidio. Adjacent land was granted to Captain Guillermo Antonio Richardson, an Englishman and the first port captain of San Francisco. Timoteo Murphy was given an immense grant that included San Rafael, where he managed the mission properties.
The United States occupation of California began in 1846, ending the "Days of the Dons." California became a state in 1850 and Marin one of its original counties. As settlement accelerated, the huge cattle-raising ranchos gradually gave way to smaller ranches.
Today, Marin County captures the quintessential nature of Northern California. With its charming small towns, coastal ridge lines and stands of giant redwoods - all within a 30 or 45-minute drive of San Francisco - Marin is a mecca of one-of-a-kind shops, unbeatable walks and hikes, and that laid-back West Coast attitude.
In Southern Marin, Sausalito is a popular tourist destination. Shops and galleries line the streets by the water, and picturesque, narrow roads wind through the hills, which are dotted with small houses and posh hotels. Mill Valley, sometimes called the hippest small town in America, is a haven for coffee-swillers and shoppers. The upscale boutiques and towering redwoods give the area its great atmosphere.
On Sir Francis Drake Boulevard, the town of Ross is made up of mansions, sport utility vehicles, and movie stars who live next door. The locally-owned stores and upscale restaurants on the Ross Common contribute a strong feeling of community to this causally hip and chic town.
Farther along Sir Francis Drake Boulevard, the town of Fairfax shares its identity with an artsy community of artists, writers and aging hippies. It's the gateway to the agricultural and dairy capital known as West Marin.
In Central Marin, San Rafael is the political hub of the county. What used to be a quiet mission town is now a diverse city - the largest in the county - with a popular downtown shopping area and the Marin Civic Center, Frank Lloyd Wright's renowned architectural masterpiece.
Heading north, Novato is the second largest city in Marin. Once described as the wild, wild west, its breakfast cafes and old-town feel contrast with the technology companies that now call Novato home. The dairy farms and Birkenstock factory at the Novato-Petaluma border cap off a county filled with dynamic communities that reflect the spirit of the people who live in them. Belvedere is an island a mile long and less than one-half mile wide, connected to Tiburon by a causeway. Although the two towns have become very much alike, with their premier real estate prices motivated by spectacular views, they grew up differently. There were distinct differences between the towns; while Belvedere was home to the rich; Tiburon, in its days as home base for a railroad, was considered 'the other side of the tracks.
Cities in Marin
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Belvedere
Belvedere celebrated its 100th year as a city in 1996. Marin's smallest incorporated community is also one of the most exclusive. There is just enough room for some of the most expensive homes in Marin and the historic San Francisco Yacht Club.
Belvedere is a treasure trove of different architectural styles; from the tremendous Queen Anne and Mission Revival homes of the late 1800's to more modern Japanese-style and Mediterranean villas. The two elementary schools and one middle school in the local Reed Union School District are rated in the top one percent among California schools.
Belvedere, which translates in Italian to 'beautiful view', was well and aptly named, with exceptional views of San Francisco Bay, the Golden Gate Bridge, Angel Island, and Belvedere Lagoon. The beauty is quite breathtaking.
Community Contacts
- City Hall 435-3838
- Library 789-2665
- Post Office 435-1041
- School District 435-7844
- Parks & Recreation 435-4355
- Building Permits 435-3838
- Telephone 800-310-2355
- Garbage 415-457-9760
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- Gas and Electric 800-743-5000
- Water 924-4600
- Chamber of Commerce 435-5633
- Fire Dept. Information 435-7200
- Police Dept 435-2611
- Animal Control 883-4621
- Cable (TCI) 800-436-1999
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Corte Madera
Corte Madera was once part of the original land grant, Corte Madera del Presidio, given to John Reed in 1836. The area was used to supply lumber to build the San Francisco Presidio. By 1860 all the old growth redwoods had been harvested and the hills were then used for ranching and dairying by a new generation of settlers.
At the turn of the century Corte Madera had attracted a number of families from San Francisco who came for the summer. Christmas Tree Hill was subdivided in tiny 25' x 25' lots for use as tent sites on the weekends. After the 1906 earthquake, many of these tent sites were used to build permanent homes, where some of the tiny cabins remain to this day. Corte Madera became a town in 1917.
Typifying the relaxed outdoor lifestyle of Marin with its pleasant climate, bordering wetlands, and lush open space, there is a strong community commitment to preserving the area's wildlife and habitat. This commitment to the environment is exemplified by the Corte Madera Reserve Sanctuary for Migrating Birds, the Shorebird Marsh wildlife habitat, and The Ring Mountain Preserve, located at the southeastern end of town, the preserve borders Corte Madera and the neighboring community of Tiburon.
Home to three distinctly different malls, the town provides shopping as a favored pastime for guests and locals alike. Fine shops, unique boutiques, and a variety of excellent restaurants can be found at The Corte Madera Town Center, The Village at Corte Madera, and The Marketplace.
Extending from San Francisco Bay on the east side to Mt. Tam on the west, Corte Madera illustrates the wonderful Marin County blend of nature along with all the amenities of city living.
Demographics
- Population (2000) 9,100
- Average household income (2000) $92,000
- Median home price (December 2005) $999,500
Community Contacts
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Fairfax
Fairfax was originally part of a Spanish land grant conferred to Domingo Sais in 1839. Sais gave the area now known as the Marin Town & Country Club to Marin County's first physician, Alfred Taliaferro of Virginia, who subsequently passed the property along to fellow Virginian Charles Snowden Fairfax. Lord Fairfax, tenth Baron of Cameron, Scotland, moved here with his wife Ada in 1855, lured west by gold fever.
After the death of Charles Fairfax, the property changed hands, eventually becoming the site of the renowned Pastori's Restaurant in the 1890's. Madame Pastori, once a singer at La Scala in Milan, Italy, was visited in Fairfax by many great figures in the opera world. The restaurant, which was rebuilt on a grander scale after a fire in 1911, still stands.
Convenient railroad service early in this century made Fairfax a favorite weekend and summer retreat for city dwellers. Fairfax Park hosted thousands on weekends. Fairfax was the setting for dozens of early Western movies from 1910 to the early 1920's. Construction of Alpine Dam in 1917 brought a large Italian population to the area, adding to Fairfax's colorful history.
Fairfax came of age in February of 1931 when the town was incorporated as a city with a five-member council government. Fairfax today, with a diverse population of 7,000, is a community of fine neighborhoods nestled in the hills and small valleys of the Upper Ross Valley. Located 16 miles north of San Francisco, within easy reach of numerous State and National Recreation Areas, Fairfax offers the best of both work and play while retaining its small-town atmosphere and charm. Two of our CAL LAND Title employees live in Fairfax and they absolutely love it!
Demographics
- Population (2000) 7,319
- Average household income (2000) $78,500
- Median home price (December 2005) $750,000
Community Contacts
Chamber of Commerce 453-5928
Fire Department Information 258-4686
Police Dept. 453-5330
Library 453-8092
Post Office 453-3146
School District 454-2162
Parks & Recreation 453-1584
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Kentfield
Because the town of Kentfield is unincorporated, it is governed by the Marin County Board of Supervisors, who are known to pay close attention to the wishes of the residents, especially concerning development. An upper middle class to wealthy community, Kentfield is nestled at the base of Mt. Tam, bordered by Larkspur and Ross.
The name "Kentfield" is taken from the family of Albert Kent, a Chicago meat packer who, along with his wife Adaline, settled in the area in 1872. Adaline donated twenty-three acres of land for a community recreation center; which later became the site for the College of Marin, which is part of the California Community College system. Albert and Adaline's son William, who became a U.S. congressman and an ardent conservationist, donated Muir Woods as a national park.
The homes in this area are generally set well back from the streets which meander among pine, redwood and manzanita. The low-profile roofs of these spacious homes, mostly set on large lots, are designed to blend in with the natural surroundings and offer a wooded, country feeling.
Demographics
- Population (2000) 6,357
- Average household income (2000) $126,100
- Median home price (2000) $1,125,000
Community Contacts
Board of Supervisors 499-7331
Fire Department 453-7464
Sheriff's Office 456-5131
Post Office 454-9627
School District 925-2230
Parks & Open Space 499-6387
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 Mill Valley
The history of Mill Valley began with John Reed. Subsequent to the acquisition of a large land grant in 1834, Reed built a sawmill in 1836 on Cascade Creek to provide wood for the construction of his house. The mill, which gave Mill Valley its name, is now restored and stands among the towering redwoods in Old Mill Park, a few blocks from downtown.
Nestled at the foot of Mt. Tamalpais, only ten miles from San Francisco, Mill Valley became a favorite vacation spot for wealthy city dwellers. In1896 a mountain railway, nicknamed "The Crookedest Railroad in the World," carried passengers from town to the mountain's summit and to Muir Woods. Although the tracks were removed in 1930, the Old Railroad Grade is currently very popular with hikers and bikers.
Shortly after the town was incorporated in 1900 two town traditions began. The Outdoor Art Club was founded in 1902, a group whose purpose was, and still is, to preserve the beauties of Mill Valley. The Dipsea Race was first run in 1905 and has been held almost every year since. It is the second oldest race in the country, behind the Boston Marathon. The race is 7.1 miles long, from Lytton Square in Mill Valley over Mt. Tam to Stinson Beach.
The Fall Arts Festival is one of the cultural events that occur in Mill Valley each year. It is the longest running festival in the County, celebrating its 41st year in 1997. The Mill Valley Film Festival, also held in the fall, draws thousands of film enthusiasts and artists from around the world.
Bordered on three sides by the Golden Gate National Recreation Area, Muir Woods National Monument, Mt. Tamalpais State Park and watershed, Mill Valley offers spectacular recreational opportunities. But this is only part of its attractions. The people that have chosen to live here, from rock stars, artists, and nationally known authors, to business executives and political radicals; all are part of the eclectic mixture of talented folks who came for the pleasure of normalcy and anonymity to live in this incredibly beautiful and charming town.
All who are interested in buying property in Southern Marin will enjoy the convenience of the Mill Valley office of CAL LAND Title, located at 591 Redwood Highway, #2100.
Demographics
- Population (2000) 13,600
- Average household income (2000) $107,300
- Median home price (December 2006) $1,317,500
Community Contacts
City Hall 388-4033
Chamber of Commerce 388-9700
Fire Department Information 389-4130
Police Department 389-4100
Library 389-4295
Post Office 388-8656
School District 389-7700
Parks & Recreation 383-1370
CAL LAND Title 383-8410
Web Site: City of Mill Valley
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Novato
The City of Novato is located 29 miles north of San Francisco, just off Highway 101. Incorporated in 1960 and encompassing 43 square miles with 3,500 acres of open space and parks, Novato is an agreeable mixture of a variety of neighborhoods. Waterfront communities, horse farms, and beautiful mansions are all part of the eclectic collection that is Novato.
Novato began as Rancho de Novato, a Spanish land grant given in 1839 to Fernando Feliz, but its roots are far deeper.
Olompali State HIstorical Park, just north of the city, is named for a key Miwok settlement, Olemaloke, that dates to 1300. Scholars debate the significance of an Elizabethan coin found nearby. Did it belong to Sir Francis Drake's crew that hit the coast in 1579.
The only battle of the Bear Flag Rebellion, which led to California's statehood, was fought at Olompali in 1846, and the Burdell family later established the first formal garden in Marin there in the 1870's.
The Chosen Family hippie commune serenaded by Janis Joplin and the Grateful Dead lived in the old Burdell mansion until it burned in 1969.
Hamilton Field, on the southeast side of the city, served as an Army airfield from 1935 to 1947 and continued miliatry operations to 1975. After years of wrangling, Hamilton opened in 1999 as a community of new homes. Cal Land's Novato office is located at 1300 Grant Avenue.
Novato is largely a bedroom community more than 7,600 students are enrolled in the Novato Unified School District but the city also has made its mark in business and industry. Shopping in Novato ranges form the traditional stores and boutiques on Grant Avenue in "Old Town" to the Vintage Oaks Shopping Center.
The city is home to Fireman's Fund Insurance, the county's largest private employer with about 2,500 workers.
The nonprofit Buck Institute for Research in Aging, located in a striking complex on the slopes of Mount Burdell, is on the leading edge of biomedical research and the science of aging.
Demographics
- Population (2000) 47,630
- Average household income (2000) $80,900
- Median home price (2001) $552,450
Community Contacts
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Ross
 In 1857 a Scotsman from San Francisco, James Ross, bought a large Mexican land grant named Rancho Punta de Quentin, which extended from what is now Corte Madera to Red Hill in San Anselmo. In the town that bears his name, Ross built his home on the property that is now the Marin Art & Garden Center; a beautiful ten-acre site that, in addition to housing several non-profit community groups, also offers many classes and activities.
Shaded roads and lanes enhance this lovely town of grand estates and luxury custom homes. Large properties in park-like settings often have accommodations for horses, as well as tennis courts and swimming pools. Centered around the Ross Common is a small, very quaint commercial area featuring restaurants and shops. One enterprise, the Ross Grocery, has been operated by the same family since WWII.
Residents are universally proud of, and offer support to, the local elementary school. In 1991, Child Magazine named Ross Elementary School as one of the top ten schools in the nation. The academic ranking is in the 99th percentile, the highest any school can achieve.
Ross, often characterized as the suburban ideal, can easily be portrayed as a bastion of gracious living.
Demographics
- Population (2000) 2,329
- Average household income (2000) $271,800
- Median home price (December 2006) $2,093,000
Community Contacts
Town Hall 453-1453
Police Department 453-2727
Fire Department 453-7434
Schools 457-2705
Web Site www.townofross.org
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San Rafael
Mission San Rafael Arcangel was established on Dec. 14, 1817, by Father Prefect Vicente Francisco de Sarria, three other friars, and an escort of soldiers. The mission is on 5th Avenue between Court and B Streets. Although the buildings are replicas, a treasure trove of historical artifacts can be seen in the museum.
Marin's premier city San Rafael, is the oldest and largest city in the County and it is also the seat of County Government. Marin's second most popular tourist spot (after Muir Woods), the Frank Lloyd Wright Civic Center, was the last major structure and the only government building designed by the world famous architect. It is now a national historic landmark.
Other notable places to visit are China Camp State Park, which rims a picture perfect shoreline and is wonderfully secluded, yet only minutes from town; the lovely Dominican College campus, founded in 1888; and the Falkirk Cultural Center, a handsomely preserved, 17-room Victorian mansion that is set on 11 acres of formal grounds just a block from downtown.
San Rafael offers a wide assortment of housing; from Peacock Gap's Golf and Country Club contemporary homes and condominiums overlooking the Bay, to spacious traditional homes in the prestigious Dominican section. California Land Title of Marin, originally founded in 1955 by Dr. Earl Young as Trans Western Title Company, has deep roots in Marin County. The company's main office is conveniently located at 700 Irwin Street.
San Rafael has 14 parks, yacht clubs, outstanding docking and launching facilities, tennis / swim clubs and bicycle trails. It is truly a community where families can enjoy an active lifestyle and partake of a rich historical and cultural heritage.
Demographics
- Population (2000) 56,063
- Average household income (2000) $77,200
- Median home price (December 2004) $820,000
Community Contacts
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Stinson Beach
 This small tourist-friendly beach town on Highway 1 has no sidewalks and little parking. Many businesses cater to the beach. In addition to older homes that sit on unpaved streets, the town is home to newer developments, including a gated subdivision on the beach and Bolinas Lagoon at Seadrift. The three-mile beach is Marin's best expanse and is seasonally monitored by lifeguards. There are picnic tables, snack shops and shower facilities and occasional shark arnings, beached whales, and rip tide alerts.
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Tomales
 Overview: A pair of white church steeples rise from the rolling green hills, giving the tiny coastal hamlet of Tomales the simple look of middle America. Sheep and cows dot the hills. Only a handful of buildings make up the downtown. Diekmann's General Store, in the same building since the 1870s, now offers a photocopy machine. Nearby is the refurbished U.S. Hotel. It wasn't always a sleepy village, though. Following the 1849 Gold Rush, Tomales was a rollicking town of dairy ranchers, potato farmers and merchants. Tomales was a coastal schooner and rail hub, and eleven saloons lined the street. Marin County came close to naming it the county seat. The 1906 earthquake and a fierce fire in 1920 helped wipe out the remnants of what was once a vibrant commercial center. The biggest event in Tomales today is the Italian American Labor Day parade, which draws several thousand people.
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Nicasio
 At the center of this West Marin community is an old town square, complete with its own Wild West saloon. It's home to some 600 residents, many coming from old dairy families that have lived here for generations. George Lucas holds forth at his Skywalker Ranch film complex not far away. The town also has a historic Catholic church, the popular Rancho Nicasio restaurant and plenty of rolling countryside. Most of the land is zoned for agriculture, but there are estate homes on many ranches, and developers have recently built more expensive homes.
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Point Reyes Station
 Spanish explorer Sebastian Vizcaino named the area Punta de los Reyes, or Point of the Kings while sailing past the peninsula on Jan. 6, 1603, the legendary anniversary of the three kings' visitation of the baby Jesus. Today, a youthful, rural spirit sweeps rustic Point Reyes. Children rollerblade past the Old Western Saloon, just a few stores down from the Old Bank Building, home of a store called Flower Power. Across the street is Toby's Feed Barn, testimony to the town's rural roots. Inside, $20 Pooh T-shirts are folded neatly in cubicles near bales of straw on sale for $4.50 each. The unincorporated town is at the south end of Tomales Bay.
Families who have lived here for generations have resisted development and the community retains a romantic, small-town atmosphere. But ever since President Kennedy established Point Reyes as a national seashore, the area has been frequented by millions of tourists, an average of 2.5 million a year, many of whom surge through in the spring and summer.
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