Central Marin County Towns and Cities

CORTE MADERA           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.

LARKSPUR AND GREENBRAE      The wife of a major developer, Charles Wright, named this beautiful area for the lupine she found there, mistakenly identifying it as Larkspur.
                                   The downtown / Magnolia Avenue area is listed in the National Register of Historic Places as an irreplaceable American “turn of the century home town.”
                                   Larkspur residents have been quite successful in preserving the small-town ambience. A medley of specialty shops, boutiques, Queen Anne Victorians, cafes and first-class restaurants can be enjoyed by taking a relaxing stroll down Magnolia Avenue. Not to be missed are the Escalle Winery, built in the 1890’s by the young Frenchman, Jean Escalle, who planted the northern hillsides of Larkspur with wine grapes; and the exquisite Murphy mansion, constructed in 1888 and now home to the world famous restaurant, the Lark Creek Inn. Larkspur extends north to the unincorporated area of Greenbrae, home to the Bon Air Shopping Center, which offers boutiques, restaurants and gift shops.
                                  Greenbrae is well known for its tastefully landscaped custom homes, many of which have views of the bay, Corte Madera Creek and lowlands, and Mt. Tamalpais. A special effort was made during the development of this area to preserve the hundreds of majestic oak trees that grace the hillsides. Greenbrae residents enjoy a one minute drive to the freeway and two minutes to the Larkspur Landing Ferry Terminal.
Larkspur Web Site:  (www.ci.larkspur.ca.us/) 

Bushes in front of City of Larkspur Town Hall
     
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.

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.
Ross Website: (www.townofross.org/)

SAN ANSELMO          San Anselmo is a charming community of older homes amid diverse architectural styles, on shady, tree-lined streets. The downtown area is very “small town” in appearance, but offers a variety of shops and restaurants. In the 1870’s, what is now known as The Hub in San Anselmo was the spot where a spur track to San Rafael was added to the Sausalito-Tomales run of the Pacific Coast Railroad. San Anselmo was incorporated in 1907.
                                 The most visible landmark in town, a beautiful stone castle that overlooks San Anselmo, is actually the San Francisco Theological Seminary, established in 1892 to train Presbyterian clergy. From the ivy covered chapel with its enchanting bell tolling the hours, to the turrets and towers, this beautiful facility has an ethereal, fairy tale look.
                                 San Anselmo Avenue, the town’s main shopping area, is a curving boulevard of awning-shaded shops, cafes, galleries, restaurants, and boutiques. Known as the “Antique Capital of Northern California,” there are, within a half-mile radius of downtown, more than 150 antique dealers who attract collectors from all over the West Coast.
                                 Love of family and a sense of community are common bonds shared by those in the more affluent areas as well as by those in the more modest homes at the west end of town. The Annual Art and Wine Festival, the Antique Dealers Fair, and the Country Fair Day, are all very well attended by local citizens. San Anselmo also boasts one of the County’s most successful community volunteer programs.
                                 San Anselmo is a charming community of older homes amid diverse architectural styles, on shady, tree-lined streets. The downtown area is very “small town” in appearance, but offers a variety of shops and restaurants. In the 1870’s, what is now known as The Hub in San Anselmo was the spot where a spur track to San Rafael was added to the Sausalito-Tomales run of the Pacific Coast Railroad. San Anselmo was incorporated in 1907.
The San Anselmo neighborhood of Sleepy Hollow’s website is: www.shha.org/
As of 7/2/2007 HOA dues are: $160/year and family membership for the pool is:$200/year
And, to play tennis on the San Domenico School courts are: $100/year
San Anselmo Web Site: (www.townofsananselmo.org/)
                               
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!
Unofficial Fairfax Web Site: (www.gordyo.com/Fairfax/Fairfax.html)

Marin County Real Estate Blog * * * 2007