Wednesday, March 20, 2013

Some Interesting Marin History

Dipsea Highway Directional Road Sign

On October 11, 1923 the Dipsea Highway was dedicated by erecting the first of many Tamal Chief signs at Manzanita Junction in Mill Valley. The signs, made by D. E. Bowen of Richmond, spread from Southern Marin out to Stinson Beach, Inverness, San Anselmo, San Rafael and all the way to Sacramento. Endorsed by the California Automobile Association, the new highway was intended as a revenue generator for Marin County and was advertised as spanning “from the Valley to the Sea” culmination in the famous “Circle Tour of Mt. Tamalpais.” Seven days before the official highway opening, the Marin Journal reported “the Dipsea Highway was becoming a famous automobile route for tourists from the Sacramento Valley…Already it has been the means of bringing hundreds of summer sojourners to the Marin County resort on the sea coast.” The Dipsea Highway, organized in part by Newman L. Fitzhenry, secretary of the Dipsea Highway Association and resident of Stinson Beach, continued to be a success as the years passed. However, at some point the signs were removed and highway name was nearly forgotten. 
The route today, a combination of Highway One and Sir Francis Drake Boulevard, remains popular with tourists seeking a pleasant day at the coast and in West Marin.



Visit the Marin History Museum for more amazing historical facts on Marin!
Boyde Gate House at 1125 B Street in San Rafael

Have fun looking back into Marin history with this map found in the Marin County Library archives!
The Marvelous Marin County Map was done in 1937 by Lance Barnes

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Highlight Community of the Month

Mill Valley


Nestled below majestic Mt. Tamalpais, Mill Valley is reminiscent of a charming European village. Surrounded by national parks, including Muir Woods, an ancient coast redwood forest, Mill Valley's lush landscape of hills and canyons is a favorite place for visitors who enjoy hiking, mountain biking, golf and running. Two national financial magazines, MONEY and CNN/Money, recently named Mill Valley as one of the 10 top cities in America in which to live. They noted that millionaires and well-known names in the film and music industries, like Bonnie Raitt, Bob Weir and Sammy Hagar, make their homes in this quaint community.

Downtown activities center around Lytton Square, where people gather for coffee at the Book Depot Cafe or for a game of chess while conducting some serious people-watching. Fashionable boutiques and restaurants fill the downtown. The Sweetwater Music Hall, one of the top roots music clubs in the nation, is well-known for its live musical performances and famous guest musicians who occasionally drop in for an evening to improvise.

Mill Valley is host to a range of cultural activities. The Mill Valley Film Festival is an internationally recognized festival that has attracted leading filmmakers and movie aficionados for the past 28 years. The Mountain Play, produced in June in an outdoor amphitheatre, attracts thousands of theater-goers to the top of Mt. Tamalpais to watch Broadway musicals performed by talented local actors. The Mill Valley Outdoor Art Club, a state historical landmark, was designed in 1904 by internationally known architect, Bernard Maybeck. Particularly notable for its unusual roof truss system, the Arts and Crafts style building exemplifies Maybeck's creative use of natural materials.

Mill Valley, home of the Marin Mountain Bike, hosts the annual Dipsea Race, the second oldest footrace in the United States. The race takes runners over a 7.1 mile course up and over Mt. Tamalpais to one of the most beautiful California beaches on the Pacific Ocean. Whether it's for cultural events, dining, shopping or recreation, Mill Valley is a draw for both visitors and residents alike.