Vignettes

In 1868, Throckmorton hired Jacob Gardner, a bachelor, as ranch manager of Rancho Sausalito.  It was a tough job. In 1873, he left for greener pastures.  Charles Severence was hired to take his place. He and his family lived in “The Homestead.” Every month, Severence made the rounds collecting rents in gold coin from tenant…

The name “Tennessee” has been applied to two different valleys. In July 1911, the Mill Valley Record reported, “Prominent automobile men of the county are endeavoring to secure right of way for an auto road Sausalito to Lagoon [Muir beach] … via Tennessee Valley.” In August 1911, “… a right of way has been secured…

On Tamalpais Land & Water Co. maps of Almonte (1902) and Homestead Valley (1903), Homestead Blvd. is shown connecting the County Road in Almonte with Throckmorton Ridge. Dairies as far away as Muir Woods had used and continued to use the old ranch road to deliver milk to the Manzanita railroad depot for shipment to…

In 1910, A.D. Avery, civil engineer with the Tamalpais Land Water Co., issued map No. 9 depicting all properties, streets and lanes in what are now the city of Mill Valley, Almonte and Homestead Valley. With a few exceptions, the streets were laid out so as not to be too steep for horse drawn vehicles.…

On February 7, 1962, the Mill Valley city council held a hearing to consider a “Marine World” use permit for construction on 18 acres of city owned property.  The developers had considered several Bay Area sites, but Mill Valley marshland property was their first choice. The proposed Marine World recreational complex would be on the…

In July 1965, Bob and Jean Greensfelder supported by eight other investors purchased and remodeled the old Muir Beach Restaurant and named it “Wobbly Rock Restaurant” after a poem by Beat generation poet Lew Welch.   Sandy Stewart of Muir Beach was the chef.  He served one dinner on Friday and one on Saturday, both at…