Vignette > Garden of Allah

On June 21, 1912 the Mill Valley Record reported, “Mr. and Mrs. Ralston White will occupy their beautiful and commodious home, the Garden of Allah, next week. Mrs. White has been busily engaged the past few weeks completing the furnishing of this romantically attractive home. Soon after occupancy the Whites will give a housewarming at which there will be many friends from the Bay cities and towns.” The forty-acre estate at 2 El Capitan is on a knoll in Blithedale Canyon. Construction began in September 1911 when five railroad cars of lumber were unloaded at White’s siding on the mountain railroad and slid downhill to the site. The building’s structure consists of a steel frame with concrete walls.  “The southeast facade of the house is unusually picturesque with its porches, pergolas, gables, dormers, rock foundations and deep red tile roofs.  The style is medieval mission architecture, with modern adaptations suited to a California suburb. The approach to the house is by a beautiful shady drive with easy grade winding from Mill Valley until an elevation of 600 feet is reached. Mr. White is modest in giving out figures, but experts estimate that the cost of the beautiful home not including grounds will be above $30,000.”