VIGNETTE > JACK KEROUAC

The Perry house today – click to enlarge

In the early 1900’s, Anton S. Perry and his large family lived at 370 Montford in Homestead Valley. He milked cows on the Dias ranch across the valley. In 1956, the historic Perry house was occupied by Locke Mc Corckle, a poet/carpenter. He and his family lived frugally, considering themselves refugees from American consumerism. After a shack up the hill was converted into a habitable cabin, Locke invited Gary Snyder to stay there. Gary moved in, named the dwelling “Marin-An” and invited Jack Kerouac to join him there for rent free peaceful living. They both took Buddhism seriously. Beat generation poets and writers who hung out with them there included Allen Ginsberg, Neal Cassady, Kenneth Rexroth, William Burroughs, Peter Orlovsky, Michael McClure, Philip Whalen, and Gregory Corso. There were poetry readings, meditations, serious discussions and co-educational parties, always with lots of wine and sometimes nudity. Jack Kerouac’s book, “The Dharma Bums” describes the scene and his experiences while living at Marin-An. Typical of his writings, real characters are given fictitious names and the site is said to be in Corte Madera. Today, the site is on Homestead’s Open Space Land whose custodian lives in the old Perry house.

Want  more info? Read the History of Homestead Valley article:
Jack Kerouac