Vignette > Trail Map

The large trail map mounted on the wall at the Miller Ave. entrance to the downtown parking lot had been painted on the side of a grocery store located on the corner of Throckmorton and Old Mill. Norman Clark who bought the grocery store in 1948 had become fed up with having to answer hikers’ questions about the trails on Mt. Tam.  He hired Walter Finn, custodian of Muir Woods National Monument, and Melville Whittaker, chief ranger of Mt. Tamalpais State Park, to design a large map showing major hiking trails. The map was painted on the Old Mill Street side of the building. It served its purpose very well. In 1949, William and Anna Thran acquired the business.  They later had asbestos shingles installed on all sides of the building including right on top the map on the Old Mill Street side. In 2004, in conjunction with the demolition of the building, the Mill Valley Historical Society rescued the map. There was no plan for what to do with it.  It remained in storage for 14 years. It was then completely restored and installed on the wall of the building at 34 Miller Ave.