Mapping Mill Valley History

Welcome! Join us for a stroll down Mill Valley’s streets -- past and present -- through this interactive mapping of our unique and historic city.

Mapping Mill Valley History is a collaboration between the  Lucretia Little History Room  and the  Mill Valley Chamber of Commerce .

If you have questions about this project or any of the buildings, people, or businesses mentioned please reach out to  the History Room , or  Jim Welte , Executive Director of the Mill Valley Chamber of Commerce.

Curious about a particular building in Mill Valley and want us to feature it? Email  the History Room  or  Jim .

The O'Shaughnessy Building at the corner of Throckmorton and Corte Madera Avenues was constructed and opened in downtown Mill Valley by Michael Maurice O'Shaughnessy, an Irish immigrant who came to California in 1885. Construction on the building began around 1893 and the first known businesses opened in 1907.

O'Shaughnessy was a prolific Civil Engineer, initially working on railway surveys and real estate developments but was appointed as City Engineer of San Francisco in 1912, a position he held until 1932. O'Shaughnessy was a central figure in the early planning and development of Mill Valley, particularly downtown's "O'Shaughnessy block." The family lived in Mill Valley until 1912.

The O'Shaughnessy Building originally housed businesses including S.M. Burt Co. hardware store and the Aloha Hotel and Restaurant. In the 1920s a post office stood in the easternmost third of the building. The name of the Aloha Hotel is believed to have come from O'Shaughnessy's connection with Hawaii; he made several trips to the islands prior to the building's opening to work on water projects. A hotel, operating under multiple names, continued to occupy the upper floor of the building until about 1950. The upstairs space was condemned in 1956 after serving as a lodging house of sorts during World War II for employees of the Sausalito Shipyards and the Red Cross when it operated under the name the Aloha Lido Hotel. That upstairs space remained empty between 1956 and 2014 when the Planning Commission approved the "Aloha Lofts," four rental units between 750 and 940 square feet in size.

Purity Market stood on the ground floor of the building between 1929 and 1957 before relocating. Red Hill Liquors opened in 1937 and continued to operate there until 1977, after which it was sold to Don Pozo's and, in 1996, to Richard Leland of Vintage Wine and Spirits. From the late 1970s to January 2008 a flagship Banana Republic clothing store occupied the space where Purity Stores once was. Tyler Florence, a cooking store, opened in 2008 but closed in 2014 due to major renovations to the building. This reconstruction also caused Vintage Wine & Spirits to move to the nearby Keystone Building, where it remains today.

Prior to the 2014-2017 reconstruction, the O'Shaughnessy Building was remodeled or reconstructed on multiple occasions. The first major change, which took place at some point between 1920 and 1938, was reconfiguring the front of the building from a three-faceted to a two-faceted design. A later remodel/reconstruction occurred around 2005.

Since late 2018, the building has been occupied by a pair of businesses. Prevalent Projects debuted as a sleek home goods store and has grown its furniture business to the point of needing to expand into an adjacent space that was most recently a nail salon – and the Vintage Wine & Spirits shop (now at 82 Throckmorton across the street). Prevalent's neighbor in the building is Roja Rugs, a family-owned rug and home design business known for its gorgeous displays.

The building on the southeast corner of E. Blithedale and Hill Street was the original French Laundry operated by Jean Bedecarrax. He and his wife Josephine immigrated to the U.S. in the late 1800s and acquired this property in 1907.

Jean constructed the building with his brother-in-law August Lusteau in 1918. At one point the family operated three laundries in three separate locations, with others at  36 Miller Avenue  and  177 E. Blithedale . The location at 138 E. Blithedale included living quarters above the business. Photographs demonstrate that the building's exterior has not changed much since it was first constructed.

In August 1929 newspapers reported that Jean Bedecarrax had sold the business to Paul Sors but would stay on to teach the new owner the trade. Newspapers assured Mill Valleyans that Sors would run the laundry as Bedecarrax had, a testament to the respect the laundry had earned over the years. In December 1933, however, Bedecarrax returned to 138 E. Blithedale, continuing to run the business until he retired in July 1939, telling the Mill Valley Record, "It's final this time." He sold the French laundry to Marie Arnarez and Jean P. Etchebarren, and records indicate that Day and Romiette Drexler purchased the building in 1945. Papers reported that Arnarez and Etchebarren sold the business to George and Evelyn Sherman in April 1946 but four months later the Mill Valley Record published a "Notice of Intended Chattel Mortgage" announcing that Edward and Hazel Thiel had taken over the business. After retiring in March 1954 the Thiels sold the laundry to Carl and Lois Lerst who operated it until Carl's death in 1959. Alvin and Laverne Baudour then took over the business and ran the laundry until 1970.

The building operated as a laundry until the 1970s when it became Organic Hair Care, a salon owned by Stephen A. Ball. In 1974 Ball was placed on probation by the California Board of Cosmetology after the Board had found Ball had given fraudulent information on his license applications. The following year he sold Organic Hair Care to Carl Di Rocco and the building has continued to operate as a salon since then.

 Revery Salon  opened in 2012 at 138 East Blithedale Ave. and is set to celebrate 10 years in town in 2022. Shavery Barbershop opened in Mill Valley in 2015 and moved to 142 East Blithedale, adjacent to Revery, soon thereafter. Today Revery keeps a large scale photo of the Bedecarrax family behind the salon's front desk. Christine Donahue, owner of Revery, recalls that some of their older clients had their hair done for the Tam High prom at the salon in the 1970s. "We love the history and character of this space," Donahue said in a recent interview. 

Mill Valley's City Hall was constructed in 1936, during a time when the city was recovering from the Great Fire and the stock market crash of 1929. Located in downtown Mill Valley, City Hall is surrounded by a mix of commercial, residential, and institutional buildings. The building is comprised of three sections: the entry mass, which is adjacent to the fire house and faces south; the east wing, which comprises most of the building, and the rear addition, which was added in the late 1970s.

In 1902 Mill Valley purchased a former campground in a redwood grove on Corte Madera where City Hall presently stands. It was on this site where early surveyors and builders ate their meals and pitched their tents. A volunteer fire department cleared those redwoods in 1907 to construct Mill Valley's first town hall in 1908. The 20 x 50 foot wood frame building housed the fire department's stable and carriage house on the first floor and city offices on the second. As Mill Valley grew and became more established, the building was considered inadequate.

In October 1935, during the Great Depression, Mill Valleyans voted to approve a $30,000 bond issue to construct a new City Hall and the federal Public Works Administration provided a matching funds grant. In December 1935, the old building and an adjacent building were demolished and construction of the new building began.

In 1975, Carl Mosher interviewed former Mill Valley mayor  Thomas Frederick (Fred) Bagshaw  for the Mill Valley Public Library's oral history collection. Bagshaw spoke about procuring funding to build City Hall:

As Bagshaw mentions, Walter C. Falch — who was born in Mill Valley in 1883 and grew up at 448 Throckmorton Avenue — and D.E. Jaekle were hired to design the building in October 1935. In December 1935 the construction contract was awarded to Vincent Maggiora. City Hall was dedicated on August 1, 1936, with the new building housing the fire department, police department, city offices, and council chambers. The building was constructed in the Tudor architecture style which enjoyed a resurgence in popularity between the 1920s and mid-1940s. In 1939 the fire bell that was housed in the steeple of Mill Valley's original city hall building was mounted as a historic shrine in front of the new construction.

In 1953 a large red rock was placed in front of Mill Valley. Following an extended period of rain near the Waldo tunnel, the rock had rolled down the hill and blocked Highway 101. Tony Brabo was hired to remove the rock from the site and then-City Manager Allen Almcrantz suggested Brabo and his crew take it to City Hall. The rock was installed in front of the building shortly thereafter with a brass plaque on it reading, “In memory of those who gave their lives in defense of their country – dedicated by the citizens of Mill Valley – 1953.”

City Hall's interior was largely remodeled in the late 1970s and was completed in 1978. These updates included the three-story east wing addition with the new elevator and stairwell, new office space, enlarged restrooms and a third-floor lunch room. However, several original features remain, including the ceiling of the Council Chambers, the flooring in the lobby and some of the offices, the staircase with its mahogany banister and handrail, the multi-lite steel windows, and the brass pole at the fire station. The police and fire departments moved to new buildings in 1976, although a small team of firefighters remain at the original headquarters.

The two-story wooden sculpture by Allan Crawford was installed at City Hall in October 1979, the stained glass window by John Leighton in 1981, and the marble and granite sculpture by Allan Shepp in 1982.

In 2016 the City of Mill Valley had an Historic Resources Evaluation (HRE) performed by a preservation architecture firm to determine whether City Hall fulfilled the criteria for listing on the  California Register of Historical Resources  (CRHR). The detailed report of its historical significance and architectural integrity determined that City Hall was eligible for listing under Criterion 3 (Architecture) for its "strong expression of the Tudor architectural style." The report continued, "The property also retains its integrity of location, association, design, workmanship, setting, feeling, and materials."

When Mill Valley decided to create a more accessible front entry to City Hall to comply with the Americans Disabilities Act (ADA), a ramp project to the left side of the stairway began in 2018. Because City Hall had been locally listed and eligible for the CRHR, the project was done in a way that would not interfere with nor destroy any of the site's architectural integrity — a win for local preservationists and all residents and visitors to Mill Valley!

On evenings when City Council meetings last into the late evening hours, City business will share the sonic airwaves with its neighbor across the street, the  Sweetwater Music Hall , one of the best music venues in the Bay Area. Join us next time to learn more about the Sweetwater!

Since 1972 Sweetwater has been a part of Marin, its culture, and its community. For 49 years, the venue has been a mecca for live music fans. While it has passed through the hands of various owners over the years (and a couple different locations), Sweetwater has always been a musical hub for musicians and artists and the space is truly a cultural landmark.

Sweetwater opened on November 17, 1972 at 153 Throckmorton Avenue. In the 1920s that location was used as a checkroom for hikers to store their clothes and gear but it later became a series of bars, including Sweenies and the Office. In the Summer of 1972 a group called Sweetwater of Mill Valley Inc. headed by Fred Martin, a young entrepreneur, purchased the Office from John Ebner and Claude T. Ross with the intention of converting it into a music venue and bar. Martin renovated the space in order to accommodate live performances. On its opening night, an acoustic folk-rock group called An Exchange played for a crowd that lined up halfway down the block to get in.

Following the venue's opening in November 1972 there were typically at least four to five musical acts booked per week, making it a popular local hangout.

In 1979 Jeanie Patterson and her then-husband Jay took over the Sweetwater from Martin. Initially, Jeanie was responsible for the venue's bookings but following their divorce in 1980 Jay relinquished the club to Jeanie and she took over entirely. Over the next two decades Patterson transformed the venue into one of the country's most respected showcases for American roots music. Throughout those years Patterson cemented the venue's reputation as a small venue adored by some of the biggest names in the music industry, booking musicians including Elvis Costello (who famously played his first Stateside show there), Jerry Garcia, Huey Lewis, John Lee Hooker, Elizabeth Cotten, Ritchie Havens, Ry Cooder, Bonnie Raitt, Sammy Hagar, and Carlos Santana -- among many others.

In interviews, Jeanie said she found her "gift" running Sweetwater but she also referred to the brutal and unrelenting schedule that running a vibrant music venue for two decades demanded. Patterson planned to close the venue on December 31, 1998 and after struggling to find a suitable owner to take her place, many feared Sweetwater would be lost forever. Two days before her self-imposed deadline Patterson reached an agreement with Mill Valleyans Becky and Thomas J. Steere to take over as the venue's new owners. In 2004 the Steeres faced eviction by the Sweetwater's landlords, who raised the rent beyond what the owners could pay. Sweetwater was saved through generous donations from the community and its lease was renewed when the property owners offered new terms. In September 2007 Sweetwater closed due to the fact that the landlords wanted to renovate the property and declined to offer the Steeres terms for a new lease after the renovation's expected completion date.

Since its opening Sweetwater has faced challenges that threatened its viability. Finances have nagged each owner over the years but the venue on Throckmorton also fought a barrage of permit issues. In August 1973 downtown Mill Valley residents complained that the venue caused traffic and noise and drew "many young patrons from outside the city." The city's planning commission voted unanimously to continue the bar's use permit for music. "The only complaint I have about the Sweetwater," said commissioner William D. Devlin, "is that it's usually too packed for me to get in." Despite this early win, the venue continued to fight against City Hall and Mill Valley's planning commission over the years, including a 1979 lawsuit over the right of the Sweetwater and the Old Mill Tavern to sponsor live, amplified music. In 1981 the "controversy" was finally resolved, with the City Council unanimously approving "electric instruments" to be played on the weekends. Five years later, Jeanie Patterson continued fighting the ordinance, arguing, "This is 1986. The term 'electric music' is outmoded. I hardly know any musicians today that don't use amplifiers." In the end, she succeeded, and the venue was granted permission to host amplified music Wednesday through Sunday evenings.

Following the venue's closure in 2007, Sweetwater's stage remained empty for five years. In 2012, however, a group of dedicated investors converted Masonic Lodge No. 356 on Corte Madera Avenue into the  Sweetwater Music Hall , reviving the beloved venue and affording a new generation the opportunity to experience the live music and sense of community the original venue offered. Bob Weir, Grateful Dead guitarist, was one of the original investors of this new venture. In an interview with Weir about the process of finding the new location and continuing the legacy of the original venue he said, "The whole point of this place...is to let the music happen. The building wanted us here, and it revealed itself to us."

With COVID-19 forcing music venues across the world to close, Sweetwater entered one of its most challenging periods in Spring 2020. In typical Sweetwater fashion, the venue adapted in the face of hardship. In December 2020 Sweetwater Music Hall began operating as a 501c3 non-profit public benefit organization to carry on its music and education programming. In an announcement on their website the venue wrote: "The mission of [the] non-profit is to ensure the infinite legacy of Sweetwater, not only by continuing to support the music that reflects the cultural diversity of Marin County and the greater San Francisco Bay Area, but also by showcasing all forms of arts and education to future generations." As Marin County began easing COVID-19 restrictions, the Sweetwater Music Hall reopened and introduced a new restaurant, the Rock & Rye. On September 3, 2021, bands once again took the stage at the venue. As it has been for almost 50 years, Sweetwater is a space of community and gathering in Mill Valley.

The legacy of the original Sweetwater continues to live on in other new and exciting ways through the Mill Valley Public Library. Jeanie Patterson passed away in 2019 and the Lucretia Little History Room was fortunate to receive a truly unique donation of artifacts from her time as Sweetwater's transformative owner. Patterson was a natural record-keeper; she maintained detailed scrapbooks (71 of them, to be exact) that chronicle the history of the club. In addition to the scrapbooks, the collection includes personal letters and postcards documenting Patterson's deep friendships with the musicians who frequented Sweetwater over the years. The collection contains over 400 photographs, over 100 audio and video recordings of performances, and many posters, performer contracts, ephemera, and memorabilia. The History Room is currently processing and digitizing this exciting donation and has big plans for the collection once processing is complete. In the meantime, keep checking the History Room's  Online Collections Database  for some incredible photographs of the venue throughout the years.

The 129-year-old Mill Valley Lumber Yard is one of the oldest landmarks in town and the history of the property is integral to the history of the City of Mill Valley itself. Founded concurrent with the late-19th century origins of Mill Valley and located along one of its two main thoroughfares, even if you have never stepped foot on the property you've likely passed this long-standing commercial landmark on Miller Avenue.

The Mill Valley Lumber Yard signifies an aspect of the early and ongoing commercial character of Mill Valley, including the connection between the town and its region to the 19th century lumber trade. Moreover, the property is integrally associated both with Corte Madera Creek and with the Northwestern Pacific Railroad, the courses of which were manifest in the original and early form of the property and its structures. Storm damage in 1914 and 1925 led to some necessary renovations but, overall, the Lumber Yard retains the same building footprints it has for over a century.

Around 1892, Captain Robert Dollar, an established lumber baron, shipping magnate, and philanthropist, saw that many were starting to settle in what is now known as Mill Valley. Capitalizing on the realization that those individuals would need lumber to build their homes, he established what was then known as the Dollar Lumber Company. In addition to providing the lumber for Mill Valley and Marin homes, the company also supplied wood for rebuilding San Francisco after the 1906 earthquake and fire. In those early years, horses were an integral part of the delivery process with customers paying extra for "fast" delivery by younger, stronger horses. Later, in 1915, a train spur was constructed on the property, allowing for easy lumber transport.

In 1898 the yard's ownership was transferred to Jack H. McInnes and in 1908 it was sold to R.C. Doherty, who reopened it under the name Doherty Lumber Co. Doherty owned the yard for a few years before it changed ownership once again around 1910, to Nicholas P. Yost, who gave the property its most enduring name: the Mill Valley Lumber Company. Yost was originally partners with Carl E. Christley (formerly of the Tamalpais Lumber & Fuel Co.) but in 1915 Christley parted ways to open a short-lived, competing lumber yard. The Mill Valley Lumber Co. expanded significantly during the 1920s, building a new office, a larger mill, and a concrete retaining wall.

Following Yost's death in 1924 the lumber yard moved through a few other hands (Thomas J. Sewell, 1924; Sewell, Roy A. Ibach, and Stephen F. Elkins, 1925; John L. Castleman, 1955; Castleman and Jim Merchant, 1988; Jim and Doris Merchant, 1996; the Cerri family, 1998) but has retained the name bestowed upon it by Yost.

The economic downturn of 2008 led the Cerri family to make the difficult decision to sell the property, causing many Mill Valley residents to fear the historic site would be converted into condos. The property's zoning status (RM-3.5, meaning residential multi-family with a minimum lot size of 3,500 square feet) contributed to those concerns but the Lumber Yard's subsequent and most current owners were determined to preserve the aesthetic of the original space. While the Lumber Yard of today is different from the one that existed over a century ago, the property strongly retains its sense of place and history.

In 2012 local residents Matt and Jan Mathews purchased the property and while they had intended to keep a lumber yard and hardware operation on site, the economics of restoring the historic buildings and the lack of demand from those potential tenants forced them to rethink their plans. The Mathews transformed the space into a pedestrian village where micro-retail abuts local eateries as well as art and work studios. For the first time in the property's long history, it no longer houses an operating lumber yard but it is now a community gathering space where individuals can shop, eat, and enjoy the scenic and historical outdoor setting while taking in views of Mt. Tamalpais and the creek running throughout the property.

COVID-19 has undeniably affected the Lumber Yard. When discussing the effects of the pandemic, Jan Mathews commented, "As with all businesses during COVID, the Lumber Yard and our tenants had significant struggles. However, we all worked together to get through the challenging times, and the community has shown their support as well! Having a beautiful outdoor space, where people can get together with friends, families and coworkers, has been a silver lining for everyone during this time."

Matt Mathews added, "Mill Valley Lumber Yard's motto is 'Craftsmanship and Community since 1892' and we look forward to fostering this intention for generations to come." For a full list of all current shops, eateries, and studios, check out the  Mill Valley Lumber Yard website .

Perhaps the most unique -- and most romantic -- of all residences in Mill Valley, the Ralston White Retreat (also known as "The Garden of Allah") affirms its singular status as it stands surrounded by a lush variety of greenery, fruit trees, and flowers atop the upper ridges of Blithedale Canyon. Join us to learn more about one of Mill Valley's most exceptional architectural gems!

Ralston Lovell White was the only son of Lovell and Laura White, two prominent members of the early Mill Valley community. Lovell was the director of the Tamalpais Land & Water Co., and Laura was a founder of the Outdoor Art Club, an ardent conservationist, and women's activist. When Lovell White passed away in early 1910 Ralston assumed the presidency of the TL&W Co. With the Boerickes being another prominent Bay Area family, Ralston and Ruth's courtship and marriage provided much fodder for the local society pages.

Ralston and Ruth married on April 6, 1910 and construction on their home began soon thereafter. It is said that Ralston built the home as a wedding gift for his new bride and the property features romantic touches such as a heart-shaped lawn and creek-fed pool.

Willis Polk, a prominent Bay Area architect, was retained to design and build the young couple's new home and traces of his distinctive style may be seen in the house: a hand-carved mantlepiece featuring lions' heads, a grand staircase with a finely-carved balustrade, and inviting alcoves. Polk designed the home for Ralston and Ruth to survive fires and earthquakes. Indeed, the home survived the July 1929 fire that started near the property and burned over 110 homes in Mill Valley. To ensure the stability of the Whites' new home, steel girders and concrete were used and today they are visible from the home's third floor. Moving these cumbersome materials to the rather isolated site proved problematic, however. The Mt. Tamalpais and Muir Woods Railroad were used to transport the materials. A slide was made from the railroad tracks at the top of the hill to a terrace just above the homesite. From there, the materials were hauled to a leveled knoll on which the foundation was built.

In 1915, while interior details were not yet completed, the Whites hosted visitors to San Francisco's Panama-Pacific International Exposition at their new home, which they called "The Garden of Allah." The name was inspired by the title of Ralston’s favorite book by the same name written by Robert S. Hichens. Following the home's completion in 1916, Ralston worked closely with Alfons Haapa, a Finnish immigrant, to design the garden. The outdoor space was especially enjoyed by Ruth, Ralston, and their friends and family. Ralston, a baseball fan, would occasionally invite his friends to play a game of baseball on the front lawn. Reviewing historic photographs and documents, it is clear that the house has undergone some alterations since its completion in 1916, but none that detract from its historic form and character.

Ralston White died in September 1943 but Ruth continued to live at the Garden of Allah with relatives. In 1951 she offered the home in trust to the California Academy of Sciences as a memorial to her husband. Six years later, she donated the home to the Northern California Conference of Congregational Churches, later called the United Church of Christ and the home became known as the Ralston L. White Memorial Retreat. As part of the agreement, Ruth retained a small apartment that was constructed behind the main house until her death in 1977. She also asked that the home always be known as the Garden of Allah. In 2005 the home and property were transferred to the Ralston White Retreat Foundation. Today it is used as a venue for group retreats or special events, including weddings.

Christy Schneider has been the  Ralston White Retreat's  reservation manager since 2015. Her enthusiasm for the property's history is palpable and it is clear she cares a great deal about celebrating its past and sharing its story with present-day guests who, she says, often remark, "I've lived in Mill Valley for 50 years and I had no idea this was here!" Prior to March 2020 the Ralston White Retreat was booked a year and a half in advance. During COVID-19, however, the number of guests visiting the property declined significantly, with just three small, outdoor events taking place between March 2020 and May 2021. "It was very quiet up there," remarked Christy. During the closure the Ralston White Retreat worked on some projects on the property, including brush clearing and deferred property maintenance. Reflecting on the challenges Christy and her team have faced over the last 21 months, she says, "We are so lucky to be here today."

To learn more about the history of the Garden of Allah we invite you to listen to two oral history interviews housed in the Lucretia Little History Room:  Jean Barnard , niece of Ruth and Ralston (and former Mill Valley mayor), and  Ruth White Bowie  herself.

Since 1948 Mill Valley has been home to El Paseo, a charming complex home to various shops, galleries, apartments, and restaurants. While its tenants have changed over the years, the arcade has stayed true to developer Edna Foster's vision: a project that was dedicated to Mill Valley's past but adapted to modern business.

In 1935, Mill Valley residents Edna and Henry Foster purchased the three-story historic Holtum Building at 15 Throckmorton, as well as the lot behind it on Sunnyside Avenue. At the time of purchase, the Holtum Building housed a cleaning establishment and shoe repair shop and was generally in poor shape; an "old eyesore," as Edna Foster described it. As an active member of the Marin Art and Garden Club, the Marin Historical Society, the Outdoor Art Club, and the Mill Valley Book Club Edna was extremely involved with the Mill Valley community.

Edna hired local architect Augustus "Gus" Costigan to remodel the Holtum Building. Costigan oversaw the design of many homes and buildings in Marin, including the former Mill Valley Record offices at 70 Throckmorton and the restoration of John Reed's sawmill in Old Mill Park. He was also elected as chairman of the Mill Valley Architectural Advisory Committee in 1960. Costigan worked closely with Edna to help her envision an adjoining complex of buildings, courts, and gardens, with a passageway running from Throckmorton to Sunnyside. She named the complex El Paseo, using the Spanish word paseo, meaning "scenic path."

Design and construction of the complex began in 1940, with two shops and studio apartments completed by the time World War II was beginning. Edna Foster rented those living quarters to servicepeople passing through Mill Valley and organized an art auction with proceeds going to war relief efforts. The war significantly delayed construction, with Costigan lending his talents to the building of bridges and other war-related structures with the Army Combat Engineers in Africa and Italy. Upon his return to Mill Valley following the war Costigan and Edna continued their collaboration on El Paseo, scouring for building materials with an antique look. They acquired adobe bricks from Mexico, beams from a building being torn down at Fort Cronkite, railroad ties and spikes, handmade tiles, and wrought iron fixtures. Costigan hand carved beams and balustrades, inlaid ornamental tiles and plaques, and used champagne bottles to provide a stained glass effect. He also carved rustic signs for the complex that were to become his trademark.

Construction of El Paseo was officially completed in 1948 and a two-day-long party, or "Fiestaval," was held on May 15th and 16th to celebrate the opening of the complex. Festivities included an exhibition of works by the Marin County Association of Artists, music performances, and scores of food.

During its first three decades, El Paseo's tenants included landscape architect Herman Hein, pianist Ethel Harding, photographer Phil Planert, artist and instructor Nevin Kempthorne, interior decorator Charles Durre, and illustrator Alyn Strened. Other tenants and businesses have included the Greenwood Tree art store, John Finn's Accounting, Verne Hockett's Insurance, and Gene Heide's El Paseo Realty. The Christian Science Reading Room and Nora Zimmerman's Mill Valley Health Foods were longtime occupants of the two stores facing Throckmorton Avenue. Dennis McNicoll's  Gallery 15  and Jeffrey Levin and Bonnie Powers's  Poet and the Bench  are among El Paseo's current tenants.

The El Paseo Restaurant has been open continuously since 1947, under various management. The first owners were Mildred Snell and Amy Hanson. In 1957, Mary Harkins took over the restaurant and her vivid, colorful personality endeared her to the Mill Valley community for fifteen years. In 1972, Mark Bottmeyer and Gunter Kollner took over the restaurant where the menu changed from Continental to French fare. A wine bar was added 13 years later. After 33 years of continual service Bottmeyer and Kollner retired in 2005. One year later chef Keiko Takahashi and her sommelier husband Seigo Takei took over as owners. El Paseo earned a Michelin star under their tutelage. On October 7, 2009 they stepped aside as owners, ending an era of French and Continental restaurants that had lasted over 52 years. In 2011 celebrity chef and Food Network star Tyler Florence opened El Paseo House of Chops in partnership with musician Sammy Hagar. When Florence parted ways after a few years, Hagar flipped the menu to Spanish fare and remained the owner until 2018.

In December 2021, after understandable delays caused by COVID-19, longtime Mill Valley resident Ki Yong Choi opened  Paseo: A California Bistro  with Chef Brandon Breazeale and Sous Chef Kevin Cornwell. The menu features naturally harvested, seasonal fare sourced within 100 miles. In recent interviews, General Manager Kevin Pacotti assured the local community that the intent was to adhere to the time-honored style of the historic location as much as possible. Lastly, we encourage you to spend some time with  Edna Foster's oral history interview , housed in the Mill Valley Public Library, to learn more about the construction and history of the building, in Edna's words.

Do you have other photographs or memories about this building? Please contact the  Lucretia Little History Room  and share! Together we can build an even more complete picture of Mill Valley's rich and fascinating past.