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n Scottish, Greenbrae means “green hillside”—a name reflecting its pastoral history and the many trees still present in the neighborhood. d Los C Greenbrae’s borders run loosely from Highway erros rR no a 101 in the east to Manor Road in the west, and M from the Corte Madera Creek in the south to the northern ridgeline adjoining San Rafael. Its Sir Fra nci ar borders are a mystery to many because half of the sD en rak m l A eB homes in Greenbrae are actually within the city boundarlvd d rR 101 ies of Larkspur, while half are unincorpoAi n o rated. It’s not uncommon for one resident Cre B Marin aks ide to pay taxes to Larkspur while the adjoining General Par unincorporated neighbor pays taxes only to k Hospital the county. Creekside Park, a grassy commons next to the Corte Madera Creek and Marin Catholic High School is claimed by residents of both Kentfield and Greenbrae (the park is in Greenbrae). opened, and Bon Air Shopping Center became Most of the homes in Greenbrae, many with views, are situated an unofficial town center, growing to include more in the hills north of Sir Francis Drake Boulevard. A collection of than 50 stores and offices. apartments and condos, mostly clustered behind Bon Air Shopping Two other important features appeared in Center, runs to Corte Madera Creek. Greenbrae Boardwalk is a the early 50s: a school and a hospital. Greenbrae tight-knit community of houseboats and homes perched on pillars Elementary School was completed in 1951 sunk into the marsh, floating east of Highway 101 in the Corte and thrived for over the next two decades. But Madera Marsh. attendance waned in the 1970s and, like many other schools of the But the hamlet’s history long predates suburban bliss. Areas of time, Greenbrae Elementary was forced to close, shutting its doors Greenbrae, Ross Valley and the tip of the San Quentin peninsula in 1981. Greenbrae kids now attend Bacich Elementary and Kent were once the Rancho Punta de Quentin, granted by Governor Middle School in the Kentfield School District. Juan Bautista Valentine Alvarado to ship-trader Juan Cooper At the time of Greenbrae’s inception, there were two neighin 1840. Changing hands and sizes many times throughout the boring hospitals, but neither could handle the growing Marin ensuing years, it was a huge dairy ranch when sold to the Catholic population. County residents approved funds for a state-of-the-art diocese of San Francisco. hospital, and the site at Bon Air Road was chosen. Opening in In 1940 land-developer Niels Schultz bought it from the church 1952, Marin General Hospital quickly became the primary healthand began building houses. With families moving in, a place to buy care facility in the county. food and other goods was needed. The first store, Bon Air Super With the hospital, Greenbrae had finally developed into the kind Market, opened in the early 1950s. Over the years, it changed hands of self-contained community Schultz envisioned. The Greenbrae and names (once a pharmacy, later Petrini’s market, it’s currently Property Owners Association acts as a liaison between Greenbrae and a bustling Mollie Stone’s). More shops the outside world, enforcing building restrictions and landscaping laws which protect many giant oaks. Residents have a strong sense of community. Neighbors smile while passing each other, and on many streets there is a welcome party when newbies move in. Some changes have occurred over the years, but the essence of the area has remained largely the same. It’s an eclectic mix of folks who take pride in their community and share an appreciation for the “green hillsides” they call home. —SABINA CHAPMAN Pacifi c Sun Hom e & Gard en
photo by Ken Piek ny
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FFIRE STATION Kentfield Fire Department, 1004 Sir Francis Drake Blvd. LLIBRARY Larkspur City Hall, first floor; 400 Magnolia Ave. PARK Creekside Park, Bon Air Road P (across from Marin General Hospital) (a P POST OFFICE 822 College Ave., Kentfield
ered largely Greenbrae’s growth was ste
20 Pacific Sun - Marin’s Best Every Week
by developer Niels Schultz.
P PUBLIC SCHOOLS Bacich Elementary School, A.E. Kent Middle S School, Kentfield; Redwood High School,