A History of Corte Madera
In 2002, the Corte Madera Community Foundation published A History of Corte Madera as a service to the community. This historic overview of Corte Madera’s transition from Mexican land grant rancho to affluent suburb is enhanced by more than 280 photographs, many of them over 100 years old. The book is a compilation of various accounts of Corte Madera history as provided by the many collectors of important facts, interesting anecdotes, and perceptive overviews that contribute to the understanding and enjoyment of Corte Madera.
Tucked away in the green Marin County countryside, Corte Madera, California is a magical blend of contrasts--from its wooded hillsides and bayland waterways to its cozy residential neighborhoods and upscale businesses. Just 12 miles north of San Francisco, this small, vigorous community is within hiking, biking, and driving distance of some of the most beautiful vistas in the western United States.
See how streets, buildings, and vistas looked in bygone years. Enjoy treasured memories shared by oldtimers. Meet fascinating characters. Discover some of Corte Madera’s most interesting qualities in A History of Corte Madera.
The book is accessible at the Corte Madera Library, 707 Meadowsweet Drive. It can also be purchased for $20 at Book Passage, 51 Tamal Vista Boulevard, Corte Madera. A PDF version of A History of Corte Madera can be downloaded for personal use only, through this link: A History of Corte Madera_1.pdf The book has been copyrighted with all rights reserved, and permission to duplicate any part of the book for purposes other than personal use must be obtained in writing from the Corte Madera Community Foundation, P.O. Box 7109, Corte Madera CA 94976.
In 2002, the Corte Madera Community Foundation published A History of Corte Madera as a service to the community. This historic overview of Corte Madera’s transition from Mexican land grant rancho to affluent suburb is enhanced by more than 280 photographs, many of them over 100 years old. The book is a compilation of various accounts of Corte Madera history as provided by the many collectors of important facts, interesting anecdotes, and perceptive overviews that contribute to the understanding and enjoyment of Corte Madera.
Tucked away in the green Marin County countryside, Corte Madera, California is a magical blend of contrasts--from its wooded hillsides and bayland waterways to its cozy residential neighborhoods and upscale businesses. Just 12 miles north of San Francisco, this small, vigorous community is within hiking, biking, and driving distance of some of the most beautiful vistas in the western United States.
See how streets, buildings, and vistas looked in bygone years. Enjoy treasured memories shared by oldtimers. Meet fascinating characters. Discover some of Corte Madera’s most interesting qualities in A History of Corte Madera.
The book is accessible at the Corte Madera Library, 707 Meadowsweet Drive. It can also be purchased for $20 at Book Passage, 51 Tamal Vista Boulevard, Corte Madera. A PDF version of A History of Corte Madera can be downloaded for personal use only, through this link: A History of Corte Madera_1.pdf The book has been copyrighted with all rights reserved, and permission to duplicate any part of the book for purposes other than personal use must be obtained in writing from the Corte Madera Community Foundation, P.O. Box 7109, Corte Madera CA 94976.
EARLY HISTORIES - SOME OFFICIAL, SOME ANECDOTAL
First Land Grant (author unknown) page 1 First Land Grant (author unknown) page 2
OTHER RESOURCES
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rancho_Corte_Madera_del_Presidio
http://geonames.usgs.gov/apex/f?p=gnispq (type in Corte De Madera Del Presidio for 'Name')
First Land Grant (author unknown) page 1 First Land Grant (author unknown) page 2
OTHER RESOURCES
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rancho_Corte_Madera_del_Presidio
http://geonames.usgs.gov/apex/f?p=gnispq (type in Corte De Madera Del Presidio for 'Name')
When California declared statehood in 1850, all public lands were designated as Lands of the United States, rather than Lands of the State of California. Although Mexican land grants were recognized and validated, there were decades of disputes regarding their actual boundaries that had to be resolved by the U.S. Lands Commission. In the meantime, public lands were open to be claimed by any citizen who filed the proper paperwork, and sometimes those claims overlapped the boundaries claimed by holders of Mexican land grants. Such was the case with the Rancho Corte de Madera that was granted to the Irish settler John/Juan Reed by the Mexican government in 1834. Reed died just nine years later, leaving his widow, Hilaria Sanchez Reed (daughter of the commandant of the Mexican Presidio), to manage the sprawling rancho along with the family's struggle to have their claim recognized in full by the U.S. Lands Commission. Click on the link below to view the 12-page federal record detailing the resolution of the Reeds' claim in 1885.
| reed_claim.pdf |