Corte Madera Memories
  • WELCOME
    • HOW IT ALL BEGAN....
  • EARLY HISTORY
    • WHAT'S IN A NAME?
    • FIRST SETTLERS
    • RACETRACKS IN CORTE MADERA?
    • A VILLAGE EMERGES
    • BITS & PIECES >
      • Views from East Peak
    • 1913 "BOOSTERS"
    • RAILROADS
    • 1899 to 2014 VIEWS >
      • ANNOTATED PHOTO & MAP
    • PUSH FOR GROWTH
  • CORTE MADERA BECOMES A TOWN
    • CHRISTMAS TREE HILL HISTORY >
      • EARLY MAP - CHRISTMAS TREE HILL
    • HOMES ARE BUILT
    • HISTORIC PHOTOS
    • HISTORIC PLACES
    • CORTE MADERA WOMEN'S CLUB HISTORY >
      • CM WOMEN'S CLUB IN THE 2000'S
    • 1926 Aerial View from 15,000 Feet
    • LOCAL GOVERNMENT
    • REAL ESTATE AD
    • FAMILIES GROW
    • SCHOOLS
    • BUSINESSES
    • CHURCHES
    • SPORTS
    • OLD TOWN SQUARE
    • MEADOWSWEET DAIRY >
      • STREETS RENAMED
  • OLDTIMERS' MEMORIES SHARED
    • WILLIAM ISAAC PIXLEY
    • HARRY RICHARDS
    • SONIA DELEW
    • LLOYD REA
    • HAROLD & MARY BATES
    • ELSIE THIERBACH
    • AUDA BORDANARO
    • HARRIET CONOW MADEIROS
    • FRED MORRIS
    • LOUISE LAMB
    • JAN VALK
    • AUGUSTINE HALL
    • ALBERT & JEAN LEVESQUE
    • MARY SCHWERDT
    • EDITH SCHLOBOM
    • WILLIAM TALLEY
    • GERALD GRANUCCI
    • ELVA WILSON
    • A VISIT WITH DOROTHY MALMGREN
  • BIG CHANGES AFTER WW II
    • 1952 MASSIVE GROWTH
    • REC CENTER
    • LIONS CLUB
    • BUSINESS BOOM
    • LIBRARY
    • SCHOOLS
    • NEIGHBORHOODS >
      • CHRISTMAS TREE HILL HISTORY
      • MARINER COVE
      • VISTA DEL BAHIA
      • MADERA DEL PRESIDIO
      • MIRA VISTA
  • PUTTING THE BRAKES ON GROWTH
    • NEW ZONING ORDINANCE CUTS DENSITY
    • PUBLIC OPEN SPACE >
      • CORTE MADERA NORTHRIDGE
      • RING MOUNTAIN OPEN SPACE PRESERVE
      • CORTE MADERA ECOLOGICAL RESERVE >
        • HEERDT MARSH
        • CORTE MADERA MARSHES
  • SHARE YOUR OWN STORY
    • ROBERT CARLETON
    • EARL & DONNA HART FAMILY
    • SUE BIGALL
    • KURT NORSTAD
    • ANNETTE PERRY
    • HARRY RICHARDS
    • BILL & PEGGY THOMAS
    • HARRY & ANNETTE SCHRIEBMAN
    • ANDY VIRENO
    • BOB VOGEL
    • ART DONATI
    • LUIS KUBICHEK & BOYS' SOCCER
  • THE TOWN WE LOVE
    • CORTE MADERA SONG
    • SCENIC VISTAS
    • CELEBRATIONS >
      • 50TH ANNIVERSARY
      • COMMEMORATIVE PLAQUE
      • 75TH ANNIVERSARY
      • WOMEN'S CLUB 100TH BIRTHDAY
      • CIVIC ORGANIZATIONS
      • MARQUART LAGOON REGATTA
      • JULY 4TH PARADE 2017
      • 4th of JULY PARADES
      • OKTOBERFEST
      • OKTOBERFEST 2018
      • CMWIC SPRING TEA 2019
      • CORTE MADERA WOMEN'S CLUB
  • CENTENNIAL YEAR EVENTS 1916-2017
    • NEW YEAR'S EVE KICKOFF
    • RAGTIME NIGHT
    • HISTORY WALKS
    • VINTAGE CAR SHOW
    • RING MOUNTAIN HIKE
    • WEEKEND100 EVENTS >
      • 75th ANNIVERSARY TIME CAPSULE
      • FAMILY FUN NIGHT >
        • 2016 TIME CAPSULE
      • WEEKEND100 BIKE PARADE, GAMES, MUSIC, CAKE
      • WEEKEND100 VIDEO
      • WEEKEND100 GROUP PHOTO
      • WEEKEND100 FIREWORKS
      • WEEKEND100 CHILI COOK-OFF & BALL GAME
    • FRED ASTAIRE NIGHT
    • ICE CREAM SOCIAL
    • OKTOBERFEST
    • SNOW DAY
    • TURKEY TROT 2016
    • TURKEY TROT 2017
  • THE BOOK: A HISTORY OF CORTE MADERA
  • LEGAL DISCLAIMER
  • CONTACT US
  • Women's Club Photos
  • WELCOME
    • HOW IT ALL BEGAN....
  • EARLY HISTORY
    • WHAT'S IN A NAME?
    • FIRST SETTLERS
    • RACETRACKS IN CORTE MADERA?
    • A VILLAGE EMERGES
    • BITS & PIECES >
      • Views from East Peak
    • 1913 "BOOSTERS"
    • RAILROADS
    • 1899 to 2014 VIEWS >
      • ANNOTATED PHOTO & MAP
    • PUSH FOR GROWTH
  • CORTE MADERA BECOMES A TOWN
    • CHRISTMAS TREE HILL HISTORY >
      • EARLY MAP - CHRISTMAS TREE HILL
    • HOMES ARE BUILT
    • HISTORIC PHOTOS
    • HISTORIC PLACES
    • CORTE MADERA WOMEN'S CLUB HISTORY >
      • CM WOMEN'S CLUB IN THE 2000'S
    • 1926 Aerial View from 15,000 Feet
    • LOCAL GOVERNMENT
    • REAL ESTATE AD
    • FAMILIES GROW
    • SCHOOLS
    • BUSINESSES
    • CHURCHES
    • SPORTS
    • OLD TOWN SQUARE
    • MEADOWSWEET DAIRY >
      • STREETS RENAMED
  • OLDTIMERS' MEMORIES SHARED
    • WILLIAM ISAAC PIXLEY
    • HARRY RICHARDS
    • SONIA DELEW
    • LLOYD REA
    • HAROLD & MARY BATES
    • ELSIE THIERBACH
    • AUDA BORDANARO
    • HARRIET CONOW MADEIROS
    • FRED MORRIS
    • LOUISE LAMB
    • JAN VALK
    • AUGUSTINE HALL
    • ALBERT & JEAN LEVESQUE
    • MARY SCHWERDT
    • EDITH SCHLOBOM
    • WILLIAM TALLEY
    • GERALD GRANUCCI
    • ELVA WILSON
    • A VISIT WITH DOROTHY MALMGREN
  • BIG CHANGES AFTER WW II
    • 1952 MASSIVE GROWTH
    • REC CENTER
    • LIONS CLUB
    • BUSINESS BOOM
    • LIBRARY
    • SCHOOLS
    • NEIGHBORHOODS >
      • CHRISTMAS TREE HILL HISTORY
      • MARINER COVE
      • VISTA DEL BAHIA
      • MADERA DEL PRESIDIO
      • MIRA VISTA
  • PUTTING THE BRAKES ON GROWTH
    • NEW ZONING ORDINANCE CUTS DENSITY
    • PUBLIC OPEN SPACE >
      • CORTE MADERA NORTHRIDGE
      • RING MOUNTAIN OPEN SPACE PRESERVE
      • CORTE MADERA ECOLOGICAL RESERVE >
        • HEERDT MARSH
        • CORTE MADERA MARSHES
  • SHARE YOUR OWN STORY
    • ROBERT CARLETON
    • EARL & DONNA HART FAMILY
    • SUE BIGALL
    • KURT NORSTAD
    • ANNETTE PERRY
    • HARRY RICHARDS
    • BILL & PEGGY THOMAS
    • HARRY & ANNETTE SCHRIEBMAN
    • ANDY VIRENO
    • BOB VOGEL
    • ART DONATI
    • LUIS KUBICHEK & BOYS' SOCCER
  • THE TOWN WE LOVE
    • CORTE MADERA SONG
    • SCENIC VISTAS
    • CELEBRATIONS >
      • 50TH ANNIVERSARY
      • COMMEMORATIVE PLAQUE
      • 75TH ANNIVERSARY
      • WOMEN'S CLUB 100TH BIRTHDAY
      • CIVIC ORGANIZATIONS
      • MARQUART LAGOON REGATTA
      • JULY 4TH PARADE 2017
      • 4th of JULY PARADES
      • OKTOBERFEST
      • OKTOBERFEST 2018
      • CMWIC SPRING TEA 2019
      • CORTE MADERA WOMEN'S CLUB
  • CENTENNIAL YEAR EVENTS 1916-2017
    • NEW YEAR'S EVE KICKOFF
    • RAGTIME NIGHT
    • HISTORY WALKS
    • VINTAGE CAR SHOW
    • RING MOUNTAIN HIKE
    • WEEKEND100 EVENTS >
      • 75th ANNIVERSARY TIME CAPSULE
      • FAMILY FUN NIGHT >
        • 2016 TIME CAPSULE
      • WEEKEND100 BIKE PARADE, GAMES, MUSIC, CAKE
      • WEEKEND100 VIDEO
      • WEEKEND100 GROUP PHOTO
      • WEEKEND100 FIREWORKS
      • WEEKEND100 CHILI COOK-OFF & BALL GAME
    • FRED ASTAIRE NIGHT
    • ICE CREAM SOCIAL
    • OKTOBERFEST
    • SNOW DAY
    • TURKEY TROT 2016
    • TURKEY TROT 2017
  • THE BOOK: A HISTORY OF CORTE MADERA
  • LEGAL DISCLAIMER
  • CONTACT US
  • Women's Club Photos
Corte Madera Memories
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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.
EARLY HISTORIES - SOME OFFICIAL, SOME ANECDOTAL
First Land Grant (author unknown) page 1       First Land Grant (author unknown) page 2
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
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File Type: pdf
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