Marin County was a different place before the Golden Gate Bridge was completed in 1937, when most of Marin was undeveloped and unpopulated. The bridge made Marin easily accessible to residents of San Francisco looking for warm, fog-free recreation and summer homes. The Second World War brought an influx of residents to work in the Sausalito shipyards. After the war, rampant development permanently changed the character of Marin. Fortunately, much of the natural beauty of Marin remains for us to enjoy (see below).
Marin County View 1926-1928
Here is an exceptional aerial photo of Marin County taken from 15,000 feet in 1926-28. Communities were small, total population was less than 5,000, and land plentiful.
Aerial View of Marin County from 15,000 feet, 1920’s
Here are some landmarks in this aerial photo:
- Front right : San Quentin Peninsula
- Front center: Tidal marshes in front of Corte Madera and Larkspur.
- Front left: Tiburon Peninsula
- Middle left: Mill Valley
- Center: Mount Tamalpais
- Top right: Stinson Beach and Point Reyes Peninsula
Photo courtesy of Lauri Thompson, librarian for the Anne T. Kent California Room, Marin Civic Center library, and Jana Haehl, Corte Madera Historian.