Mill Valley in Marin County, California — The American West (Pacific Coastal)

John Reed's Saw Mill

Photographed By Andrew Ruppenstein, July 6, 2013

1. John Reed's Saw Mill Marker

Inscription. Two miles west is the old saw mill, from which the city of Mill Valley acquired its name. It was constructed in the 1830's by John Reed, grantee of the Rancho Corte De Madera Del Presidio. The creek waters furnished the motive power for the mill, which was the first in the San Francisco Bay region to supply lumber.

State Registered Landmark No. 207

Marker placed by California Centennials Commission in cooperation with Marin County Historical Society.
Dedicated April 17, 1950.

Erected 1950 by California Centennials Commission, Marin County Historical Society. (Marker Number 207.)

Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Industry & Commerce • Settlements & Settlers. In addition, it is included in the California Historical Landmarks series list. A significant historical date for this entry is April 17, 1950.

Location. 37° 54.226′ N, 122° 31.147′ W. Marker is in Mill Valley, California, in Marin County. Marker is at the intersection of East Blithedale Avenue and Tower Drive, on the right when traveling west on East Blithedale Avenue. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Mill Valley CA 94941, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 2 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies. Cypress Knoll (approx. one mile away); Grist Mill Stones (approx.

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1½ miles away); Outdoor Art Club (approx. 1½ miles away); Old Mill Market Hikers' Trail Map (approx. 1.6 miles away); Mill Valley Railroad Depot (approx. 1.6 miles away); The Trestle and Blackie's Pasture (approx. 1.7 miles away); Shapero Bridge (approx. 1.7 miles away); Saving and Protecting Our Bay (approx. 1.7 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Mill Valley.

Also see . . . History of Early Mill Valley - Mill Valley Historical Society. "...In 1834, Reed became a citizen of Mexico, in the year of the secularization of the missions. Frustrated in his attempt to acquire the Sausalito peninsula he was nevertheless assigned the first Mexican land grant north of the bay. The wilderness of modern Tiburon, Belvedere, Corinthian Island and parts of Corte Madera and Mill Valley became the 'Rancho Corte Madera del Presidio' literally where wood is cut for the Presidio. To process the wood Reed built the first saw mill in Marin County in the future 'Cascade Canyon' (the 'Old Mill' of Mill Valley). To equip his mill he had to trade the resources from his land,
Photographed By Andrew Ruppenstein, July 6, 2013

2. John Reed's Saw Mill Marker - Wide View, Looking North Across East Blithedale Ave.
300 elk skins, 20 bear skins and 200 cattle hides with the Russians at Fort Ross for a circular saw, a grist mill (probably the origin of the stone now in the yard of the Outdoor Art Club in Mill Valley) flour, guns and ammunition." (Submitted on December 28, 2015.)

<i>Old Saw Mill, Erected 1832, Mill Valley, California. image. Click for full size.

circa 1915

3. Old Saw Mill, Erected 1832, Mill Valley, California.

Credits. This page was last revised on June 16, 2016. It was originally submitted on December 28, 2015, by Andrew Ruppenstein of Lamorinda, California. This page has been viewed 585 times since then and 23 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on December 28, 2015, by Andrew Ruppenstein of Lamorinda, California.