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

Cypress Knoll

Photographed By Andrew Ruppenstein, March 9, 2022

1. Cypress Knoll Marker

Inscription. Click to hear the inscription.

Built 1885
Oldest standing house in Mill Valley

Home of Carmelita Garcia Boyle and Hugh Boyle. Carmelita's mother was the widow of John Reed, the original settler of Mill Valley. Carmelita inherited 325 acres of John Reed's vast holdings from her mother. Carmelita and Hugh Boyle donated Boyle Park to the city, gave part of the property to their children, and sold the remainder. In 2004, the remains of three bodies were discovered beneath the house dating back to the 1800's.

Erected 2018 by Mill Valley Historical Society.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Settlements & Settlers.

Location. 37° 54.249′ N, 122° 32.246′ W. Marker is in Mill Valley, California, in Marin County. Marker is on Manor Terrace west of Elm Street, on the right when traveling west. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 10 Manor Terrace, 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. Grist Mill Stones (approx. half a mile away); Outdoor Art Club (approx. half a mile away);

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Old Mill Market Hikers' Trail Map (approx. 0.6 miles away); Mill Valley Railroad Depot (approx. 0.6 miles away); Reed's Mill (approx. 0.9 miles away); John Reed's Saw Mill (approx. one mile away); Fall in Muir Woods (approx. 2.1 miles away); Preserving the Forest Primeval (approx. 2.1 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Mill Valley.

More about this marker. Parking on Manor Terrace is likely to be very difficult. A better choice would probably be to park on Elm Street and walk the 100 feet uphill to the house.

Also see . . . Vignette - Cypress Knoll (Mill Valley Historical Society).

"In either 1871 or 1885, depending on the historical source, Carmelita and Hugh Boyle built a house at #10 Manor Terrace and named it “Cypress Knoll”. In 2004, new owners of the house hired contractors to replace several posts and piers under the house to shore up the foundation. On April 24, 2004, workers found a redwood box directly below a pier near the center of the house. The box was removed and identified as a coffin. The County Coroner immediately took over the investigation and consulted archeologists and historians. It was determined that the coffin had been made before 1885. Inside was the body of a Caucasian male in his late thirties
Photographed By Andrew Ruppenstein, March 9, 2022

2. Cypress Knoll and Marker
The marker is visible here on the right, set amongst the rocks in the retaining wall.
or early forties, between 5’-8” and 5’-10” tall. He was wearing finely woven wool pants and a matching silk-lined coat. Several glass buttons were also in the coffin. In spite of considerable study and DNA analysis, the identity of the gentleman remains a mystery."

(Submitted on March 10, 2022.)

Cypress Knoll - marker inset image. Click for full size.

courtesy of Mill Valley Historical Society (via SFGate.com), 1913

3. Cypress Knoll - marker inset

Credits. This page was last revised on March 10, 2022. It was originally submitted on March 10, 2022, by Andrew Ruppenstein of Lamorinda, California. This page has been viewed 196 times since then and 116 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on March 10, 2022, by Andrew Ruppenstein of Lamorinda, California.