Larkspur, California Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids

Larkspur, California

City

City of Larkspur

Larkspur City Hall in 2010

Seal

Location of Larkspur in Marin County, California

Larkspur, California

Location in the United States

California

March 1, 1908

Area

• Total

3.24 sq mi (8.40 km²)

• Land

3.02 sq mi (7.84 km²)

• Water

0.22 sq mi (0.57 km²) 6.66%

Elevation

43 ft (13 m)

Population

(2020)

• Total

13,064

• Density

4,032/sq mi (1,555.2/km²)

Time zone

UTC−08:00 (PST)

• Summer (DST)

UTC−07:00 (PDT)

ZIP Code

94939

Area codes

415/628

FIPS code

06-40438

GNIS feature IDs

1658942, 2411627

View of Larkspur at sunrise as seen from the Blue Rock Inn, formerly Hotel Merwin built in 1895

Larkspur is a city in Marin County, California, United States. It is located about 3 miles (4.8 km) south of San Rafael. The city sits at an elevation of 43 feet (13 meters) above sea level.

As of the 2020 census, Larkspur had a population of 13,064 people. The city shares its police department with the nearby towns of Corte Madera and San Anselmo. This shared police force is called the Central Marin Police Authority.

The main street in Larkspur is Magnolia Avenue. This street runs through the Larkspur Downtown Historic District. You can also find Madrone Canyon, a neighborhood surrounded by a redwood grove. The beautiful Larkspur Creek flows through this area.

Geography
History
Communities
Population Facts
- Population in 2010
- Population in 2000
Transportation
- Ferry Service
- Train Service
Education
Twin Cities
Notable People
Gallery
See also

Geography

Larkspur covers a total area of about 3.24 square miles (8.4 square kilometers). Most of this area, about 3.03 square miles (7.85 square kilometers), is land. The rest, about 0.22 square miles (0.57 square kilometers) or 6.66%, is water.

History

The former Blue Rock Inn

The town of Larkspur was first planned out by Charles W. Wright in 1887. The first post office opened its doors in 1891. Larkspur officially became an incorporated city in 1908.

The Downtown Historic District is also known as Old Downtown Larkspur. This area is very important historically and was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1982. The famous Art Deco Lark Theater is a part of this historic downtown. The historic Blue Rock building, which first opened in the 1890s, is now home to a popular restaurant called The Left Bank.

Communities

Larkspur includes some smaller areas. Murray Park is an unincorporated community within Larkspur. Another area, Escalle, is named after a French immigrant from the 1800s.

Population Facts

Historical population
Census	Pop.	%±
1910	594	—
1920	612	3.0%
1930	1,241	102.8%
1940	1,558	25.5%
1950	2,905	86.5%
1960	5,710	96.6%
1970	10,487	83.7%
1980	11,064	5.5%
1990	11,070	0.1%
2000	12,014	8.5%
2010	11,926	−0.7%
2020	13,064	9.5%
U.S. Decennial Census

Population in 2010

In the 2010 census, Larkspur had 11,926 people. Most of the people living in Larkspur were White (86.5%). Other groups included Asian (4.7%), African American (1.6%), and Native American (0.2%). About 7.7% of the population identified as Hispanic or Latino.

Most people (99%) lived in homes, while a small number lived in group housing or institutions. There were 5,908 households in total. About 22% of these households had children under 18 living there. The average household had 2 people.

The median age in Larkspur was 48.5 years old. This means half the people were younger than 48.5, and half were older.

Population in 2000

In the 2000 census, Larkspur had 12,014 people. The racial makeup was similar to 2010, with most people being non-Hispanic White (82.1%). About 7.7% of the population was Hispanic or Latino.

The median income for a household in Larkspur was $66,710. The median income for a family was higher, at $104,028. A small percentage of families (1.8%) and individuals (3.7%) lived below the poverty line.

Transportation

Ferry Service

Ferries docked at the Larkspur Landing in Larkspur, California.

Larkspur is home to Larkspur Landing, a major ferry terminal for Golden Gate Transit. This terminal offers commuter ferry service between Marin County and the San Francisco Ferry Building in San Francisco. Many people use these ferries to get to work in the Financial District. More than 8,500 people ride these ferries every day. There is also special direct ferry service from the Larkspur Ferry Terminal to Oracle Park for San Francisco Giants baseball games.

Train Service

The Sonoma–Marin Area Rail Transit (SMART) commuter rail service was extended to Larkspur station in 2019. This train line provides daily trips north to the Charles M. Schulz–Sonoma County Airport. There are plans to extend the line even further north to Cloverdale station in the future.

In the past, the North Pacific Coast Railroad (which later became the Northwestern Pacific Railroad) offered train services to Larkspur until 1941.

Education

Several school districts serve the students of Larkspur.

The Larkspur-Corte Madera School District serves most of Larkspur for elementary and middle school.

* Neil Cummins Elementary School (grades K-5) and Hall Middle School (grades 6-8) serve both Larkspur and Corte Madera. * The Cove School reopened in 2014. It serves neighborhoods that were previously served by Neil Cummins Elementary.

A part of Larkspur is in the Kentfield Elementary School District.

The Tamalpais Union High School District serves most of Larkspur for high school. This district includes five high schools in the region.

Another part of Larkspur is in the San Rafael Elementary School District and the San Rafael High School District. These are run together as San Rafael City Schools. Students in this area can choose to attend either San Rafael High School or Terra Linda High School.

Marin Primary and Middle School is a private school located in Larkspur.

Twin Cities

Larkspur has two "twin" or "sister" cities:

Corte Madera, California (a "twin city" nearby)
Shangyu, Zhejiang, China (a "sister city" far away)

Notable People

Many interesting people have lived in Larkspur, including:

Jake Curhan (born 1998), an American football player for the Seattle Seahawks.
Matt Doyle, a Broadway actor.
Leonard Gardner, author of the novel Fat City.
Erin Gray, a television actress.
Janis Joplin, a famous singer, had her last known home in Larkspur.
Charles S. Kilburn, a U.S. Army brigadier general.
Ki Longfellow, an author, grew up in Larkspur's Madrone Canyon.
Gavin Newsom, the current Governor of California, lived in Larkspur when he was younger.
Steve Perry, the former lead singer of the rock band Journey.
Michael Savage, a conservative radio host.
Leon Uris, a writer, wrote his first famous novel, Battle Cry (1953), in Larkspur.
Corinne West, a singer and songwriter.