Terra Linda, San Rafael, California facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Terra Linda
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Terra Linda
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 Terra Linda
Location in California
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| Country | United States |
| State | California |
| County | Marin County |
| City | Terra Linda |
| Elevation | 171 ft (52 m) |
Terra Linda is a friendly community located in the city of San Rafael, California. Its name comes from Portuguese and means "Beautiful Land." This area used to be an unincorporated community within Marin County. It sits about 171 feet (52 meters) above sea level.
Terra Linda is a place where people live and where you can find some businesses and offices. It's in the Las Gallinas Valley area of Marin County. This spot is about 14 miles (23 km) north of the famous Golden Gate Bridge. Many of the homes here, around 900 of them, were built by a famous designer named Joseph Eichler.
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Exploring Terra Linda's Past
Terra Linda has a rich history! It was once part of a large ranch owned by the Manuel T. Freitas family. They were Portuguese immigrants who owned land from an old Mexican land grant called Rancho San Pedro, Santa Margarita y Las Gallinas. This ranch used to be a dairy farm. Today, where the ranch house once stood, you'll find St. Isabella's Catholic Church and School.
How Terra Linda Grew and Changed
Terra Linda shares its ZIP Code 94903 with nearby areas like Santa Venetia, Marinwood, and Lucas Valley. The Terra Linda post office opened in 1961. The main streets you'll see are Las Gallinas, Freitas Parkway, and Redwood Highway.
Early residents of Terra Linda created special groups to manage public services and parks. These groups built many of the public facilities you see today. In the early 1970s, people voted to join these services with the City of San Rafael. Today, about 10,000 people call Terra Linda home.
Ancient Roots: The Coast Miwok People
Before any of these buildings existed, Terra Linda was the ancestral home of the Coast Miwok people. Specifically, the land was traditionally lived on by the Tamal Aguasto tribe.
Building the Community: After World War II
Most of Terra Linda was built after World War II, with construction largely finished by 1970. A company called Alliance Construction first developed the area. The very first homes were model houses on Hyacinth Way. They were built in a style called Mid-century modern, also known as Eichler homes. These homes had special features like concrete foundations, warm floors (hydronic heat), cork floors, and unique low ceilings with open beams. They also had cool windows that let in lots of light. Joseph Eichler built about 900 of these distinct homes between 1955 and 1965. Their unique look gives the area a special historical feel.
Protecting Open Spaces
The main roads in the valley, Manuel T. Freitas Parkway and Del Ganado Road, follow Santa Margarita Creek. In the early 1960s, the creek bed was covered with cement and turned into a storm drain when the area was developed. There are now plans to bring the creek back to its natural state and redesign Freitas Parkway to fit the creek. This project is estimated to cost around $20 million.
In 1972, San Rafael residents voted to buy open spaces across the city, including parts of North San Rafael. Then, in 1975, Terra Linda residents also voted to set aside money to buy more open land. These funds were combined with money from San Rafael and the Open Space District to buy the hills and ridges surrounding Terra Linda. This helped protect these beautiful natural areas for everyone to enjoy.
Learning in Terra Linda: Schools
Terra Linda has many great schools for students of all ages!
Elementary and Middle Schools
The Miller Creek Elementary School District serves younger students. This district includes:
- Lucas Valley Elementary School
- Mary Silveira Elementary School
- Vallecito Elementary School
- Miller Creek Middle School
High School Education
For older students, there's Terra Linda High School. This school is known for its sports teams, like the 2010 NCS 2A Redwood Empire Wrestling Champions! Terra Linda High School is a friendly rival of San Rafael High School, and both are part of the San Rafael City High School District.
Private School Options
Terra Linda also has several private schools:
- St. Isabella's Parish School: A Catholic school for grades K-8, part of the Archdiocese of San Francisco.
- St. Marks private school: This school was once called Don Timoteo Elementary School, named after Don Timoteo Murphy, an important early resident of Marin County.
- Montessori: This school operates within the Christ Presbyterian Church facilities.
Specialized Education: Marindale School
Terra Linda's Marindale School was a special pioneer in education starting in the 1950s. It was a school for students with orthopedic disabilities. Marindale offered a unique mix of specialized teaching and regular classroom time, allowing its students to join classes at the nearby Santa Margarita School for part of each day.
Other Cool Places in Terra Linda
Terra Linda is home to some interesting and important facilities.
Guide Dogs for the Blind
The Guide Dogs for the Blind organization is located right at the edge of Terra Linda. This group helps train guide dogs for people who are blind or visually impaired. You might even see their "students" and trainers walking around the streets of Terra Linda and San Rafael!
Northgate Mall: Shopping Fun
The Mall at Northgate is the only enclosed shopping mall in Marin County. It has many stores, including Macy's (which used to be The Emporium) and Kohl's (which was Mervyn's). There's also a large 15-screen movie theater complex, perfect for catching the latest films!
Kaiser Hospital: Health Care Close By
Kaiser Hospital and clinic is a big medical facility in the Kaiser Permanente network. It's one of the main full-service hospitals in the North Bay area and is located on a hill on the south side of Terra Linda.
Marin County Civic Center: A Famous Building
Just across U.S. Highway 101 from Terra Linda, you'll find the famous Marin County Civic Center building. This amazing building was designed by the well-known architect Frank Lloyd Wright.
Famous People from Terra Linda
Many talented people have lived in or have connections to Terra Linda!
- Joseph Alessi: A 1977 graduate of Terra Linda High School, Joseph is a talented trombonist. He is the Principal Trombone of the New York Philharmonic orchestra.
- Stacey Bailey: Stacey graduated from Terra Linda High School in 1978 and went on to play college football at San Jose State. He then had a career with the Atlanta Falcons from 1982 to 1990.
- Alvah Bessie: A well-known Hollywood screenwriter and author, Alvah Bessie lived in Terra Linda until he passed away in 1985.
- Ann Curtis Cuneo: Ann was an Olympic swimmer who won multiple gold medals for the U.S. She ran her own private swim club and swim team in Terra Linda for 20 years.
- Susan DeMattei: Susan, a mountain biker, won a bronze medal at the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta, Georgia. She was born and grew up in nearby San Rafael.
- Michael Gold: A novelist, Michael Gold wrote the famous book Jews Without Money, which was about the Great Depression era.
- James Hetfield: The lead singer and rhythm guitarist for the famous thrash metal band Metallica, James Hetfield moved to Terra Linda around 2009.
- Bill Lee: Bill was a Major League Baseball pitcher for the Boston Red Sox and the Montreal Expos. He graduated from Terra Linda High School in 1964.
