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BHistory
History · Larkspur

Larkspur dates to 1857, and 4 of its places are on the National Register

More historic than 63% of U.S. towns · #82 of 847 in California. What drives it

Most of Larkspur was built recently: 10% of its homes predate 1940 and the median home dates from 1970. 4 places in town are on the National Register, among them a historic district with 41 buildings. Below: maps from 1897 on and the census since 1910.

1857founded
4on the National Register
10%homes built before 1940
2famous people
Add an old photoShare a memory
Quick answers

How Larkspur began

When was Larkspur founded?

1857

Larkspur dates its founding to 1857 (Wikidata). The census first counted it in 1910.

First census: 594 in 19102020 census: 13,064169 years

How historic is Larkspur?

B

More historic than 63% of U.S. towns, on its age, its old homes and the National Register.

What drives the grade ↓
Founding year: Wikidata. First post office: 1891.The full story ↓
History grade

What drives Larkspur’s History grade

On its age, its old homes and the National Register, Larkspur is more historic than 63% of U.S. towns, #82 of 847 in California. Its National Register listings hold the grade up; its age pulls it down.

B
HistoryA character grade: shown, never part of Larkspur’s overall grade.
Founding era1857, from Wikidata: founded 1850–1899, an older era than 37% of U.S. townsC+Homes built before 19409.6% of homes (±2.5) · typical CA town 3.4% · U.S. 8.4%B−National Register4 listings, 42 historic buildings, 32.7 per 10,000 residents · typical CA town 0.0 · U.S. 2.4A
All U.S. towns we grade (21,289)Ahead of 63%
NewerOlder
California towns of 2,500+ (847)Ahead of 90%

Few California towns list much on the Register (a typical California town has 0.0 per 10,000 residents, the U.S. 2.4), so Larkspur’s 32.7 sits above most of its state (96% of California towns have fewer) while its 42 historic buildings outnumber those of 84% of U.S. towns.

NoteThe founding year comes from Wikidata alone; no second source gives 1857.
How sure. Graded on any two of the three inputs instead, the letter would range from C to A−. The pre-1940 share (±2.5 points) is firm at this size.

Founding year: Wikidata (other dates in Quick answers). Homes: Census ACS 2020–24. National Register: National Park Service, May 2026 list; each listing counted once (boundary changes and added documentation belong to their listing), and a historic district counts its contributing buildings. How TownRatings grades history →

What stands out about Larkspur’s past

Read from the archive, the National Register and the record. The page puts what stands out first.

A history waiting to be writtenNo old photos of Larkspur are in the public archives yet. The rest are in attics and albums.On the map since 18976 editions of the USGS map, 1897 to 1993. Watch Larkspur change.A historic districtThe Larkspur Downtown Historic District takes in 41 historic buildings.Landmarks on the Register4 places on the National Register.
★ What stands out · Help out

Start Larkspur’s collection

The first neighbors to add old photos shape how Larkspur’s history is told.

Decades since 1900 with photos
00s10s20s30s40s50s60s70s80s90s
0 of 10 decades. The empty ones are waiting for someone’s album.
Share a family photoSign in to add one+10
On the map

Larkspur on the map, 1897 to 1993

Every edition of the U.S. Geological Survey’s map of Larkspur. Tap a year, or press play to watch the town change.

Larkspur on the 1897 USGS mapLarkspur on the 1941 USGS mapLarkspur on the 1954 USGS mapLarkspur on the 1968 USGS mapLarkspur on the 1980 USGS mapLarkspur on the 1993 USGS map1897Tamalpais sheet · 1:62,500

U.S. Geological Survey historical topographic maps (public domain), via Esri’s collection of the scans. The red ring marks the center of Larkspur.

On the National Register

4 listings protect 42 historic buildings

The country’s official list of buildings and places worth saving.

places listed
4
National Historic Landmarks
0
none yet
historic buildings protected
42
each building in a district counts
first listed
1978
Green Brae Brick Yard
Larkspur Downtown Historic DistrictAlexander-Acacia BridgeGreen Brae Brick YardDolliver House
BuildingsDistrictsStructures

Architectural styles listings

Greek Revival1
Queen Anne1
Mission Revival1
California Bungalow1
Stick/Eastlake1
Larkspur Downtown Historic DistrictGreek Revival
Alexander-Acacia BridgeStructure
All 4 listings
Green Brae Brick YardStructure · listed 1978Dolliver HouseBuilding · listed 1978

National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places. Photos from Wikimedia Commons, credited on each place’s page.

The story

How Larkspur came to be

From Wikipedia’s history of Larkspur.

Read it all →

Charles W. Wright laid out the town in 1887. The first post office opened in 1891. Larkspur incorporated in 1908.

Larkspur's Downtown Historic District, known also as Old Downtown Larkspur, is a historic district that was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1982. The restored Art Deco Lark Theater is part of this downtown district. The historic Blue Rock building, originally opened in the 1890's, is currently home to popular restaurant The Left Bank.

Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.

Timeline

Larkspur, 1857 to 1998

Woven from the archive, old maps, post office records, the National Register and the people born here.

  1. 19th century
  2. 1857
    FoundingLarkspur is established
  3. 1891Post officeThe Larkspur post office opens
  4. 1897On the mapFirst mapped by the U.S. Geological Survey
  5. 20th century
  6. 1960Born hereBuddy Biancalana is born here
  7. 1998Born hereJake Curhan is born here
By decade

Larkspur, decade by decade

Today6 recent
Sir Francis Drake sculpture, Larkspur, CA (cropped)2011Sir Francis Drake sculpture, Larkspur, CA (cropped)Tidal Larkspur Creek with Mt. Tamalpais Charles Kennard2010Tidal Larkspur Creek with Mt. Tamalpais Charles Kenna…Abandoned greenhouses 42008Abandoned greenhouses 4Abandoned greenhouses 32008Abandoned greenhouses 3Abandoned greenhouses 22008Abandoned greenhouses 2Abandoned greenhouses 12008Abandoned greenhouses 1
Every building

Larkspur, building by building, 1909

Fire insurance maps drew every building, what it was made of and what it was used for, so insurers could price the risk of fire. Pick a sheet.

Larkspur fire insurance map, 1909, sheet 11909Sheet 1 of 3
BrickWoodStone

Sanborn Map Company, via the Library of Congress. Editions published in 1930 or earlier, which are in the public domain.

People over time

Larkspur, census by census

02,0004,0006,0008,00010,00012,00014,00019201940196019802000202013,064

Grew from 594 people in 1910 to 13,064 in 2020, more than tenfold.

12 censuses, 1910–2020.

U.S. Census Bureau decennial counts, from the census table on Larkspur’s Wikipedia page.

Famous people

2 famous people were born in Larkspur

Writers, athletes, leaders and more, ranked by how widely they’re known.

See all →
Jake CurhanAmerican football player · b. 1998
Buddy BiancalanaAmerican baseball player · b. 1960
Places that used to be

Old corners

Larkspur’s post office has been open since 1891.

Hamlets and corners on the map
Baltimore ParkEscalle

US Post Offices dataset (Blevins & Helbock, CC0). Places and cemeteries from the USGS Geographic Names Information System (2021).

Stories next door

History across the town line

Each neighbor’s History grade, on the same three inputs.

KentfieldIts storyC−Corte MaderaIts storyCSan Rafael8 historic placesA−Mill Valley4 historic placesA−

Questions about Larkspur’s history

What year was Larkspur founded?

In 1857, according to Wikidata. Larkspur’s post office opened in 1891, and the census of 1910 counted 594 people here.

How does Larkspur rank for history?

Larkspur is more historic than 63% of U.S. towns, #82 of 847 in California. The History grade combines the town’s founding era, the share of homes built before 1940 and its National Register listings. It’s a character grade, so it isn’t part of the overall grade. How it works.

What is on the National Register in Larkspur?

4 listings: 1 building, 1 historic district, the Larkspur Downtown Historic District, with 41 contributing buildings, and 2 structures. 42 historic buildings in all.

How old are the homes in Larkspur?

10% of Larkspur’s homes were built before 1940 (Census estimate, ±2.5 points), against a typical 3.4% for a California town; the median home was built in 1970.

Memory lane

What the archives can’t tell you, neighbors can.

Town Square →
Start a conversation
Sources

Where this page comes from

Founding dates: Wikidata, Wikipedia, the U.S. post office records of Blevins & Helbock (CC0) and the Census. Homes by year built: Census ACS 2020–24. National Register of Historic Places: National Park Service (list of May 22, 2026). Old photos, postcards and papers: Wikimedia Commons, the Library of Congress and other public archives, credited on each item’s page. Maps: U.S. Geological Survey historical topographic maps (via Esri) and Sanborn fire-insurance maps (Library of Congress). History text and census tables: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0). Places that used to be: USGS Geographic Names Information System (2021).

From Wikimedia Commons (6), the National Register of Historic Places (4), Wikipedia, Wikidata and Wikipedia for famous people, U.S. Geological Survey historical maps, U.S. Census counts (via Wikipedia), the US Post Offices dataset (Blevins & Helbock), the USGS Geographic Names Information System and Sanborn fire insurance maps (Library of Congress). Archive images are copied here with their credits and licenses, shown on each photo’s page. Refreshed monthly.