This Week in Marin History
Archives
May 2010

Sleeping maiden

On May 22, 1921, the Mountain Theatre presented for the first time its beloved mountain play Tamalpa, written by Dan Totheroh. Totheroh had hoped to find an actual legend about Mt. Tamalpais from the Tamal Indians themselves, but resorted to creating his own—“…the story of the purple maiden asleep forever on the slopes of the Mountain, her full length figure outlined against the sky.” Produced eight times between 1921 and 1970, it was Totheroh’s play that gave Mt. Tamalpais its nickname, “The Sleeping Maiden.” The playwright and director is commemorated by a plaque at the Theatre that reads “ ‘My feet will mark the trail of stars.’ Tamalpa. 1894-Dan Totheroh-1976.”

Program and Ticket from 1921 Mountain Play "Tamalpa," 1921. (MHM collection)

Monkey business

On May 18, 1912, an article in the Marin County Tocsin (one of the county’s earliest newspapers) reported on the escape of monkeys from Boyd Park in San Rafael. “Four escaped and militant monkeys for some days past have made things lively in the Boyd Park in this city. Some days ago they escaped from their cages and since that time, despite the wiles of an army of amateur monkey catchers, are still at large.” According to the Marin Journal, the monkeys were recaptured days later. Since then, the 3-acre Boyd Park has been home to more native (and uncaged) animals, including turtles, quail, rabbits and deer.

Boyd Park, date unknown. (MHM–Jeff Craemer Collection)

Trail blazers

On May 15, 1921, the “Dipsea Trail Hike for Girls” took place once again, in spite of local controversy. Days after the first Dipsea race run by women in 1918, promoter George James declared that the event “…was a sight to remember, seeing these young ladies in the flower of youth…coming down the stretch, some strong while others began to wobble but all game to the core—a fitting tribute to a clean life and outdoor athletics.” However, despite its popularity, the all-women event was discontinued in 1922 due to opposition from clergy and physicians objecting to the “hiking costumes” and “undue stress on women’s bodies.” In wasn’t until 1971 when the race became officially “coed.”

Dipsea women hikers at the starting line in Mill Valley, c.1920. (MHM–Schulze Collection)

The Kent tree

On May 5, 1929, a Muir Woods fir—not a redwood—was dedicated to the memory of William Kent. The 220-foot Douglas fir, the largest fir on the mountain, was reportedly the favorite tree of Kent, who donated Muir Woods to the government in 1908. In 1928, a plaque honoring Kent had been placed on a boulder next to the tree near the start of Fern Canyon Trail. (The rock, transported by flatcar on the Mountain Railway, rolled off 200 yards short of the site, but was successfully carried to its rightful place.) The boulder still stands, but in 2003 the great fir fell “with a thunderous boom” across the trail, closing it until a “detour” was created.

Muir Woods, date unknown. (MHM–Fusselman Collection)