Larkspur Downtown Historic District
Also known as: Old Downtown Larkspur
Why it's listed
Magnolia Avenue in Larkspur, Marin County, forms the core of the town's Old Downtown, a district of 52 structures stretching from the Lark Creek Inn to the Lark Theatre and the railroad station. The area grew after land developer C. W. Wright bought the King family dairy ranch in 1875, auctioned lots, and persuaded the railroad to build a station. The 1929 Mission Revival station still stands at the district's eastern edge. Magnolia Avenue, once called the County Road, became a main north-south route through Marin County, and the Blue Rock Hotel drew visitors from San Francisco from the 1890s through Prohibition. Today the original commercial area remains the main commercial area, with the hotel, bank, theatre, barber shop and grocery still in business use. Styles range from Italianate and Queen Anne to Mission Revival and bungalow. About 72 percent of the buildings, mostly commercial structures built between 1880 and 1930, survive, and the original scale of most remains intact.
Significance in brief: The district is considered significant because 72 percent of its buildings, particularly commercial ones built between 1880 and 1930, remain. The original downtown is still the town's main commercial area, and many buildings keep their original scale and uses. The architecture ranges from Greek Revival and Queen Anne to Mission Revival and California bungalow.
Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 82000972, listed October 7, 1982. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 234-552 1/2 Magnolia Ave., Larkspur |
|---|---|
| County | Marin County |
| Listed | October 7, 1982 |
| Reference number | 82000972 |
| Resource type | District |
| Period of significance | 1890's-1930's |
| Architectural style | Mixed styles: Greek Revival, Italianate, Queen Anne, Mission Revival, California bungalow |
| Areas of significance | Commerce, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Still the main commercial area of Larkspur; the hotel, saloon, barber shop, grocery, bank and theatre still have commercial uses, and City Hall and some residences keep their original purposes. Of 52 structures, 12 are non-contributing. |
| Acreage | 14.4 |
| Coordinates | 37.93456, -122.53498 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
This is a historic district. Buildings within its boundary are either contributing (they add to the district's significance) or non-contributing. Owners of contributing income-producing buildings can claim the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit; homeowners should look at state credits. National Register districts impose no design review by themselves; a local historic district ordinance, if one exists, does (the difference explained).
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 82000972.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q6489656
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.