Chronological History of San Anselmo
 

1839	Mexico grants Domingo Sais 6,658 acres, including Sleepy Hollow and northern half of San Anselmo. Sais builds first permanent home.
1840	A second grant awarded to Juan Cooper covering the southern portion of San Anselmo.
1851	Harvey Butterfield begins a dairy ranch in Sleepy Hollow.
1853	Domingo Sais dies. The breakup of his lands begins.
1856	James Ross buys Cooper's land grant.
1860	James Ross dies triggering several San Anselmo land sales.
1861	Daniel Showalter kills fellow State legislator Charles Piercy in a duel at Lansdale.
1869	First large house in San Anselmo; two-story home built by Minthorne Tompkins.
1874	North Pacific Coast Railway adds spur track from San Anselmo to San Rafael and in 1875 completes line from Sausalito to Tomales via San Anselmo.
1876	The first school opens on Butterfield Road.
1880	Great Red Hill Cemetery road built by Dr. Henry DuBois.
1881	San Anselmo's first subdivision, Sunnyside, holds lot sales.
1883	Station renamed San Anselmo after being called Junction since 1875.
1890	Contract for main building of San Francisco Theological Seminary let for $52,000.
1892	The Seminary relocates to San Anselmo.
1892	San Anselmo post office established.
1892	First homes receive electricity.
1893	San Anselmo School District is formed.
1898	Main School opens.
1899	Trees planted along the highway between San Anselmo and Ross Stations.
1900	New buildings of the Presbyterian Orphanage at San Anselmo dedicated February 4th.
1903	Electric rail service starts October 17th between Sausalito, Mill Valley and San Rafael via San Anselmo.
1903	First homes receive telephone service.
1904	The Bush Tract of 447 acres between San Anselmo and Fairfax sold to Hoag and Lansdale for $40,000.
1906	The April 18th earthquake brings an influx of new residents. Seminary Buildings are damaged to the extent of $25,000.
1907	San Anselmo incorporated.
1907	Independent Volunteer Fire Department organized in August.
1908	Chamber of Commerce organized.
1909	Lansdale School opens.
1910	James Tunstead donates land for Town Hall and fire house.
1910	Rossi's Villa burns in December. Cheda Building constructed on site the following year.
1911	Contract for building of Town Hall and Fire House let for $5,291 in January.
1911	San Anselmo Herald founded.
1913	Robert Dollar School at Presbyterian Orphanage destroyed by fire in May.
1914	A bandit holds up the Bank of San Anselmo in March.
1915	The San Anselmo Carnegie Library dedicated in February.
1922	A heavy snowfall covered Marin February 2nd; six inches deep in places.
1922	Main buildings of the Presbyterian Orphanage destroyed by fire in May. Loss estimated at $100,000. No children injured.
1924	Town buys land for recreation (Memorial Park).
1924	St. Anselm's School opens.
1925	Sleepy Hollow Dairy sold to developers.
1925	Worst flood in the history of Marin followed seven inch rainfall in February. San Anselmo, Ross, and Kentfield suffer heaviest damage.
1926	San Anselmo Women’s Club open new clubhouse on Tunstead Avenue.
1926	Home mail delivery begins.
1927	Red Hill School built; later changed to Isabel Cook School. Lansdale School name changed to Yolansdale School.
1929	A fire starting on Bald Hill burns over 250 acres in August.
1938	Sir Francis Drake School built on site of present high school. Continues until 1948.
1940	February storms brings 11.38 inches of rain in three days and $10,000 damage.
1941	Two Air Force planes crash on Bald Hill on November 2nd. Pilots killed.
1941	Passenger train service through San Anselmo ends; freight service in 1942.
1943	Several hundred Army, Navy and civilian firefighters battle blaze starting on Bald Hill and endangering Ross Valley, on September 2nd.
1946	Wade Thomas School built on site of old Main School.
1947	Red Hill School renamed Isabel Cook School. Brookside School built.
1948	Carmel Booth first woman elected to City Council.
1950	Sir Francis Drake High School opens in September.
1952	Geneva Hall built on the crown of Seminary Hill.
1957	Hotaling Mansion in Sleepy Hollow destroyed by fire.
1957	Hidden Valley (Upper Brookside) School opens.
1960	Contract awarded in January to demolish old Northwestern Pacific powerhouse building at the Hub.
1961	San Anselmo Fire Station No. 2 opens in February.
1963	Town's historic train station razed.
1965	San Domenico moves to new Sleepy Hollow campus.
1965	City Council opposes U.S. Army Engineers proposed flood control plan to put concrete ditch through San Anselmo.
1965	City acquires 62 acre Sorich Ranch in October.
1966	Red Hill Middle School opens.
1967	Four apartment buildings collapse in slide on Red Hill during heavy rains in January.
1967	Grand opening of Red Hill Shopping Center on June 28.
1974	Gift of fourteen acres of open space for park given to city by Frederick Faude.
1974	Fire destroys Robson Estate carriage house.
1979	Town Hall’s renovation completed and building is dedicated. Robson Harrington House refurbished for public use.
1982	A flood caused by a combination of heavy storms and high tides brings disastrous results.
1982	San Anselmo and Fairfax Fire Departments merge.
1984	San Anselmo and Fairfax School Districts merge.
1987	San Anselmo celebrates its 80th birthday.

Use of text and photos prohibited without permission from the The San Anselmo Historical Society