WikiPortallus: Lucas Valley-Marinwood, California.html

In April 1845 James Miller of Irish decent arrived in San Rafael after enduring the first overland migration over the Sierra without fatalities. Then, in 1846 he purchased 680 acres (2.8 km²) of land from Timothy Murphy, grantee of San Rafael. The land encompassed present day Marinwood and a creek which was later named Miller Creek. He rebuilt an old adobe on a hill where the Miller Creek condominiums are located and called it Miller Hall. By 1862 Miller had 10 children a 3/4 acre site next to Miller Creek to have the Dixie School built upon it. The building still stands but has been relocated in front of Miller Creek Middle school on Las Gallinas Avenue. It is also part of the National Registry of Historic Places. James Miller passed away in 1890. The 1,084-acre (4.39 km²) ranch he owned at the time was eventually sold to the Sequeira family in 1935. The family tore down miller hall later that year. In the 1950s and 60's, suburbia came to Marinwood and Lucas Valley. It was brought on the shoulders of modernist architect Joseph Eichler. His highly recognizable and stylish households can be found through out Lucas Valley and Eastern Marinwood. The Lucas Valley community center and pool were also constructed by Eichler as a centerpiece of the neighborhood.

Demographics

As of the census² of 2000, there were 6,357 people, 2,369 households, and 1,764 families, residing in the CDP. The population density was 1,134.3 people per square mile (438.3/km²). There were 2,392 housing units at an average density of 426.8/sq mi (164.9/km²). The racial makeup of the CDP was 88.82% White, 0.80% African American, 0.22% Native American, 5.98% Asian, 0.09% Pacific Islander, 1.13% from other races, and 2.96% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 4.20% of the population.

Lucas Valley

There were 2,369 households out of which 37.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 61.5% were married couples living together, 10.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 25.5% were non-families. 19.9% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.64 and the average family size was 3.03.

In the CDP the population was spread out with 26.6% under the age of 18, 3.6% from 18 to 24, 23.8% from 25 to 44, 30.2% from 45 to 64, and 15.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 43 years. For every 100 females there were 91.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 84.4 males.

The median income for a household in the CDP was $85,444, and the median income for a family was $95,852. Males had a median income of $65,583 versus $51,132 for females. The per capita income for the CDP was $38,423. About 2.0% of families and 3.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 2.2% of those under age 18 and 6.3% of those age 65 or over. A major school district in Marinwood is the Dixie school District. It includes three elementary schools- Dixie Lions, Vallecito Eagles, and Mary E. Silveira Stars. In addition, there is also one middle school-Miller Creek Middle School Panthers, a California Distinguished School.

Oddities

The two signs for "Sequeira" Street have two different spellings: the sign marking the turnoff from Lucas Valley is spelled "Sequeria" and the actual street sign shows "Sequeira"

The street names in (lower) Lucas Valley all have 'berry suffixes and are alphabetical from A through N. The Flynn family of Elderberry origins in the mid 1970's still recites them in order at every family gathering as fast as they can. They are:

Appleberry, Blackberry, Cedarberry, Danberry, Elderberry,Flaxberry, Greenberry, Huckleberry, Idyleberry, Juniperberry, Kernberry, Loganberry, Mulberry, Newberry.