Laurel House History

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In 1943, the Kittle family, long time owners of the eleven acres on which the Marin Art and Garden Center is now located, decided to sell the property for a post-World War II subdivision. Caroline Livermore, who was a Ross resident and president of the Marin Conservation League at the time, envisioned a different use for this beautiful property. She worked to bring together eight autonomous Marin non-profit groups to be part of a cultural center that would be housed on the grounds. In 1945, they formed a non-profit corporation and bought the property for $25,000.

Mrs. Livermore realized, too, that a fundraising auxiliary dedicated to raising money for the maintenance of this center would be needed. On a summer day in those early years, Mrs. Livermore and some of her friends held their first fundraiser, a luncheon and card party for sixteen people. The event was held under the trees at the Art and Garden Center. The ladies' chauffeurs brought the silver, china, linens, tables, chairs, flower arrangements and food and set everything up for a lovely event. A special feature of the day was that each person was to bring something from her home to donate, to be sold to the others, with proceeds going to the center. They made $15.00 and were delighted.

On a slightly more ambitious scale, the antique shop had its beginnings in 1947 as a means of raising money for the Center but operated only on the six Wednesdays of Northgate's Summer Luncheon series. Merchandise was spread out under the trees, and each night everything was carefully packed up and put in the Bottle House for storage until the next Wednesday.

From that beginning, the shop was first opened in the Studio which is now used as the Ross District Administration Office, but still it was open only on Wednesdays and for a few hours. The next move was to the Asian Room, adjacent to the Decorations Guild. In 1965, Laurel House Antiques opened in its current home. The Center was able to buy the two small homes along Laurel Grove Avenue, and the larger of the two was modified for the antique shop.