Terra Linda means "beautiful land" in Portuguese. The family who named the San Rafael valley came from a speck of volcanic rock in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean.
That speck is São Jorge. One of nine islands in the Azores, Portugal's version of Hawaii. It’s nearly a thousand miles from Lisbon. São Jorge is long and narrow with steep cliffs, emerald pastures, and cows. Lots of cows.
Generations of men born there wanted off the island and signed on to be sailors. Yankee whaling ships would cross to the Pacific and stop in San Francisco Bay, including Sausalito’s Whaler’s Cove.
During the Gold Rush, sailors abandoned their ships and headed for the hills to strike it rich. Most never found gold and returned to San Francisco empty-handed.
The Azorean men knew cows, and Marin looked like home: cool fog and green hills. The boomtown across the bay was starving for milk and butter.
By 1862, Marin was California's leading dairy county. And in southern Marin, the dairies were essentially all Portuguese, with most of the families from São Jorge.
Manuel Teixeira Freitas was born on São Jorge in 1853. He arrived with no fortune and built one in California. First a commission business, brokering goods into San Francisco. Then banking. Then land: six Marin ranches, roughly 6,000 acres, including the "Home Ranch" in the valley north of San Rafael.
The suburb came later. In 1953, the family sold 400 acres of the Home Ranch for a planned community. The developers asked the family to name it. Manuel's daughter Rose suggested Terra Linda, beautiful land. The county named the main road Manuel T. Freitas Parkway.
That’s the story of how a Marin neighborhood is tied to a tiny island in the Atlantic Ocean. California is covered in Spanish names. In Spanish, this one would be Tierra Linda. Now you know: Terra Linda is the rare one that’s Portuguese.
p.s. The Freitas family donated ten acres to the Catholic Church with the request to name the new parish St. Isabella. She was a medieval queen of Portugal who fed the hungry, and since life was hard in the Azores, the islands held her especially close. Local festas inspired by her still serve free meals every year, especially in Sausalito and Novato.
Hidden Meadow Trail by Colleen DeLizza
If you’d like to be considered for Scenic Photo of the Week (nature, architecture, wildlife, etc.), please fill this out!
If you wished you were able to go to some of the hottest tickets at the MVFF last year, this is when you should start thinking about 2026. Become a member for access to tickets before the general public (starts at $80/year and you receive discounted tickets).
Mill Valley’s professional theater company will release single tickets to its upcoming season on July 31.
Because leaving Marin might take more planning. Look for our Marin events in the Wednesday email.
Join us Friday, July 31, from 4–7 PM at Cuvaison’s Los Carneros estate. Enjoy a walkaround tasting featuring Cuvaison, Ancien, Aratas, Earthshine, and Brandlin Estate. Shop handmade goods and seasonal treats from local artisans, with bites from Fuego’s Pizzeria available for purchase. Meet Canine Companions and some of their service dogs in training while supporting local businesses and a great cause. Raise a glass and celebrate summer with us!
This popular free event brings in over 250 vendors selling all kinds of wares. Both Saturday 8/1 and Sunday 8/2 from 11am-5pm.
Have you ever seen a dog on a surfboard? What about the world champion dog on a surfboard? Plus, you can visit the world famous Taco Bell slash wedding venue. Saturday 8/1, 9:20am-1:30pm.
It’s the 7th annual, that’s about all I know. 3-10pm, free. (Shout out to Eddie’s List SF for finding this one.)
This is Guerneville’s big weekend, so expect crowds.
Zillow of the Week brought to you by: Making Marin Home. From neighborhood trends to off-market opportunities, our team offers the local real estate expertise that gives you a real advantage. Email [email protected] today.
Please note that this property isn’t associated with the banner sponsor above or Marin Buzz in any way. It is just a unique home you might be interested in seeing, for entertainment purposes only!
$2.5M Mixed-Use Building in Mill Valley
You have driven past this before. Just past Boyle Park, as you arrive in downtown Mill Valley, on your left.
It dates to 1912 and used to be a church, but more recently housed meditation, yoga, and pilates. Downstairs is a 2 bedroom, 1.5 bathroom unit as well, making this an interesting mixed-use gem.
The location is perfect for a business, it’s right across the street from Le Marais Bakery. Or maybe that makes it a perfect spot to live? I suspect the zoning would allow you to use the upstairs as part of the residence. I could live without a big kitchen as the focal point of the home, especially with the bakery right across the street.
I love the herringbone floors, what do you think?
Dorothy is a Springer Spaniel - we wanted to give her an old lady name - but she goes by Dottie.
If you’d like your pet to be considered for Pet of the Week, please fill this out!
Dynamic Wraps & Tint Ribbon Cutting Ceremony
We are celebrating the grand opening and expansion of Dynamic Wraps & Tint with an official Ribbon Cutting Ceremony. Dynamic Wraps & Tint specializes in high-quality commercial vehicle wraps, window tint and paint protection tint. We are excited to celebrate this milestone with our customers, community, friends, and local business partners.
Join us on July 29th for our Ribbon Cutting Ceremony and see our newly expanded facility. Follow Dynamic Wraps & Tint for updates and event details. For more information, visit DynamicVinyl.com or contact us directly.
Thanks for reading. We will be back with the regular events and activities email Wednesday morning!
