Originally called the "Fairfax Villa," the Marin Town and Country Club property was bought by Carlos (Charles) Pastori and his wife back in 1890 for $15,000. The main house became the restaurant, the Pastoris adding a covered porch which became a dinning area.
During the 1906 earthquake, Carlos was informed that his poultry supplier and his family, the Tarrantinos, had their home and belongings completely destroyed by fire. Carlos invited them to stay with in Fairfax until they could re-establish themselves. The Pastoris thought there would only be a dozen or so and that they would only stay a short while. Eighty members of the Tarrantino family came over and stayed three months. They pitched tents and cooked their meals in large pots in the outdoors.
From 1925 through 1937 the Emporium property was used as a summer retreat for its employees. They built the first swimming pool, added tennis courts and baseball diamonds. n 1937 the Emporium leased their facilities to the Marin School for boys which remained on the property until shortly after the Emporium sold to a San Francisco businessman, Max Friedman in 1943.
Max Friedman operated the property as the Marin Town and Country Club, a first class public recreational resort from 1944 until the end of 1972. The property consisted of 32 plus acres, and the glen situated the former restaurant building, (once operated by the Pastoris but used during the Emporium era as the club house), a number of small cottages and bungalows, a barn, a large swimming pool, tennis courts and a large open field, (a section of which was used as a baseball diamond with accompanying covered bleachers.)
The club officially opened April 27th, 1946. The date marked the beginning of dancing under the stars in the beautiful, newly constructed "Redwood Bowl". Music for that first evening dance was played by Noel Thomas and his band.Over the years many of the big name bands which played the large hotels in San Francisco played at the country club. Among them were the orchestra of Ray Hackett, Skinnay Ennis, Norval Knight, Dick Dildene and Bill Clifford.
The club came to a shocking end in 1972 to the public's shock, and the buildings are still intact where the pools are half filled and home to fish, tadpoles, and mosquitos. Two old cars remain and items from the 50s can still be found on the property.
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