copyrighted Marin County Free Library. Anne T. Kent California Room January 28, 1976 Copyright 2009, Anne T. Kent California Room, Marin County Free Library
Description
Ruth Bowie was born in San Francisco in 1888, the daughter of a homeopathic physician. She describes her early private schooling, trips abroad, and her first marriage, to Ralston Lovell White in 1910, and their subsequent 400-mile honeymoon on horseback from Paso Robles to San Francisco. She also describes the construction of "Garden of Allah," their Willis Polk-designed mansion in Mill Valley, and later disposing of the property as a memorial to Mr. White. Also recounted is her raising of $100,000 in World War I for French widows, and her charity work with Sunny Hills and the Junior League. Ruth tells of living abroad from 1930-1939 and in 1955 marrying Dr. Robert C. Bowie.
From 1974 to 1984, Carla Ehat, with partner Anne Kent, and later Genevieve Martinelli, interviewed a broad spectrum of Marin County's long-time residents, from ranchers to politicians, including descendants of early pioneer families. This program was co-sponsored by the Marin County Free Library and the Moya Library in Ross. The resulting archive, consisting of nearly 300 recordings and their corresponding transcriptions, are housed in the Anne T. Kent California Room at the Civic Center branch of the Marin County Free Library.
Oral Histories Philanthropists Ehat, Carla Kent, Anne Thompson Bowie, Ruth Boerike White, 1888-1977 Bowie, Robert C Sunny Hills (San Anselmo, Calif.) Junior League of San Francisco White, Ralston Lovell Polk, Willis, 1867-1924
Place
Marin County (Calif.) San Francisco Mill Valley (Calif.)
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