Larkspur for kids
The Flower Mix-Up. The true story of Larkspur, near Larkspur, CA, told for kids.

Read along
We're in Larkspur! Want to hear how it got its name? It's a funny mistake! A long time ago, a lady named Georgiana Wood looked up at the hills, all covered in pretty blue and purple flowers.
And she said, "Oh! Those are larkspur flowers! Let's call this town Larkspur!" But guess what?
They weren't larkspur at all. They were a different flower called lupine! But the name stuck, and the town has been called Larkspur ever since. So in the spring, when you see blue flowers on the hills, you can say, "Those are lupines, not larkspur!"
Quiz the back seat
The flowers on the hills were really called...
Show the answer
Lupine. Lupine! Oops, Larkspur!
Fun facts
- Named by Georgiana Wood, who mistook lupine for larkspur.
- Larkspur was incorporated in 1908.
For grown-ups
Every Tumbly story is checked claim by claim against the sources below before it's published; stories that don't pass stay off the app and this site. Narration is pre-recorded, and nothing you do on this page is tied to your kids.
Sources
Nearby stories
The Place Where Wood Is Cut
We're driving through Corte Madera. That's a Spanish name, and it means "the place where wood is cut".
The Sunny Mission
See that little white church with the bell? That's Mission San Rafael.
The Crookedest Railroad in the World
Choo choo! Right here in downtown Mill Valley, where the bookstore and cafΓ© are, there used to be a train station!
Why It's Called Mill Valley
Here's a riddle. Why is our town called Mill Valley?All stories in Marin County β Β· All places
Town and county names: GeoNames (CC BY 4.0).