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Kentfield keeps a low profile. Past Bon Air Shopping Center in Greenbrae, driving west on Sir Francis Drake, the grounds of Marin Catholic are the only sign that you're in Kentfield proper.

You'll spot the playing fields of Bacich Elementary (a California Distinguished School, as is Adeline E. Kent Middle School on nearby College Avenue). Then, with a scenic view of Mount Tamalpais opening up in the distance, you'll finally see the first evidence of Kentfield's name on the handsome gray stone Fire Station, a town landmark.

A few stats are in order. Kentfield (population at last census 6,351) is an unincorporated county area, sandwiched between the towns of Greenbrae and Ross. Kent Woodlands, its sister community, lies on the slopes of Mount Tam, overlooking the College of Marin. Kentfield measures only 3 square miles, but boasts one of the highest rainfalls in the Bay Area at 47 inches per year, as well as one of the highest median household incomes ($130,000 to the average state resident's $54,000). Housing values are literally through the roof, at a median house value of $1.5 million. And it is certainly a homogeneous place—-92.9 of its residents are white, only 2.2 percent are Hispanic and about 2 percent are of Asian background.

A Kentfield native in her 30s reports she loved growing up there, as Kentfield was then considered the ugly stepsister to "hoity-toity" Ross, a little farther to the west. She admits the town has changed in recent years, becoming more upscale.

What strikes the newcomer about Kentfield is how low-key and peaceful it is, with most of the buildings almost camouflaging themselves into the scenery. Unlike most Marin towns, there is no "historic downtown," no movie theater, no bars.

What Kentfield does have are practical amenities: a much-valued community college, a prominent post office, a bank, some great brunch spots (like the Half Day Café), a Sloat Garden Center and the well-known, long-term acute-care Kentfield Rehabilitation Hospital, where you can stand in the midst of the hospital grounds and gaze down at swiftly moving Corte Madera Creek.

It's not surprising the town's palpable sense of safety and good schools draw residents—-and of course, given all the greenery, it's paradise for those with a green thumb.

Kentfield's penchant for privacy may have something to do with the fact that it started out as a parcel of property owned by the family of Congressman William Kent (1864-1928). Chicago businessman Albert E. Kent bought an 800-acre valley in the 1870s that became Kentfield and Kent Woodlands—-early names for the town were simply Kent or Tamalpais. His son William was a Republican, who served three terms in the U.S. Senate and played a leading role in the creation of both Muir Woods National Monument and Mount Tamalpais State Park.

The beautiful and palatial Kent estate still exists, set far back off the road out of view of curious eyes on Woodland Avenue in Kent Woodlands; it's now owned by musician Daniel Pritzker (grandson of Hyatt hotels founder Abram Nicholas Pritzker and a member of Forbes magazine's 400-richest-Americans club), but until fairly recently remained in Kent family hands. Philanthropist William Kent also donated the land where the College of Marin currently stands.

The College of Marin has been in operation since 1926 (at first it was known as Marin Junior College but was renamed in 1947). About 7,000 students enroll there every semester. It's a compact campus of about 27 acres full of huge, beautiful old trees of many varieties and rests at the foot of Mount Tamalpais.

This community college has had a great reputation in the county through the years, but has struggled financially in recent years, though Measure C bond improvements remain hotly anticipated. Passed in November 2004, the measure set aside a $249.5 million bond for facilities maintenance at the college. The money will go to modernizing science labs, classrooms and libraries; it will also provide the latest computer technology and upgrade fire safety and electrical wiring systems.

The handsome Fine Arts Building features a student art gallery on the upper level beside the box office. Its Studio Theatre has provided the stage for fine performances by student players since 1964—-College of Marin has the highest transfer acceptance to Juilliard of any junior college in the state of California. The theater arts program, for years headed by local legend James Dunn, is proud to call Robin Williams its most famous graduate.

A grove of tall redwoods surrounds an old concrete bench bearing an art deco plaque: "In Memoriam Marshall Plamondon 1940." Was he a favorite teacher or perhaps a student killed in World War II? Like many other things in Kentfield, there's no visible explanation. Nearby, a massive barbecue pit made of rough stone speaks to years of post-game student festivities.

The steep slopes of Kent Woodlands are visible above the campus. Although the prestigious area is not far from the college, it seems many miles away in atmosphere. Calla lilies and yucca plants grow on the side of the road. Elaborate fences and black iron gates guard the pale homes. Upon reaching the top, wind-swept residents are rewarded with glimpses of the bay.

Woodlands Market is the unofficial social center of Kentfield. Owner Don Santa hosts a community barbecue every year to benefit the district's schools, and he's done it for more than 20 years. Inside, the market is abundant and not inexpensive. Outside in the parking lot, away from the hubbub, an almost rural sense of peacefulness prevails.

Kentfield is a cyclist's dream. The town's well-known and popular bike path starts at College of Marin, crosses College Avenue, and runs alongside the A.E. Kent School's gymnasium and playing fields, with Corte Madera Creek flowing on the other side. White, scented jasmine bushes line the fenced, sedate creek, which was straightened by the Army Corps of Engineers in the 1960s.

Before this improvement, according to one longtime resident, the creek used to wind about in a more dramatic fashion. It gets very full in winter, but never bursts its banks. A little further on, the bike path crosses the creek by a wooden bridge; at Creekside Park the creek widens beyond that and becomes more like a river, with benches and picnic tables available for people to read or rest and a children's play zone. Although laden with cyclists, the effect is scenic, calming (and somehow, rather English). It's not surprising, then, to discover that 15 percent of Kentfield's population is of English descent.

There is indeed something peculiarly "nice" and non-Californian about Kentfield, as this unusual sign that appears at the bike path's entrance demonstrates: "Please be courteous! Speak out or ring bell when passing."

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