HISTORY

From Coast Miwok Village To State Historic Park

Seven hundred-acre Olompali State Historic Park, in Marin County in Northern California, occupies a unique location within a bowl-shaped area formed by Burdell Mountain and its lower flanking slopes. These hills adjoin the expansive marsh and slough system of the Petaluma River, which flows south to San Pablo Bay.

This prime location on the edge of land and water encouraged ancient habitation by the Coast Miwoks, and use of the site as a way station along El Camino Real. In acquiring Rancho Olompali, Camilo Ynitia received the only patented grant from the U.S. government to a Northern California Native American.

In 1846, a brief skirmish during the Bear Flag Rebellion became popularized as the "Battle of Olompali." In 1852, James Black acquired Olompali from Camilo Ynitia, and he gave the property to his daughter when she married Dr. Galen Burdell in 1865. The couple constructed their house to encase Ynitia's adobe. For the Burdell family, Olompali was a productive ranch, and in the early 1900s became an exclusive estate with construction of a mansion around the original Burdell wood frame house and adobe. Through subsequent ownerships, Olompali was used as a Jesuit retreat, a dairy ranch and a private swim club. In the late 1960s, the site was home to a hippie commune, until fire severely damaged the Burdell mansion in 1969.

Recognizing the historic significance and the value of the natural environment, the State of California acquired the site in 1977 and classified it as a state historic park in 1981. The following year, Friends of Olompali was formed. In 1989, Friends of Olompali gifted a general plan for the park to the State, and in 1990, Olompali State Historic Park opened to the public.

This is a brief film shot at Olompali State Historic Park, in Marin County, California, by CNN producer Fred Wayne and a news crew on May 8, 1996. It aired a few days later and was shown several times a day for over a week on both CNN and CNN International. The film looks at the history of Rancho Olompali in the late 1960s, when both the Grateful Dead and the Chosen Family commune called the ranch home. Courtesy of CNN.

Bay Area Backroads - The Grateful Dead

Episode with Doug O’Connel. Circa 1999-2001
“Interview with drummer Mickey Hart at Olompali”

Help Bring History to Life

Interested in helping maintain the recreated Coast Miwok Village at Olompali? How about putting your gardening skills to work in the Native Plant Garden? Come on out the second Sunday of each month 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. to participate. Gardening Tools and Refreshments provided, along with lots of satisfaction.

If you want more information on a specific Olompali history question please send us an email using the green Contact Us button below. We will check our history archives and send you the archived information that we have. And other tips /suggestions as well such as: Novato History Museum, Museum of the American Indian in Novato, Marin History Museum‘s archives at Bel Marin Keys, Jack Mason Museum of West Marin History, The Anne T. Kent California Room at Marin Civic Center Library, The Bancroft Library, and more. Each organization has articles, architectural drawings, recipes, and photos from family photo albums that others do not.