Olompali State Historic Park
Encyclopedia
Olompali State Historic Park is a 700 acres (2.8 km²) park on the Marin
Peninsula, 3.5 miles (5.6 km) north of Novato, California
, USA, which overlooks the Petaluma River
and San Pablo Bay
. In 1977, the State of California purchased Rancho Olompali
and made it into a state historical park. The foundations of two prehistoric adobe brick houses are preserved in the park. The Burdell two-story frame house, built in the 1870s serves as the ranger station. Associated ranch buildings include barns, a blacksmith shop, a saltbox house and a ranch superintendent's house.
(California Historical Landmark
#210), built in 1776 of adobe bricks by the Chief of the Olompolli tribe.
Camillo Ynitia was also the only Native American on the northern frontier to confirm and keep a large land grant for his tribe.
language and likely means "southern village" or "southern people". The Coast Miwok village site of Olompali (historically spelled "Olompolli") dates back to about 500 AD. Olompali had been a main center in 1200 AD, and might have been the largest native village in Marin County For more, see Olompali
.
An Elizabethan silver sixpence minted in 1567 was discovered in the park by archeologists, indicating that villagers may have had contact with Sir Francis Drake or with people who had traded with the early English explorer. Many Miwok cultural artifacts have been identified during archaeological studies within the area of the present-day park, indicating this may have once been an important trade and cultural crossroads.
The oldest house built north of the San Francisco Bay
was built here in 1776 by the Coast Miwok, out of adobe bricks, and owned by the chief of the Olompoli tribe Aurelio, who was the father of Camillo Ynitia
. Camillo was known as the last Hoipu (Headman) of the Miwok community living at Olompali.
of Alta California
granted this land to Camillo Ynitia, the acting Hoipu (Headman) of the village:
The newly secured grant of Rancho Olompali
included Ynitia's father's historical house, the first abobe house built north of the San Francisco Bay, as well as his own adobe house.
Ynitia's adobe house was the site of the Battle of Olompali
in June 1846 during the Bear Flag Revolt.
Ynitia held onto the Olompali land title for 9 years, but in 1852 he sold most of the land to James Black of Marin for $5,200. Black was to become one of the largest landowners of Marin county. Ynitia retained 1480 acres (6 km²) of Olompali called Apalacocha.
, to be used as a Jesuit retreat.
"During the 1960s, the University of San Francisco sold Olompali several times. Each time, the buyers defaulted and the property reverted back to the university. The most famous tenant was the rock band Grateful Dead
. During the Dead's brief stay it became a gathering place for San Francisco's rock musicians, including Janis Joplin
and Grace Slick
."
In 1967, Don McCoy leased Olompali, and started a hippie commune there called The Chosen Family. A fire caused by faulty wiring eventually destroyed the mansion. Finally in 1977, the State of California purchased the land and turned it into the state park.
as Rancho Olompali.
Marin County, California
Marin County is a county located in the North San Francisco Bay Area of the U.S. state of California, across the Golden Gate Bridge from San Francisco. As of 2010, the population was 252,409. The county seat is San Rafael and the largest employer is the county government. Marin County is well...
Peninsula, 3.5 miles (5.6 km) north of Novato, California
Novato, California
Novato is a city located in the North Bay region of the San Francisco Bay Area, in northern Marin County. Novato is located about north-northwest of San Rafael, at an elevation of 30 feet above sea level . The 2010 U.S. Census estimated the city population to be about 51,904. Novato is about ...
, USA, which overlooks the Petaluma River
Petaluma River
The Petaluma River is a river in the California counties of Sonoma and Marin that becomes a tidal slough near its mouth. It springs from farmlands southwest of Cotati and flows generally southward through Petaluma's old town and of tidal marshes to end in northwest San Pablo Bay.-History:The word...
and San Pablo Bay
San Pablo Bay
San Pablo Bay is a tidal estuary that forms the northern extension of San Francisco Bay in northern California in the United States. Most of the Bay is shallow; however, there is a deep water channel approximately in mid bay, which allows access to Sacramento, Stockton, Benicia, Martinez, and...
. In 1977, the State of California purchased Rancho Olompali
Rancho Olompali
Rancho Olompali was a Mexican land grant in present day Marin County, California given in 1834 by governor Manuel Micheltorena to Camilo Ynitia, son of a Coast Miwok chief. The name Olómpali comes from the Coast Miwok language and likely means southern village or southern people. The land...
and made it into a state historical park. The foundations of two prehistoric adobe brick houses are preserved in the park. The Burdell two-story frame house, built in the 1870s serves as the ranger station. Associated ranch buildings include barns, a blacksmith shop, a saltbox house and a ranch superintendent's house.
Significance
The park is the site of the oldest house built north of the San Francisco BaySan Francisco Bay
San Francisco Bay is a shallow, productive estuary through which water draining from approximately forty percent of California, flowing in the Sacramento and San Joaquin rivers from the Sierra Nevada mountains, enters the Pacific Ocean...
(California Historical Landmark
California Historical Landmark
California Historical Landmarks are buildings, structures, sites, or places in the state of California that have been determined to have statewide historical significance by meeting at least one of the criteria listed below:...
#210), built in 1776 of adobe bricks by the Chief of the Olompolli tribe.
Camillo Ynitia was also the only Native American on the northern frontier to confirm and keep a large land grant for his tribe.
Prehistoric and Native American era
The name "Olompali" comes from the Coast MiwokCoast Miwok
The Coast Miwok were the second largest group of Miwok Native American people. The Coast Miwok inhabited the general area of modern Marin County and southern Sonoma County in Northern California, from the Golden Gate north to Duncans Point and eastward to Sonoma Creek...
language and likely means "southern village" or "southern people". The Coast Miwok village site of Olompali (historically spelled "Olompolli") dates back to about 500 AD. Olompali had been a main center in 1200 AD, and might have been the largest native village in Marin County For more, see Olompali
Olumpali, California
Olumpali is a former settlement in Marin County, California. It was located south of Petaluma. Its site now lies within the Olompali State Historic Park....
.
An Elizabethan silver sixpence minted in 1567 was discovered in the park by archeologists, indicating that villagers may have had contact with Sir Francis Drake or with people who had traded with the early English explorer. Many Miwok cultural artifacts have been identified during archaeological studies within the area of the present-day park, indicating this may have once been an important trade and cultural crossroads.
The oldest house built north of the San Francisco Bay
San Francisco Bay
San Francisco Bay is a shallow, productive estuary through which water draining from approximately forty percent of California, flowing in the Sacramento and San Joaquin rivers from the Sierra Nevada mountains, enters the Pacific Ocean...
was built here in 1776 by the Coast Miwok, out of adobe bricks, and owned by the chief of the Olompoli tribe Aurelio, who was the father of Camillo Ynitia
Camillo Ynitia
Camilo Ynitia was born in 1803, probably in the Miwok village of Olompali where his father had built an adobe brick home. Camilo was a notable leader of the Coast Miwok, a Native American people. Camilo was known as the last Hoipu of the Miwok community living at Olompali...
. Camillo was known as the last Hoipu (Headman) of the Miwok community living at Olompali.
Mexican-American era
In 1843, with the helpful petition of General Vallejo, the Governor Manuel MicheltorenaManuel Micheltorena
Manuel Micheltorena was a Brigadier General of the Mexican Army, Adjutant-General of the same, Governor, Commandant-General and Inspector of the Department of the California...
of Alta California
Alta California
Alta California was a province and territory in the Viceroyalty of New Spain and later a territory and department in independent Mexico. The territory was created in 1769 out of the northern part of the former province of Las Californias, and consisted of the modern American states of California,...
granted this land to Camillo Ynitia, the acting Hoipu (Headman) of the village:
The newly secured grant of Rancho Olompali
Rancho Olompali
Rancho Olompali was a Mexican land grant in present day Marin County, California given in 1834 by governor Manuel Micheltorena to Camilo Ynitia, son of a Coast Miwok chief. The name Olómpali comes from the Coast Miwok language and likely means southern village or southern people. The land...
included Ynitia's father's historical house, the first abobe house built north of the San Francisco Bay, as well as his own adobe house.
Ynitia's adobe house was the site of the Battle of Olompali
Battle of Olompali
The Battle of Olómpali was fought on June 24, 1846 in present day Marin County, California. It was the first battle of the Mexican-American War fought in California.-Background:...
in June 1846 during the Bear Flag Revolt.
Ynitia held onto the Olompali land title for 9 years, but in 1852 he sold most of the land to James Black of Marin for $5,200. Black was to become one of the largest landowners of Marin county. Ynitia retained 1480 acres (6 km²) of Olompali called Apalacocha.
The Blacks and Burdells
In 1863, the land and adobe house passed from James Black to his daughter Mary (Black) Burdell and her husband Galen Burdell, a wealthy dentist. Mary's son James transformed Olompali into a country estate, he built a 26-room mansion with a formal Victorian-style mansion that incorporated the foundations and rooms of Ynitio's adobe house.Jesuit retreat, commune and state park
The land and estate was eventually sold by the Burdell family to Court Harrington. Harrington in turn sold it to the University of San FranciscoUniversity of San Francisco
The University of San Francisco , is a private, Jesuit/Catholic university located in San Francisco, California. Founded in 1855, USF was established as the first university in San Francisco. It is the second oldest institution for higher learning in California and the tenth-oldest university of...
, to be used as a Jesuit retreat.
"During the 1960s, the University of San Francisco sold Olompali several times. Each time, the buyers defaulted and the property reverted back to the university. The most famous tenant was the rock band Grateful Dead
Grateful Dead
The Grateful Dead was an American rock band formed in 1965 in the San Francisco Bay Area. The band was known for its unique and eclectic style, which fused elements of rock, folk, bluegrass, blues, reggae, country, improvisational jazz, psychedelia, and space rock, and for live performances of long...
. During the Dead's brief stay it became a gathering place for San Francisco's rock musicians, including Janis Joplin
Janis Joplin
Janis Lyn Joplin was an American singer, songwriter, painter, dancer and music arranger. She rose to prominence in the late 1960s as the lead singer of Big Brother and the Holding Company and later as a solo artist with her backing groups, The Kozmic Blues Band and The Full Tilt Boogie Band...
and Grace Slick
Grace Slick
Grace Slick is an American singer and songwriter, who was one of the lead singers of the rock groups The Great Society, Jefferson Airplane, Jefferson Starship, and Starship, and was a solo artist, for nearly three decades, from the mid-1960s to the mid-1990s...
."
In 1967, Don McCoy leased Olompali, and started a hippie commune there called The Chosen Family. A fire caused by faulty wiring eventually destroyed the mansion. Finally in 1977, the State of California purchased the land and turned it into the state park.
Location
Olompali State Historic Park is located at 8901 Redwood Hwy., State Hwy 101 (P.M. 24.8), 3.5 miles (5.6 km) N of Novato. It is also listed on the National Register of Historic PlacesNational Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
as Rancho Olompali.
Sources
- State of California, Office of Historical Preservation - Marin County landmarks
- California State Parks: Olompali State Historic Park, Website by California Department of Parks and Recreation, 2008.
- Olompali State Historic Park (pamphlet and map), by California Department of Parks and Recreation.
- Reutinger, Joan. Olompali Park Filled With History, The Coastal Post, Sept. 1997.
- Shumway, Burgess M., California Ranchos: Patented Private Land Grants Listed by County. San Bernardino, CA: The Borgo Press, 1988. ISBN 0-89370-935-2