Novato in Marin County, California — The American West (Pacific Coastal)

Olompali State Historic Park

Photographed by Andrew Ruppenstein, March 9, 2022

1. Olompali State Historic Park Marker

Inscription. You are standing on the site of the largest known villages of the Coast Miwok - Olompali (pronounced o-lum-pa-lee). Preliminary archaeological investigations indicate about 100 acres had been occupied for centuries prior to arrival of the Spanish explorers and padres.

As recently as 1850, the shoreline of San Pablo Bay was near where Highway 101 is now located. This enabled Coast Miwoks to live off the bounty of both land and sea.

The earliest verified contact between Spaniards and the Olompali people was in 1814 when the first Olompalis were baptized at Mission San Francisco de Asis. Thus began a series of changes that transformed the villagers' lives forever as their numbers dwindled and their lands were occupied by people with very different cultures.

Erected by California State Parks.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Indigenous Peoples and Communities.

Location. 38° 9.089′ N, 122° 34.27′ W. Marker is in Novato, California, in Marin County. It can be reached from Redwood Highway. Touch for map. Marker is in this post

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office area: Novato CA 94945, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in California’s San Francisco Bay Area,

in the North Coast,

and specifically on the Coast Ranges.

It is also on the American Pacific Coast.

Globally, it is in North America,

on the Ring of Fire,

in the Pacific Rim,

in the Western Hemisphere,

in the Western World,

and in the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once New Spain

and also Mexico’s Alta California.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Setting for a Colorful Past (within shouting distance of this marker); Try-Pot (within shouting distance of this marker); The Chosen Family (within shouting distance of this marker); Cook House (about 400 feet away, measured in a direct line); Burdell Frame House (about 400 feet away); Burdell Mansion (about 400 feet away); Camilo Ynitia’s Adobe (about 400 feet away); Galen and Mary Burdell (about 500 feet away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Novato.

More about this marker. The marker is located at Olompali State Historic Park,

Olompali State Historic Park Marker - wide view image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Andrew Ruppenstein, March 9, 2022

2. Olompali State Historic Park Marker - wide view

The marker is visible here just to the right of the service road entrance.

on the east side of the parking lot by the portable bathrooms.

Also see . . . Archaeology (Friends of Olompali).

"The Olompali community or tribelet once comprised 25 square miles of territory.... Much of this land was included in the original Olompali land grant given to Camilo Ynitia in 1843....The Olompali tribelet supported a number of permanent and semi-permanent villages within this territory. The most heavily populated villages were located along San Antonio Creek. Small hunting, gathering and fishing camps existed within the community territory as well. The place chosen by Camilo Ynitia to build his adobe house supported the largest and most affluent population within the tribelet."

(Submitted on March 25, 2022.)

Credits. This page was last revised on March 25, 2022. It was originally submitted on March 24, 2022, by Andrew Ruppenstein of Lamorinda, California. This page has been viewed 335 times since then and 21 times this year. Photos: 1. submitted on March 24, 2022, by Andrew Ruppenstein of Lamorinda, California. 2. submitted on March 25, 2022, by Andrew Ruppenstein of Lamorinda, California.