Near Novato in Marin County, California — The American West (Pacific Coastal)
Rancho Olompali
In 1966, the Grateful Dead rented the main buildings. Rock music icons, such as Janis Joplin and Grace Slick, were frequent visitors.
The following year, the main ranch buildings were leased to Don McCoy, a businessman turned hippie for use as the Chosen Family Commune. The barns and adjacent buildings were leased to the C-Bar-N Ranch, which operated a horse-riding stable there until 1981. Public outcry defeated an attempt to purchase Rancho Olompali for a proposed condominium and mobile home development. Conservation efforts resulted in this becoming a State Historic Park in 1977.
Erected by California State Parks.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Agriculture • Entertainment. A significant historical year for this entry is 1866.
Location. 38° 9.173′ N, 122° 34.272′ W. Marker is near Novato, California, in Marin County. Marker can be reached from Redwood Blvd., on the left when traveling north. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Novato CA 94945, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. Galen and Mary Burdell (a few steps from this marker); Camilo Ynitia’s Adobe (within shouting distance of this marker); Burdell Mansion (within shouting distance of this marker); Burdell Frame House (within shouting distance of this marker); Cook House (within shouting distance of this marker); Try-Pot (about 300 feet away, measured in a direct line); The Chosen Family (about 400 feet away); Setting for a Colorful Past (about 500 feet away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Novato.
More about this marker. This marker is found near the barn at Olompali State Park at the north end of Redwood Blvd. in Novato.
Also see . . . Olompali: Miwoks, Chosen Family, Grateful Dead - Roadside America. Olompali State Historic Park has had a long, strange procession of inhabitants, starting with the Miwok Indians, and ending with the Grateful Dead and a hippie commune, "The Chosen Family." The historic state park is 700 acres of scenic land and hiking trails on the slopes of Mount Burdell, at the upper end of Marin County. A small exhibit area in one of the ranch buildings chronicles its periods of occupancy. (Submitted on July 22, 2015, by Barry Swackhamer of Brentwood, California.)
Credits. This page was last revised on June 16, 2016. It was originally submitted on July 22, 2015, by Barry Swackhamer of Brentwood, California. This page has been viewed 575 times since then and 8 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4. submitted on July 22, 2015, by Barry Swackhamer of Brentwood, California. • Bill Pfingsten was the editor who published this page.