| Olompali State Historic Park | |
|---|---|
.JPG) The Burdell Barn at Olompali State Historic Park | |
  Location in California Show map of California Olompali State Historic Park (the United States) Show map of the United States | |
| Location | Marin County,California,United States |
| Nearest city | Novato, California |
| Coordinates | 38°9′9″N122°34′11″W / 38.15250°N 122.56972°W /38.15250; -122.56972 |
| Area | 700 acres (2.8 km2) |
| Governing body | State of California |
| Official name | Rancho Olompali |
| Designated | January 12, 1973 |
| Reference no. | 73000409[1] |
| Built | 1840 |
| Official name | Oldest House North of San Francisco Bay |
| Reference no. | 210[2] |
Olompali State Historic Park is a 700-acre (2.8 km2)California State Park inMarin County, California. It consists of the formerRancho Olómpali and was the site of the famedBattle of Olómpali during theBear Flag Revolt. Rancho Olómpali was purchased by theCalifornian government in 1977, which turned it into a public park.
The park is the site of the oldest surviving house north of theSan Francisco Bay, built in 1776 ofadobe bricks by the chief of the Olompolli band of theCoast Miwok tribe.[2][3] It isCalifornia Historical Landmark #210.
The chief's son, given the SpanishMission Indian name ofCamilo Ynitia (alternatively spelled 'Camillo'), was the onlyCalifornian Native American inNorthern California to confirm and keep a largeMexican-era land grant in the post—Mexican Cession U.S. era.[3]
The name "Olompali" comes from theCoast Miwok language and likely means "southern village" or "southern people".[4] The Coast Miwok village site of Olompali (alternatively spelled "Olompolli", "Olompoli" or "Olumpali") dates back to about 500 CE.[5] Olompali had been a main center in 1200 CE, and might have been the largest native village in Marin County.[4]
AnElizabethan English silver sixpence minted in 1567 was discovered in the park by archeologists, indicating that villagers may have had contact withSir Francis Drake, or with people who had traded with the early English explorer.[5] 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 theSan 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 ofCamillo Ynitia. Camillo was known as the last Hoipu (Headman) of the Miwok community living at Olompali.[3]
In 1843, with the helpful petition of General Vallejo,Governor Manuel Micheltorena ofAlta California granted the land ofRancho Olompali to Camillo Ynitia, the acting Hoipu (Headman) of the village:[3]
"Olompali #48, Marin Co., Grant of 2 sq. leagues made in 1843 by Gov. Micheltorena toCamilo Unitia [sic]. Patent for 8,877.48 acres (35.9259 km2) issued in 1862 toCamilo Unitia [sic] in T 3-4N, R 6-7W, MDM."
— California Ranchos: Patented Private Land Grants Listed by County, Shumway 1988:39
The newly secured grant of Rancho Olompali included Ynitia's father's historic house, the first adobe house built north of the San Francisco Bay, as well as his own adobe house.
Ynitia's adobe house was the site of theBattle of Olompali in June 1846, during theBear Flag Revolt.[5]
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.[4][5] Black was to become one of the largest landowners of Marin County.[4] Ynitia retained 1,480 acres (6.0 km2) of Olompali calledApalacocha.
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.[3][5] 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.[4][6]
The land and estate was eventually sold by the Burdell family to Court Harrington. Harrington in turn sold it to theUniversity of San Francisco, to be used as a Jesuit retreat.[4][5]
During the 1960s, the University of San Francisco sold Olompali several times. Each time, the buyers defaulted and the property reverted to the university. The most famous tenant was the rock bandGrateful Dead. During the Dead's brief stay it became a gathering place for San Francisco's rock musicians, includingJanis Joplin andGrace Slick.[4]
In 1967 Don McCoy leased Olompali, and started a hippie commune there called The Chosen Family.[7] By February 1969 the Burdell Mansion had been destroyed by an electrical fire, a fatal car wreck had been caused by the commune's loose animal, narcotics raids had been conducted by authorities, and Don McCoy had been placed in a mental ward.[8] Two small children then drowned on the commune, after which the residents were evicted by their Jesuit landlords.[9] Finally, in 1977, the State of California purchased the land and turned it into the state park.[4][5]
Olompali State Historic Park is located at 8901 Redwood Highway, State Highway 101 (P.M. 24.8), 3.5 miles (5.6 km) north of Novato. It is also listed on theNational Register of Historic Places asRancho Olompali.[1] Ynitia's adobe house is registered asCalifornia Historical Landmark #210.[2]
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