Marin County CA Archives History - Books .....Geographic Information 1880
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Book Title: History  Of Marin County, California

HISTORY OF MARIN COUNTY, CALIFORNIA.

GEOGRAPHICAL SITUATION AND AREA—DERIVATION OF
NAME—TOPOGRAPHY—GEOLOGY—CLIMATOGRAPHY—ETC., ETC.

  MARIN COUNTY is bounded on the south by the Pacific ocean and the Golden Gate;
on the east by the Bay of San Francisco and San Pablo bay; on the north by
Sonoma county, and on the west by the Pacific ocean; in short-is the peninsula
lying between San Pablo bay and the ocean, its extreme southern portion, Point
Bonita, forming the outer headland to the entrance to the world-renowned Golden
Gate. The county comprises about six hundred square miles, or nearly four
hundred thousand acres, one hundred and seventy-live thousand of which are
enclosed, while only about twenty-five thousand are under cultivation. The
population is estimated at five thousand.

  The immense advantages of location, which the county possesses, may be at once
observed on reference to a map of the State. Its inner shores are washed by the
magnificent bays of San Francisco and San Pablo, at the entrance to the former
of which lies that arm of the sea known as Richardson's bay, while on the sea
coast are the advantageous inlets of Drake's and Tomales bays. The first of
these is situated to the south of Point Reyes and thirty miles north of the
Golden Gate. It is of no great importance, except as being the place where the
great English navigator, whose name it bears, landed. It is sometimes called
Jack's harbor, a name given to it by the fishermen, who resort there to follow
their vocation. The last-named is forty-five miles north of San Francisco, in
latitude thirty-eight degrees, and fifteen minutes. It is formed by an inlet of
the Pacific ocean, which here penetrates the Coast Range about sixteen miles
nearly to the center of the county, averaging about a mile and a quarter wide
for about twelve miles from the* entrance, which is less than half a mile wide.
There is a bar at the mouth, having eleven feet of water at low tide. It is
perfectly land-locked, and sheltered from all winds. It has two small islands
about three miles from the entrance, of two acres in extent, which are covered
with verdure. Its safety, and the beauty of the surrounding scenery, make it a
sort of miniature of the Bay of San Francisco.

  DERIVATION OF THE NAME.—This county derives its name from Marin, a famous
chief of the Lacatuit Indians, who originally occupied this part of California,
and who, aided by his people, after having vanquished the Spaniards in several
skirmishes that took place between the years 1815 and 1824, was finally captured
by his enemies. Making his escape, Marin took shelter on a little island in the
Bay of San Francisco, and which, being afterwards called after him, communicated
its name to the adjacent mainland. This chief having fallen into the hands of
his foes a second time, barely escaped being put to death, through the
interference of the priests at the mission San Rafael, who subsequently enjoyed
the satisfaction of seeing him converted to the true faith. He died at the
mission, which had been the scene of his conversion and rescue, in the year 1834.

  TOPOGRAPHY.—Geographically speaking, Marin county is peninsular. It is bounded
on the north by Sonoma county, easterly and southerly by the San Pablo bay, the
Bay of San Francisco and the Golden Gate, and westerly by the Pacific ocean.
Situated in the heart of the Coast Range, the whole face of the country is one
unbroken wilderness of peaks. Only one, however, attains the dignity of a
mountain, namely Tamalpais, whose picturesque summit reaches an altitude of
twenty-nine hundred feet above the ocean at its base. To the north, east and
west the elevations gradually decrease in height till they are lost in the
extensive valley land of Sonoma county. The coast line is rugged and forbidding.
From Saucelito to Bolinas bay the hills along the margin are worn into
precipices, against which the breakers dash with a fury that precludes the
possibility of even a row boat landing. Bolinas bay is available only for crafts
of the smallest description, and then the passage over the bar cannot be
effected except at flood tide. This stretch of coast is rendered additionally
dangerous by several half-sunken reefs. Duxbury Reef in particular has brought
more than one fine ship to grief. Following the contour of the shore, the same
general characteristics prevail, but in a milder form. There are two
indentations on the southerly side of Point Reyes, Drake's Bay and Limantour
bay, both inconsiderable in extent and importance. Point Reyes itself is a bold,
independent-looking promontory, and a conspicuous landmark for mariners. For
this reason its extremity is the site for one of the most, notable light-house
stations on the Pacific coast. Immediately to the north of Point Reyes is the
bay of Tomales, very long and very narrow. In ft w places exceeding a mile in
width, it extends into the interior for a distance of sixteen miles. The upper
portion is navigable for ships of ordinary draught, and is sometimes used as an
anchorage during heavy storms. Toward the inland end it receives the waters of
two considerable streams, the Olema creek and the Paper Mill, or Lagunitas
creek. These, bringing down largo quantities of detritus, have formed an
extensive delta, and, in the course of time, will probably shoal the entire bay.
Following the shore line to Sonoma county, it presents no new feature except
certain esteros, or branches of the ocean, which have the appearance of ordinary
rivers. The first, commonly known as Keys creek, indents the northern shore of
Tomales bay a short distance from the ocean. It is flanked on either side by
steep hills, and extends some distance beyond the village of Tomales. Many
thousands of dollars were expended to render it navigable for steamboats as far
as the above-mentioned village, but without avail. The laws of nature were
inexorable; the channel filled up, leaving the old steamer high and dry on the
sand. In the process of time the estero will probably be raised above
tide-water, and convey only the drainage of the surrounding hills. The two other
esteros are the Estero San Antonio and the Estero Americano, the latter being a
boundary between Marin and Sonoma counties. Both have the same general
characteristics as Keys creek. The Estero San Antonio reaches about twenty miles
into the heart of the country, the tide-water backing up that distance, while at
any point a man could throw a stone across it. Neither are navigable.

  The shore of the Bay of San Francisco presents a varied outline, with
occasional islands, varying in size from mere rocks to several hundred acres in
extent, as in the case of Angel Island. From the Golden Gate to what is known as
California City, the hills approach directly to the water's edge, deep water
being found a few feet out. From this point the hills retreat, and are replaced
by long stretches of salt meadows, intersected by tidal creeks. The water is
also very shoal, extensive mud flats being bared by the retreating tide. Point
San Pedro terminates the Bay of San Francisco. Beyond it is San Pablo bay. The
entire border, to the Sonoma line, is fringed with salt marsh land, having a
depth of from one to four miles. The water likewise is very shallow.

  Leaving the coast and striking into the interior, the country, as was said
before, is one interminable mass of hills of varying altitude. The general
direction of the ridges is northwest and southeast. The Tamalpais range extends
continuously along the coast from the Golden Gate to Tomales bay. The remaining
ridges arrange themselves in respectful parallelism, with occasional cross
ridges or hog's backs. Topographically, the face of the country might be divided
into four districts, having many features in common, but each possessing points
peculiar to itself. First, the Tamalpais district. This is at once the most
rugged and picturesque portion of the county. It would include along the coast
from Saucelito to Point Reyes, and about fifteen miles into the interior. Nearly
all this tract is covered with vegetation, either forest or underbrush
(otherwise called chaparral.) Such land, either for the purposes of agriculture
or dairying, is of little value. Valleys are of rare occurrence and small
extent. There are several streams in it, the largest in the county. Among these
may be mentioned the Paper Mill or Lagunitas, Olema and San Anselmo creeks, the
valleys corresponding to the waterways in name and position. Second, the Point
Reyes district, wooded in places, but containing some of the finest open grazing
land in the county. Third, the Tomales district. This section of the county is
the least undulating, and is almost entirely without vegetation excepting grass.
It is well adapted to agriculture and grazing. The hills, though still
preserving the general parallel direction to the Tamalpais range, are somewhat
irregular and billowy. Keys creek, the Estero San Antonio and the Estero
Americano form the valley subdivisions of the district. Fourth, the Novato and
San Antonio districts, gradually approaching and assimilating to the valley land
of Sonoma county. There are two creeks of considerable size, the Novato creek
and the Arroyo San Antonio. The hills approaching the latter creek become
smaller and smaller, till the former site of the Lagunas de San Antonio are
reached. Here the land is level, and physically forms a part of the valley
surrounding Petaluma and Santa Rosa. The lagunas, or lakes, mentioned above,
have been drained in recent times, and are now cultivated. Formerly they covered
an area of several hundred acres.

  The water-shed of Marin county is extremely simple. Draw an imaginary line,
beginning at Lime Point near Saucelito, and following the summit of the ridge to
the south of what is known as Big Lagoon Canon to the top of the eastern peak of
Tamalpais. From the top of Tamalpais continue the line along the ridge which
divides the Lagunitas valley from the country lying to the north and east, cross
the summit of White's Hill and pass over the low point in the ridge Under which
the North Pacific Coast Railroad has run what is known as the White's Hill
Tunnel. Thence ascend to the summit of Lone Alta. Thence produce the line to the
point where the Miller valley road crosses the ridge near the Big Rock. Follow
the ridge northerly, which divides the Nicasio creek system from the land to the
east. This would reach to the head-waters of the Arroyo San Antonio (not the
Estero San Antonio), on the Sonoma county boundary. All water falling to the
east of this line would be drained into the Bay of San Francisco. All water
falling to the west of this line would be drained into the Tomales bay and
Pacific ocean.

  The principal forest tracts now uncut are in the Lagunitas Cation and on Point
Reyes. The whole slope of Tamalpais in early days was more or less wooded, but
£>y far the greater portion has been denuded. There are about fifteen thousand
acres of available timber remaining, nearly all of which is in the above
localities. There are no streams which, by any stretch of courtesy. could be
called rivers, nor are any navigable for the smallest crafts. On the whole, the
topography of Marin county is tolerably uniform, the differences being of degree
rather than of kind.

  GEOLOGY.—The whole of Marin county is thrown up into rolling hills of moderate
height, and the depressions between them have little level ground; nor is there
much regularity in the distribution of the ridges, a circumstance which is due
to the irregular dip and strike of the strata, and the still more irregular
manner in which they have undergone a more or less complete alteration by
chemical agencies since their deposition. In general character the rocks of this
county are similar to those described as occurring on the peninsula south of San
Francisco; of these they are in reality the continuation, although apparently
separated from them by the Golden Gate.

  The culminating point of the county is Tamalpais,* which rises to the height
of two thousand five hundred and ninety-seven feet, forming a portion of a ridge
which extends across the peninsula in a nearly east and west direction: in this
ridge there are three summits of nearly equal height, all being over two
thousand five hundred and fifty feet. One of these points is a Coast Survey
station, and is called "Table Mountain." These are all of hard, metamorphic
sandstone, not so much altered, however, as to obliterate the granulation or the
lines of stratification. Near the eastern summit, veins of quartz occur,
portions of which are distinctly banded, as if deposited from water. Some of
these are said to contain gold, and they have been worked but found too poor to
pay for the labor. The summit has been, and is perhaps now held as a quartz
claim. The eastern summit is very sharp, the slope, as seen in the sky-outline
from San Rafael., being twenty-five degrees on both sides, and the whole
mountain is deeply furrowed by denudation. About three-fourths of a mile west
from the highest point, serpentine occurs in large quantities, as also on the
northern slope. On the northwestern side there are immense masses of this rock,
forming the ridge between the Tomales y Baulines, San Geronimo, and Canada de
Herrera ranches, and rising to the altitude of one thousand eight hundred and
twenty-nine feet. This belt, which is almost entirely of serpentine, extends
several miles to the northwest. On the north slope of Tamalpais altered slates
occur, at the altitude of about one thousand two hundred feet, and have a
northwest strike and a very high but irregular dip to the southwest.


  * Tamalpais is the name by which this mountain is now universally known in San
Francisco, from which it is so conspicuous and beautiful an object. It was
called "Mount Palermo " by the United States Exploring Expedition, and "Table
Mountain" by Beechy and the United States Coast Survey. The Coast Survey Station
is not, however, on the highest point, but is about a mile to the west of it.
The elevation of the station is given at 2,597 feet; that of Tamalpais itself at
2,601 feet. The name is said to have originated in the fact that this region was
formerly the residence of the Tamal Indians; see Davidson's Directory of the
Pacific Coast, in Coast Survey Report for 1862.


  Between Petaluma and San Rafael on the east and Tomales bay on the west, the
rock is entirety metamorphic or eruptive, with the exception of very limited
deposits of unaltered tertiary along the northern part. The whole region is
broken up into ridges, of which the higher ones are generally of metamorphic
sandstone, usually very much altered, but not always so. There are also slates
and shales in various stages of alteration, sometimes assuming the form of the
jaspery rock so characteristic of the summit of Monte Diablo; some mica-slate
was also noticed, although it does not occur in large quantities.

  Eruptive rock occurs in various places. About one and a half miles west of San
Rafael, at Sugar Loaf Hill, there is a mass of trachyte of a light brownish-gray
color, which extends for a short distance east and west. Near Rudesill's
Landing, a very hard, compact, and fine-grained basalt occurs and is seen in
several hills. It forms a belt or dyke, extending about north-northwest, and is
well exposed about three-fourths of a mile southwest of/Petaluma, where it is
about two hundred yards wide. It has here a columnar-structure, the columns
being very regular, usually six-sided, and about two feet in diameter, although
sometimes as much as three. The joints or columns are from one to three feet
long, and generally dip to the south at an angle of from sixty degrees to eighty
degrees, although occasionally vertical. This rock is quarried for building, for
which purpose it is well adapted, breaking equally well in all directions, and
rough-dressing easily; of course it is extremely durable. At the quarry the dyke
has a direction of north sixty-five degrees west. Eruptive rock was also seen in
the high hills on the Olompali and Santa Margarita Ranches, but was not exposed
so that it could be well examined.

  Among the varieties of metamorphic rock in this region, silicious and jaspery
masses are predominant. In a hill about a mile north of San Rafael, there is an
immense outcrop of quartz, approaching flint in appearance; it is mostly of a
light-green color, although portions are white, gray, and black. It has a
conchoidal fracture, and a tendency to separate into prismatic and cubical
fragments, with which the whole surface of the hill is covered.

  The hills of the peninsula three miles northeast of San Rafael, have been the
scene of considerable gold excitement. They are made up of metamorphic
sandstone, including veins of quartz, some of which probably do contain a little
of the precious metal, but they are not regular enough to pay for working. There
are some slates in this vicinity, with a northeasterly dip.

  In crossing the peninsula from San Rafael to the head of Tomales bay.
metamorphic rocks were everywhere met with, the only exception being the small
outcrop of trachyte before noticed. These rocks seemed to be of cretaceous age,
and at seven miles from San Rafael shales occur, scarcely altered at all, and
precisely similar in character to the shales of that age near Monte Diablo. In
close proximity to these unaltered strata, and in the same direction. masses of
jasper are observed, evidently the result of the metamorphism of the shales, and
this jaspery rock occurs at intervals along the whole line explored across the
peninsula. Metamorphic sandstones also occur in abundance, containing epidote;
other forms of altered cretaceous rocks, which have already been noticed as
observed near Monte Diablo, also occur here. Serpentine appears in considerable
quantity, and the peculiar silicious rock, which is usually associated with
cinnabar, is found about nine, miles from San Rafael.

  Between Petaluma and the entrance of Tomales bay, the hills are much lower,
quite a well-marked depression extending across the • peninsula. The rock
exposed on this line is mostly metamorphic, the strata highly altered and much
contorted and broken. In various places patches of tertiary sandstone rest
unconformably upon these altered strata. These are best seen at Estero San
Antonio, about three miles north of Tomales, where a section of two hundred and
fifty or three hundred feet thick may be studied. The rocks here are soft,
yellow sandstones, with large nodules of hard blue calcareous sandstone imbedded
in them. These beds are quite fossiliferous, and appear to belong to the miocene
division of the tertiary.

  Patches of these sandstones, in all cases nearly horizontal, occur at various
points between Tomales and Petaluma, and several of these were seen near the
first named place, especially two miles west of it, where they form large
outcrops. The metamorphic rocks had suffered extensive denudation before the
deposition of these tertiary strata, which have themselves been extensively
denuded since their formation, but not otherwise disturbed.

  West of Tomales bay lies a series of ridges having a direction of about north
thirty-six degrees west, and extending from Tomales Point to Bolinas bay, a
distance of about twenty-eight and a half miles. The principal ridge is on the
western side, and is separated from the ridges east by a nearly straight valley,
the northern portion of which, for about fifteen miles, is occupied by Tomales
bay, the remainder by the swamps at the head of the bay and the valley of the
Arroyo Olemus Loke, terminating on the south in Bolinas bay, thus forming a
well-marked and continuous depression through the entire distance.

  The extremity of Tomales Point is entirely of granite, mostly soft and
decomposed. About three and a half miles from the Point, at White's Gulch,
sandstone occurs, resting on this granite nearly horizontally, or with a slight
northeastern dip. On these sandstones rest white, argillaceous slates, in places
somewhat silicified, and resembling the bituminous and infusorial strata at
Santa Cruz and Monterey. Farther south, near Abbott's Ranch House, the sandstone
occurs in large masses, having a low dip to the southwest, from five to eight
degrees, usually. No fossils are found in these; but they appear to be of the
same age as the sandstones found at Estero San Antonio, near Tomales. Between
the highest points near the head of Tomales bay and Punta Reyes, there are some
minor ridges made up entirely of sandstone, having a low southwest dip; these
are probably all miocene. The granite rises in high ridges near the head of the
bay, and in places is accompanied by mica-slate, which latter rock is too much
broken for any satisfactory idea to be obtained of its position. Metamorphic
limestone also occurs associated with these rocks; it undoubtedly runs through
in nearly a straight line to Tomales bay, and has been burned quite extensively
for lime at several places. It is too much metamorphosed to show well-marked
lines of stratification, being quite crystalline, and containing thin plates of
graphite. It appears to be the continuation of the limestone belt of Santa Cruz
and San Andreas, in San Mateo county.

  Punta de los Reyes is of granite, rising in a high promontory, but it is
separated from the ridge of Tomales Point by a deep depression, which is partly
occupied by tertiary sandstones. Granite also occurs at Bodega Head, probably a
continuation of the the mass of Tomales Point.

  CLIMATOGRAPHY.—The climate of Marin, a county but a few miles in extent,
presents some remarkable anomalies. The western portion, bathed as it is by the
fogs of the ocean, possesses a moist atmosphere and for that reason becomes
desirable for the purpose of feeding the stock and raising those fabulous potato
crops which mature to such perfection in the Tomales district. Indeed this
phenomenon is an important factor in the growth of the crops along the sea-coast
and on the Bay of San Francisco. About the first of May. the trade wands set in
from the northwest. The Spanish galleons from Manilla to Acapulco—three hundred
years ago—steered for Cape Mendocino, where they would encounter the northwest
trades, and run before it with swelling sails, to their beautiful harbor. To
these winds many of the farmers of Marin, of our own time, are indebted for
their never failing crop. After a drying north wind in the spring, which has
parched the earth and twisted the blades of the growing grain, the trade sets
in, and, as if by magic, the scene changes, the shriveled spears unfold, and
absorb life at every pore from the moisture-laden breeze.

  When the trade winds set in, a fog-bank forms every day off the land, caused,
perhaps by the meeting of a cold and warm strata of air. In the afternoon this
fog comes inland with the breeze, which commences about noon every day. It is
not an unhealthful fog; on the contrary, the most healthful season of the year
is when the trade winds prevail. The fog spreads through the country late in the
afternoon, continues through the night and disappears about sun rise. This mild
process of irrigation is repeated, and the farmer estimates that three heavy
fogs are equal to a light rain. This is true only of the western side of the
county; the east, however, has an exceedingly dry climate. This is readily
understood. The prevailing winds arrive at the sea-' shore saturated with
moisture, but as they advance, they come in contact with high hills, dry and
thirsty, which absorb the water like sponges. The appearance of the country and
the vegetation clearly proves this assertion. In the western and southern parts
of the county living streams flow throughout the summer months, and moss is
found adhering to the roofs and fences. Traveling east and north a few miles,
the streams get weaker and weaker until they cease running, except in rainy
weather. The moss disappears and vegetation has a different aspect.
  


Additional Comments:
Extracted from:

HISTORY OF MARIN COUNTY, CALIFORNIA;
INCLUDING ITS
Geography, Geology, Topography and Climatography;
TOGETHER WITH
A Full and Particular Record of the Mexican Grants; Its Early History and
Settlement, Compiled from the most Authentic Sources; Names of Original Spanish
and American Pioneers;

A Full Record of its Organization; A Complete Political History, including a
Tabular Statement of Office-holders since the Formation of the County;

Separate Histories of Bolinas, Nicasio, Novato, Point Reyes, San Antonio, San
Rafael, Saucelito, and Tomales Townships;

Incidents of Pioneer Life, and Biographical Sketches of its Early and Prominent
Settlers and Representative Men;
ALSO
An Historical Sketch of the State of California,
In which is embodied the Raising of the Bear Flag

ILLUSTRATED.
SAN FRANCISCO, CAL. 
ALLEY, BOWEN & CO., PUBLISHERS.
1880.


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