1897 Map of Tamalpais

About this map

Mt. Tamalpais dominates the coastal landscape of Marin County in this 1894-95 survey, rising above the Pacific where the Golden Gate opens toward San Francisco. The map captures a moment when the recently established Muir Woods National Monument preserved old-growth redwoods while the surrounding hills were still organized under original land grant names like Sausalito, Las Baulines, and Cañada de Herrera. Transportation networks of the late nineteenth century are clearly visible, including the rail lines connecting San Rafael to waterfront hubs like Mill Valley Junction and Reed. On the coast, maritime landmarks such as Pt. Bonita and Mile Rocks mark the entrance to the bay, while the isolated settlement of Bolinas sits at the edge of the Bolinas Lagoon. This study provides a precise record of the shoreline before the major twentieth-century infrastructure and suburban development reshaped the Marin peninsula.