1897 Map of Tamalpais

About this map

Mt. Tamalpais anchors this coastal landscape, rising above the redwood canyons of Muir Woods National Monument and the developing rail-corridor towns of southern Marin. The map captures the late 19th-century transition from Mexican land grant ranching to suburban growth, as the Northwestern Pacific railroad connects towns like San Rafael, Mill Valley, and Larkspur toward the ferry terminals. Along the rugged Pacific coast, the topography details the steep cliffs from Pt. Bonita and the Fort Barry Military Reservation up to Bolinas Lagoon. In the south, the survey reaches across the Golden Gate to depict the very edge of San Francisco, featuring landmarks like the Cliff House and the Pt. Lobos shoreline. The presence of numerous large ranch boundaries, such as San Geronimo and Las Baulines, reflects the area's agricultural heritage even as modern settlements were taking root.