Let’s celebrate! Built and run entirely by volunteers, the Tomales Town Hall is a fun and vital part of life in Tomales, West Marin, and the Sonoma Coast. We’ll tell the quirky, humorous, and moving story of how locals built one of the oldest continuously used public spaces in California, how successive generations have added to that story, and what the next chapter holds. Not to mention a party that’ll be remembered for years to come.

The North Pacific Coast Railroad served Marin and Sonoma Counties from 1875 until 1907. Running from Cazadero to Sausalito, remnants of the route are still visible today. Charlie Siebenthal, president of the Northwestern Pacific Railroad Historical Society will take us on a photographic tour of our local narrow gauge railroad.

Marin County’s coast is a graveyard of ships. Its steep rock-bound shores, treacherous currents, and frequent fogs have been the doom of many! Brian K. Crawford, author of Shipwrecks of Marin, has detailed more than four hundred of these wrecks and will describe six of the more significant and interesting wrecks, full of danger, pathos, and drama.

Watch the YouTube recording of the event here

The Burbank Family has had roots in our local community for over 200 years. Luther Burbank transformed our world with his contributions to horticulture. Come hear about their fascinating story from member of the family, Meg Burbank.

Watch the YouTube recording of the event here

You thought you knew fog? There’s so much more to this phenomenon in nature, myth, and mystery. FOG. Clarifying the cloudy, fuzzy, misty, murky, soupy thing we live with. Dr. Dennis Baldocchi, Professor of Biometerology at UC Berkeley serves as our beacon.

Watch the YouTube recording of the event here

What do 2,319,269 shucked oysters, 10,700,000 planted oysters and 94,259 bowls of clam chowder have in common? Our neighbor in Marshall, Hog Island Oyster Company! For 40 years, Hog Island has been an outstanding steward of our environment while providing heaps of fun and deliciousness for residents and guests. Come hear their story and join the party!

Watch the YouTube recording here

See the YouTube recording: The Landscape of our Prehistoric Coast

Did you ever wonder what formed the Elephant Rocks ?  Did you know you could once walk to the Farallones?    How did Tomales Bay itself come to be?  Join Dr Scott Mensing, Geographer and Paleoecologist for a walk through time to look at the formation of Tomales Bay and our coast.  

Abalone, written by our speaker Ann Vilesis, chronicles the remarkable story of our human relationship with an animal that we've cherished for its iridescent shell and savory meat for millennia.

This three-mile (round-trip) walk down a firm beach will take you to the 1579 site of Drake's landing. It's a rarely-visited site in near-16th century condition.

The earliest European contact with Native Peoples in northern California occurred at Drakes Bay in Marin County. This 1579 visit was years before Roanoke, Jamestown or Plymouth.

Come learn the stories behind many of the historic school houses which dot our landscapes.

Missed the event? See the YouTube recording of Christo’s Running Fence Panel

It’s been 50 years since Christo and Jean-Claude came to Sonoma County with their idea for the Running Fence.

The history of California cheese began in 1769 and we have a rich story right here!