Olompali State Historic Park Celebrates Heritage Day

The annual Heritage Day celebration at Olompali State Historic Park takes place this year on Sunday, May 19th. This will be the 28th year of the event and an especially poignant year for Olompali. The park was facing permanent closure in 2012, but was saved thanks to strong support from the community and the hard work of The Olompali People. Heritage Day commemorates the rich history of this unique California State Park. Olompali covers a multitude of layers of history, going back 10,000 years to the time of the Miwok. The village of Olompali was the gateway to the southern territory of the Miwok, which stretched from what is now northern Sonoma County southward to the Golden Gate. The word Olompali is a Miwok word meaning "southern village" or "southern people," signifying the strategic location of this village within Miwok territory. Mount Burdell, the 1,555-foot peak that is the highest point in the park, was known by the Miwok as Olompais, meaning "south hill." Contrast this with the Miwok word Tamalpais, which means "west hill," according to Tom Smith, an elder Miwok who was interviewed by anthropologist Isabel Kelly in the 1920s and 1930s. During the Spanish era, Olompali was an important stop on El Camino Real, the 500-mile long route that linked the 21 Spanish missions, from San Diego to Sonoma. After Mexican independence in 1821 and the secularization of the missions in 1833, Olompali became a land grant, the only one in northern Alta California to be given to a Native American. Camilo Ynitia was a Miwok leader, a friend and contemporary of Chief Marin, the namesake of Marin County. He built a modest adobe structure and lived here until 1852, when he sold the rancho to Marin County assessor James Black. The Burdell family initiated the next phase of Olompali’s history, establishing a working ranch here in 1863. They built their ranch house around Camilo Ynitia’s old adobe and planted an elaborate Victorian garden. The Burdell family owned the property until 1943, after which it changed hands a number of times. The Grateful Dead lived here in 1966 and a landmark coast live oak is featured on the cover of Aoxomoxoa, one of their albums of the time. The following year the land was leased by the "Chosen Family," who founded a hippie commune on the site. Noelle Olompali, who calls herself the "official spokesperson for the Chosen Family," describes the commune as a place "where we were graced by the presence of generations of free-thinking, revolutionary and visionary artists, poets, actors, musicians, activists, playwrights, authors, doctors, professors, school teachers and homemakers." Olompali was bought by the state of California in 1977 and became a state historic park in 1981. It is supported by The Olompali People, a committee of the nonprofit Marin State Parks Association. It was one of 70 California state parks that were slated to be closed last July 1. Thanks to a $10,000 donation from The Olompali People, a grant from the Dean Witter Foundation, and matching funds from the state, the park is now open five days a week. As in past years, Heritage Day will feature guided tours of the park that focus on birds, plants, and archaeology. Experts will be on hand to discuss the park's historic buildings, including the old Camilo Ynitia Adobe, the Burdell Mansion and the Burdell Victorian Garden. The Dry Creek Pomo Dancers will perform, and there will be family-oriented interactive demonstrations of basketry, flint-knapping, adobe brick making, roping, and blacksmithing. Speakers will be on hand to talk about Olompali’s history, including Senior State Parks Archaeologist Breck Parkman and members of the Chosen Family. Representatives of WildCare will teach children of all ages about local wildlife. A silent auction will be held to raise funds for the park, with auction items donated by Marin and Sonoma County merchants and artisans. Tacos, burritos, and other Mexican food will be available for purchase, and there will be free ice cream courtesy of Clover Stornetta. Heritage Day takes place from 10 AM to 4 PM. Admission to the event is free, although parking at the state park is $8. Olompali State Historic Park is located three miles north of Novato, just off of Highway 101.