Where Bolinas is
Bolinas Lagoon and Kent Island lie to the northeast, Bolinas Bay and Duxbury Point to the south, the Pacific to the southwest, and Point Reyes National Seashore to the northwest. The San Andreas Fault runs the length of the lagoon and continues north through the Olema Valley and Tomales Bay. Bolinas is on the Pacific Plate, which moves north about an inch a year relative to Stinson Beach on the other side.
Finding it
The turnoff from State Route 1 is unmarked. Residents have taken down every road sign pointing to town, often enough that the county put the question on a ballot, and voters said they preferred no signs.
Layout
Downtown is on the east side along Wharf Road, which ends at the lagoon. Brighton Avenue leads from downtown to Brighton Beach, which faces south. The Big Mesa, also called the Gridded Mesa, lies to the west, with Agate Beach at its far end. The mesa was a dairy farm until 1927, when it was divided into a grid of streets and more than 5,000 narrow lots.
History
Coast Miwok people lived here first. Bolinas and present-day Stinson Beach were both part of Rancho Las Baulines, a Mexican land grant made to Gregorio Briones in 1846. The 1971 San Francisco Bay oil spill hit the beaches hard, and residents turned out to clean them. The Bolinas Museum was founded in 1983.
Schools
Bolinas is in the Bolinas-Stinson Union School District. High school students are in the attendance area of Tamalpais High School in Mill Valley.
Government and services
Bolinas is unincorporated, so there is no city hall. The County of Marin provides general government services, including law enforcement, land use planning, the library, public health and code enforcement. County offices are at the Marin County Civic Center in San Rafael, and departments are listed on the County of Marin website. The Bolinas Community Public Utility District, formed in 1967, provides water and wastewater service and contracts for garbage and recycling. In 1971 it stopped issuing new water permits, which halted construction of new homes. The Bolinas Fire Protection District handles fire protection, emergency medical care and disaster management. For emergencies call 911. Contacts for every town are on the Marin County government and services page.
Local businesses in Bolinas
The Marin County business directory sorts local businesses by trade. Bolinas listings will appear there as each category is researched and checked.