Where Marin City is
Marin City covers a little under one square mile. The hills of the Golden Gate National Recreation Area rise to the southwest, and Sausalito is a mile and a half to the southeast. It shares the 94965 ZIP code with Sausalito, so homes here are often advertised with a Sausalito address.
History
Before World War II the land held a dairy farm and a handful of families. After war was declared, Marin City went up quickly during 1942 to house 6,000 of the 20,000 workers who came from all over the country for jobs at Marinship, the shipyard on the Sausalito waterfront. Marinship launched 93 liberty ships and tankers in under three years.
After the war the community became predominantly African American, and by the 1970s more than three quarters of residents were Black, most of them descended from Marinship workers. New housing and commercial development in the 1980s and 1990s changed the mix. The Gateway Shopping Center opened in 1996.
Schools and library
The Sausalito Marin City School District serves kindergarten through eighth grade. High school students attend Tamalpais High School in Mill Valley, part of the Tamalpais Union High School District. The Marin City Library, a branch of the Marin County Free Library, is in the Gateway Shopping Center.
Getting around
Highway 101 runs along the east side of Marin City. A daily bus links Marin City with Stinson Beach on the coast.
Government and services
Marin City 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. Local matters are handled by the Marin City Community Services District, a special district run by an elected five-member board. For emergencies call 911. Contacts for every town are on the Marin County government and services page.
Local businesses in Marin City
The Marin County business directory sorts local businesses by trade. Marin City listings will appear there as each category is researched and checked.