Wednesday, December 19, 2012

The Crookedest Railroad in the World

Back in the Gay ol’ Nineties (the 1890s, mind you), a train track was built to the top of the tallest mountain in Marin. It linked up to the main line, which started at the ferry station in Sausalito, and diverged in Mill Valley. The line ran up to the top of the mountain, and stopped at a tavern. The railroad also had a track that went to Muir Woods. If you lived in Marin from the Gay Nineties to the Roaring Twenties, you could catch a ride up Mt. Tam on the Mount Tamalpais Scenic Railway.

In the mid-1890s, the winding railroad was constructed along Mt. Tamalpais’s south slope. The railroads had come to Marin in previous decades, linking the county and acting as its principle form of transportation until the 1920s. Scenic railways were becoming popular, and the one up Mt. Tam was constructed during the height of their popularity.

The railroad opened in 1896 and became very popular. From around 1897 to the early 1920s, the railroad enjoyed its heyday. Tourists and residents would ride the rails up the mountain, then take gravity cars down. They sent out postcards displaying the views from the railway, landmarks that were scattered along the track, pamphlets that were distributed. The railway achieved a very large, very positive reputation, earning its nickname “The Crookedest Railroad in the World” due to its winding track.

If you were to ride the railroad, you would start in Mill Valley. There, the trains would board at a stop along the main north-south route. Once on, the train traveled along the gentle reaches of Blithedale Canyon. Back then it wasn’t covered in houses, as Mill Valley was far less developed than today. The railroad passed by one of Mill Valley’s most prominent hotels, the Blithedale Inn.

Once you passed Bridge # 7, the grade got steeper, and the winding began. The railroad twisted up the mountain, passing a section named the “McKinley Cut” after the president who, had it not been for illness, would have ridden up the mountain in 1901. The railway eventually reached Mesa Junction, where another line ran to Muir Woods. This branch wasn’t built until a decade after the original railroad was constructed, but proved to be a more than worthy addition to the system. This railroad went to the Muir Inn, which was nestled in the middle of the massive Redwood forest on the southwestern slopes of Mt. Tam.

Continuing on the main route, the railroad wound around 4 sharp curves that became known as the “Double Bowknot” due to its shape. This section was built as a switchback section to avoid the rather steep section in the railroad’s midsection. It became the most well known part of the railroad, and to this day forms a distinct shape on the mountain.

Above the Double Bowknot, the railroad climbed higher up the bare slopes of the mountain until it reached the West Point Inn. The Inn is the only part of the railroad still in operation. It was built in 1904, and served as one of the stops for the railroad itself, finding new life with the hiking community in later years. The Inn building itself was accompanied by multiple cabins, forming a nice spot right before the final stint to the summit.

After the inn, the railroad climbed to a small plateau-like region between the East and Central Peaks. There stood the destination: the Tamalpais Tavern. A distinct archway welcomed guests to the summit. The tavern had a covered deck for viewing the vista to the south. Bedrooms, kitchens, a dancing hall, and a lounge greeted the guests in the two taverns, which were linked by the archway over the railroad. In 1923, the tavern burned to the ground after a kitchen fire spread out of control, and a replacement tavern was built, which featured an enclosed deck, but was far smaller and less grand than its original counterpart.

Now that you were at the top of the mountain, the best way to get down was to take a gravity car. These cars were small and carried passengers down the winding railway fast. The locomotives also carried people and supplies down; there was only one way to go on the railroad, and the engines were never turned around.

The railroad operated from 1896 to 1929. During its life, it saw attendance rise and fall multiple times, with its peak being in 1915. But by the late 1920s, things were starting to turn against it. Ridgeway Boulevard was constructed, and people could now drive a crooked street to the top instead of ride it in a train. The second tavern was far less attractive than the first. Trains themselves were on the way out, as buses and cars themselves gradually became the norm. But still, the railroad was popular.

Then in 1929, a massive fire swept across Mount Tamalpais. It destroyed the railroad, melting railway cars where they stood. While the destroyed portions were hastily replaced, it was at great cost and to little benefit. In 1930, the entire railway was stripped off the mountain and sold for scrap. It had operated for 34 years as one of the most iconic features of Marin. But it could not escape the decline of the railroads as a transportation medium. Ten years after the last rails were yanked out of the soil, the railroad from Sausalito itself fell into disuse. Buses and cars took over, and the age of the railroad ended.

But the Crookedest Railroad in the World is still remembered. Every map of Mt. Tam features a winding fire road called the “Old Railroad Grade.” It traces the steps of the Mt. Tamalpais Scenic Railway, from above Blithedale canyon all the way to the summit. The Muir Woods route is now the Old Stage Grade, which links itself to the Panoramic Highway. The second Tamalpais Tavern was torn down in the 1950s, but its stone foundations are now popular with hikers, who use them to admire the view. A locomotive engine sits on the slopes of Mt. Tam, a permanent tribute to the railroad. And today, if you want to ride down the railroad in a gravity car, you can do it with the next best thing - a mountain bike.


Looking south to Richardson Bay from the tavern. 
The Double Bowknot is in the foreground.

This post was created by Jason, an intern at the Marin History Museum.

Thursday, November 29, 2012

Get in the Holiday Spirit at Marin History Museum's FREE Holiday Handmade (Mini) Craft Fair!

What could be better than crafting, eating, drinking, and supporting local artists and artisans at the Marin History Museum's Holiday Handmade (Mini) Craft Fair? Doing it all for FREE! Come join us on Friday 12/14 and get in the holiday spirit!



When: Friday 12/14 5-8 PM
Where: 1026 Court Street on Court Plaza, off of 4th street in downtown San Rafael (right next to Coldstone Creamery, Barney's, and Arizmendi)
Cost: FREE

 * A participating event of ArtWalk Downtown San Rafael



The event will feature crafters and artists from Marin and the Bay Area, and a portion of each sale will benefit the Marin History Museum's public programs and educational outreach initiatives. Come shop jewelry, accessories, decorative items, handbags, and so much more!

Featured artists and crafters include:



Entertainment will be provided by The Paper Dolls and Uni and her Ukulele:



Enjoy tasty treats and holiday cider. Festive music and a drop-by craft table for visitors to make their very own handmade holiday gifts.

All proceeds benefit the MHM.





Want a Sneak Peek of What the Marin History Museum Has to Offer? Check Out Our Trailer!

Take a look at all that the Marin History Museum has to offer, and help save our history!

The Marin History Museum App Receives Praise

We are thrilled that the Marin History Museum app is receiving such good reviews! Check out the recent guest op-ed piece, "Marin History Museum is Full of Hidden Treasures," by Carleton Prince for the Marin Independent Journal, and a piece by Christopher Laddish in the Marin Scope, "A Little Known History."

Want to see our informative app in action? Take a look at the review it received from the Daily App Show on YouTube. They will take you through several screens of the app's features, showing you how to best utilize the app for maximum enjoyment.


We invite you to experience the Marin History Museum app for yourself, by downloading it to your Apple or Android device.

Marin History Museum Featured in the Bohemian

The Marin History Museum, and program manager Shelly Jackson, were featured in a fantastic piece in the Bohemian. Check it out!




Wednesday, November 28, 2012

You're Invited to MHM's Annual Holiday Party!

Join us at the Marin History Museum
for a toast of good cheer 
to the holiday season
and the coming New Year! 

The Gate House will be all aglow

and Santa is rumored to attend with toys in tow!
There will be holiday treats, wine, cider, and more
so many festive activities in store!

Friday December 7th 6pm-9pm
at the historic Boyd Gate House
1125 B. St. San Rafael, 94901

Live music, raffle prizes, carolers, holiday treats and tasty libations!

Monday, November 19, 2012

Justice and Judgement


Hello again!
                As I hope you have all heard, the Marin History Museum is currently hosting a new exhibit entitled “Justice and Judgment” which premiered on October 29 and will remain open to the public until the spring of 2013. The exhibit works to uncover the story of Marin’s law enforcement and emergency services and sheds light on the history of the court of law in the county. Within this narrative, there are three interrelated yet unique subjects of historical study. In “The ‘Q:’ San Quentin State Prison,” the fascinating, if not grisly, history of the county’s landmark prison is divulged in a celebration of the institution’s 160th anniversary. On hand are a variety of artifacts from the San Quentin Prison Museum in honor of the occasion. “Behind the Badge: Marin’s First Responders” focuses on the development and role of Marin’s agencies of law enforcement and emergency services in the county’s rich history. To finish off the exhibit, “Marin County Courthouses: Laying Down the Law!!!” highlights the history of the court of law in Marin.
                As a member of the Marin History Museum community that was intimately involved in the creation of the novel “Justice and Judgment” exhibit, I would like to speak to my own experiences within the creation process. This past summer, I served as an intern in the curating department under curator Holly Gallagher. As a history major who is interested in pursuing a graduate degree in public history to prepare for a career in curating, my work with the Marin History Museum provided me with critical opportunities to engage in the curatorial process. My work focused on the “Behind the Badge: Marin’s First Responders” section of the exhibit.  I helped Holly out with any and all research necessary to uncover the history of the diverse law enforcement and emergency service agencies in Marin County, participated both alongside Holly and on my own in meetings with many of these agencies to gather information and artifacts, and kept track of the information and artifacts gathered throughout the summer. At the end of the summer, it was my job to type up all of the information that I had gathered throughout the summer in an organized and coherent manner. My work with MHM was very much a learning experience for me in the best way possible. Not only did I genuinely enjoy my work and all of the members of the Marin History Museum community that I met, but I was given the opportunity to apply my research and writing skills that I had learned in the classroom to a practical worldly situation. I learned how to navigate the stacks of boxes full of artifacts in the museum’s collection and how to properly handle certain types of historical artifacts, such as old hats, in addition to honing my research skills. At times, my work brought me into contact with other parts of the exhibit, such as when I accompanied Holly and some MHM volunteers to the San Quentin Prison Museum (located on the grounds of San Quentin itself) to inspect and transport artifacts for “The ‘Q:’ San Quentin State Prison” exhibition. Every step of the way, I gained a new appreciation for all of the behind-the-scenes work of putting an exhibit together, from the birth of an idea for a fascinating historical study to its fruition in the form of a finished exhibition.  My work with MHM provided me with a critical foothold into the world of public history and museum studies outside of the classroom, and for that I am truly grateful.
                That being said, all I can hope for is that you enjoy the MHM exhibition “Justice and Judgment.” So come on out to the Boyd Gatehouse and take a look for yourself. Enjoy!   

This post is created by Marissa, intern at MHM.  

Sunday, September 30, 2012

Marin IJ

On a very special October 18th in 1948, The Marin County Press merged with the San Rafael Daily Independent to form what is now the Marin Independent journal. Ever since, the IJ has been writing, printing and delivering papers to all over Marin.
The writers of the IJ have been finding stories for decades and they haven't failed yet. The IJ has writers located all over the county who report to HQ in Novato for processing. Once the stories are written they are all compiled by a few special people, to form newspapers that are compact, yet beautiful. From there the papers are printed using fancy printers based on those of old.
The older printers worked like this. First the paper, typed on type writers, with pictures made with a method that uses technology similar to taking a picture of the picture to be printed, are made in to a long tape concealing all of the paper on a single strip. That strip is fead to a machine that reads it and imprints it into metal sheets. Those metal sheets are used as molds for silicon copies. The silicon copies are playable and thus, are used to bend the shape of the massive wheel that prints, so the silicon is bent and then hardened and used for a metal mold. The now curved metal mold is used to print all the paper by spinning along side another one with paper on ti and a pool of ink below. Once the paper is printed, it is cut packaged and sent for delivery.
The IJ has had over 800 paper boys for delivering papers every day. The paper boys were independent business men who bought papers in bulk from the IJ and then sold the in subscription to citizens. Being a paper boy was at that time considered to be the best business training a young man could get. Also being a paper boy was highly respected and becoming one was not as easy as one might think.
Today the IJ servers over 75,000 customers at a price of 75 cents daily and $1.25 on sunday. If you do not already receive the IJ I highly suggest it. As a customer of the IJ I can ensure you that the quality is high, the content is interesting and up to date, and the business is local, which is always a good thing. If you wish to subscribe to the IJ you can go to there website: www.marinij.com.
I hope you enjoy reading.reading

Tuesday, September 11, 2012

Matthew Jackett is a junior at Marin Academy and is interested in history and a talented writer and researcher. As a 2012 summer intern for the Marin History Museum, Matthew wrote a series of blog posts on the mural installed on San Rafael-based Youth in Arts organization'refurbished facade at 917 C Street. The mural was painted by Davidson Middle School students and illustrates the history of Marin in its artwork. This is the second post in that series. Thank you, Matthew for all your hard work! And, be sure to check out the mural in person at Youth in Arts! 

The next section of the mural includes the Spanish Mission, the cattle and dairy farming, and the changes in regime from Spain to Mexico to United States. In the mural, the Mission San Rafael Arcángel is depicted encroaching on the section of the mural dedicated to the Miwoks, representing the way that the Spanish missionaries encroached on the Native American people. It was a significant turning point in the history of Marin, with the first of many foreign presences taking power. The Mission San Rafael was constructed in 1817 as an extension of the Mission San Francisco. It functioned as a sanitarium for sick Native Americans due to the better weather outside of San Francisco. It developed from a sub-mission of San Francisco into an independent mission in 1822 as the ranch and farm built around the mission began developing. The Native American people living in the area maintained all of the orchards, herds of livestock, and buildings. An estimated 1,500 to 2,000 Native Americans lived in Marin at the time, although the number sharply decreased to as few as 250, as a result of the colonial presence.

In 1834, San Rafael became the first mission to secularize, and in 1846 it was taken by General John C. Fremont as a headquarters during the Bear Flag Revolt. The mission then deteriorated until it was restored and reconstructed in 1949.
Next to the mission in the mural is a herd of cattle. The California Gold Rush spurred the start of the dairy farming industry of Marin. Men who came seeking gold and riches were often disappointed with a lack of success and the rough life in the dangerous camps, and upon returning to San Francisco, some would set up farms and ranches up north in Marin. The lush grass that grew in the hills of Marin was some of the best in California, and the new farmers took advantage of that to feed cows meant to produce high quality butter and cheese. They were then able to use the population boom of 49ers to create a market in which they could sell their products.

The cattle in the mural are surrounded by a frame that is decorated with cattle brands that local farmers used in the 1840s through the 1860s. Mentor Artist Brooke Toczylowski saw the brands in a book at the Marin History Museum and showed them to the Davidson student artists, who later decided to include them in the mural. The brands were unique for each farmer, put on the cattle to identify ownership. The book of branding symbols at the Museum starts in Spanish and ended in English. Similarly, in the mural, the brands gradually change from ones belonging to Spanish farmers during the time of the Mission to American farmers after the Gold Rush. This represents the change in regime in California over those years.

The flags at the end of this section of the mural are the flags of Spain, then Mexico, and then the Bear Flag of 1846, developed by California Anglo-Americans wanting  independence from Mexico. The Bear Flag has been adapted into the California State flag of today.
This section of the mural shows the transition from the Native American Miwok way of life, through the Mission San Rafael and Spain, into the Mexican period and the beginning of Marin being a part of the United States. This was followed by the growth in population and industry that came with the Gold Rush, making the Bay Area what it is today.


The San Rafael history mural at Youth in Arts was created with support from the County of Marin, the Fenwick Foundation, the MacPhail Family and the Marin Community Foundation. Youth in Arts will host a public reception and celebration of the mural this Friday, September 14, from 5-8 p.m. The event will include a dedication ceremony at 6 p.m. and the opening of a new exhibit on the creation of the mural by Davidson students. 






An artists' rendering of the original San Rafael Mission
(From the MHM archives) 

The portion of the mural painted by Daivdson students

Marin cows! The Dairy industry still remains an integral part of the Marin economy.


Monday, September 10, 2012


Matthew Jackett is a junior at Marin Academy and interned at Marin History Museum this summer. During his internship Matthew wrote this series of blog posts on the mural installed on Youth in Arts refurbished facade at 917 C Street. We were happy to collaborate with YIA to celebrate this new mural, which illustrates Marin history. 
Join Youth in Arts at a public reception and exhibit opening focused on the mural on Friday, September 14, from 5-8 p.m. And, Thanks, Matthew for your research and writing! 


Youth in Arts’ newest project allowing students to explore the history of Marin in an artistic medium is a mural placed on the outside of their building. The mural was created by students at Davidson Middle School with the help of Brooke Toczylowski, an artist who works with Youth in Arts.
The mural works inward from two ends chronologically, with the center panels representing the present and future of San Rafael. The beginning of the history of Marin and San Rafael is the Native American Miwoks, and that is what the first panel of the mural depicts.
The man in the mural is a Miwok elder, Gene Buvelot, who was interviewed by the students. He has been a member of the Federated Indians of Graton Rancheria, otherwise known as the Federated Coast Miwok, for 12 years. He gave the students information for their research project and helped them learn more about the Miwok culture, but also to recognize that Miwoks and Native Americans are still very much alive and a part of today’s world. Similarly, his presence in the mural is meant to depict Miwoks not as something in a history book, but something very much alive, with a thriving culture that lives on. It places Miwoks in the present as well as the past.
The Coast Miwok people who inhabited Marin thrived off of the abundance of the land and its natural resources for over 3000 years. The bountiful earth provided many plants such as acorns and hazelnuts to eat, as well as birds and small animals that could be captured with bows and arrows or slings and traps.
In the foreground of the panel is a sáka, or traditional tule canoe. It was the Miwok people’s main means of transportation across water. The canoes were dry and seaworthy and could seat as many as three people. They were made from tule reeds, making them water resistant. Rowers used double-bladed paddles to propel the boat forward. It was on boats such as these that the Miwoks went to greet Sir Francis Drake when he first arrived in the Bay Area.
Behind the canoe and the Miwok elder are grass houses woven from tule reeds, called kótcha. It was in structures such as these that the Miwok people lived. Some were large enough to fit multiple families. In the main villages, of which there are over 600 identified locations, there were also large roundhouses for dancing and ceremonies.
Across the top of the mural stretches the Mount Tamalpais ridgeline that is so familiar to Marin residents. The shape of the ridgeline has been said to look like the silhouette of a sleeping woman. In the mural, that outline is highlighted by the depiction of an actual sleeping woman, painted in the likeness of one of the students at Davidson Middle School who worked on the mural. Her body fades away to be a part of the mountain.

Visit the Youth in Arts Blog HERE

A portion of the mural painted by Davidson Middle School students


Monday, August 27, 2012

A Little Introduction

Hello, and welcome to the Marin History Museum's blog! My name is Marissa Friedman, and I am a new member of the blogging team for Marin History Museum, serving as an intern in the education and marketing department. This past summer I worked as an intern in the curatorial department, where I helped MHM curator Holly Gallagher with the research and artifact collection needed for the museum's upcoming Justice and Judgment exhibition, premiering this fall. I am currently a junior at the University of Puget Sound in Washington, where I am majoring in history (and maybe double-minoring in comparative sociology and politics and government). I am so excited to share my passion for history with you all, and I hope that you have the opportunity to visit the new Justice and Judgment exhibition at the Marin History Museum later this fall. Feel free to send me any comments, questions, or concerns you may have....I'll be happy to respond to your inquiries!
That's all for now!
Marissa

Sunday, August 19, 2012

Trivia Night

This post was created by our 8th grade MHM volunteer, Tyler. Thank you, Tyler!






              Last night, August 18, at 7 pm there was an amazing trivia night. Hosted by the Elks Lodge, our trivia night was a huge success. Over 40 people attended. There were enormous banquets and all around fun. There were 4 rounds of trivia and through the muck and the mire, the images and music, the Cambodian dictators, the team known as Mental gymnastics came out on top.
              Marin native and rivia master extraordinaire Howard Rachelson gave the trivia. There were 4 rounds, Round 1, 10 questions was classic trivia covering many a subject. Round 2, Geographical music consisted of 10 tunes being played and competitors attempted to name each tune. Each tune was thematically invalid by name, as the title of each tune contained a geographical location. Round 3, the image round contained 10 images with questions asked about each, such as, who is this. Round 4 was the bonus round and was similarly themed to round 1.
Howard Rachelson
              Durring the night a raffle took place as well, where the winner took a prize of $91. Other prizes that night included tickets to a paranormal lecture, books, membership to the museum and more. If you made it I hope you had a good time, otherwise I hope you can attend our next event, a tour of the dominican neighborhood.    




Sunday, August 12, 2012

Louise Boyd

This post was created by our 8th grade MHM volunteer, Tyler. Thank you, Tyler!         


 Louise Boyd was an american explorer of the arctic, born right here in San Rafael CA. She extensively noted her expeditions to Greenland and became and important asset in WWII.
           She was born on September 16, 1887. In her childhood she enjoyed playing with her older brothers Seth and John. They rode horses, explored Mt.Diablo, hunted, fished and led pretty adventurous lives. When Louise was a teenager both her brothers died of a heart disease during the same year. As a memorial, the Boyd family donated their gate house to San Rafael, where it is now serves as our Museum. Both her parents died between 1919 and 1920, leaving her with an amazing estate worth an enormous amount of money. It was that fortune that funded her explorations.
Louise Boyd on her first trip to Norway
           In 1924 she took her first trip to Norway. Legend has it that on said trip she saw a polar bear on the ice, which inspired her to explore the arctic. Her first pleasure trip was taken aboard the "Hobby" in 1926.  This was simply a pleasure trip to hunt and film. Her second voyage, in 1928 ended up being a rescue mission after Roald Amundsen had gone missing during his rescue mission of Umberto Nobile. Although she was unable to find them, her efforts were highly rewarded.
           Boyd's most famous voyages, however, were her scientific expeditions in 1931, 1933, 1937, and 1938. During these expeditions, she explored the North Eastern side of Greenland and wrote a book called The Fiord Region of Eastern Greenland. Her favorite area of Greenland, near the De Geer Glacier is still called Louise Boyd Land.
            After the start of WWII, Boyd's knowledge became an important resource to the US. She was directed not to publish her book and instead explore the strange magnetic and radio phenomena. In 1941 she organized an expedition for the National Bureau of Standards.  She had to charter the ship Effie M. Morrissey swell as pay for food, supplies and a crew. The findings of said expedition were important in the war and our victory.              
           After the war, Louise took part in many academics around the bay area such as the Academy of science, SF symphony and even an Honorary Law degree. She invested and lost the remainder of her money and had to sell her property to San Rafael. She died in San Francisco on September 14, 1972, 2 days before her 85th birthday.

Sunday, August 5, 2012

New Blogger!

Hi guys my name is Tyler and I am the new blogger for the Marin History Museum. I am super exited to be doing this and I hope you will be ready to read and read and then procced to read some more because I will be cranking out these posts like gangbusters. There will be a new post weekly featuring an exhibit, artifact or person and a bonus for each new exhibit and event. I look forward to writing for you.
The first story will be on Louise Boyd. It will be posted sunday the 12th. The next event is trivia night Sat. 18th. More info on the calendar.

Thursday, July 12, 2012

New Logo!


We are proud to reveal the new MHM logo!

After a four-month-long process, the new logo design has been finalized and approved by the museum board. The green “M” of the past has been replaced with an exciting new design.

“MHM is in a phase of transition, and we want to recognize that with a new public image. Part of that is creating a new logo,” said MHM Programs Manager Shelly Jackson. “We wanted a logo that would identify us as a Marin County institution and that would include the culture and future of Marin. We wanted to go for a fresh logo with a contemporary twist, featuring something iconic like Mt. Tam.”

The new logo with the ridgeline banner

The new logo includes the silhouette of Mt. Tamalpais and a blue line on the horizon, representing the water that surrounds Marin, as well as the words Marin History Museum printed across the silhouette.

“The Museum was really intent on including Mt. Tam in the design,” said MHM intern Taylor Tomlin, the graphic designer who created the new logo. “They felt it would really give the logo an identity and that people would see Mt Tam and feel that it’s a part of their community, it being the prize gem of Marin.”

Taylor began working with MHM after Shelly reached out to Dominican University and got involved in their art design class.

“I contacted the Dominican University graphic design department, got in touch with Professor Steven Polacco, idea was to work with graphic design students” said Shelly. “We decided that MHM would act as the client, and the students would pitch the designs and we would choose the one we liked best. After that process, Taylor was then recruited to take that vision into a reality.”

After school ended in June, Taylor began interning at the museum, continuing the project and working on finalizing the design. She experimented with different color schemes and finessed the design of the logo.

“The staff and the board are thrilled to have such a talented graphic designer interning at MHM,” said Shelly. “She is a hard worker and has a great design eye. We are lucky to have her working with us. The work she is doing is crucial for the rebranding of the museum, which will make MHM more sustainable in the long run.”
Intern Taylor Tomlin designs the new MHM logo. Thank you Taylor!


The logo went through much deliberation with the board and the staff, choosing colors and changing small details. Eventually the new logo was chosen out of the many drafts.

“This is the final product, with the teal, purple, and blue. We wanted a more modern and fresh color scheme, and the board went through the many options and chose these. It was a fun process, and I really liked it,” said Taylor.

The new logo makes its debut on the new membership brochure for MHM. As new members sign up, they will see the new logo, as well as a banner depicting the ridgeline of Mt. Tam across the top of the page.

“The ridgeline is my favorite part,” said Taylor. “It connects the logo with the bigger idea of Marin, continuing with the idea of connecting the community of Marin through the museum.”
The new and improved logo is MHM’s way of representing themselves and what they have available to the public.

“We want the logo to encompass what we have to offer: programs, exhibitions, and events that celebrate the county’s history. We hope everyone likes it!” 

Thursday, June 7, 2012

Welcome!


We are excited to announce that the Marin History Museum is starting a blog!

The Marin History Museum works to celebrate the history of Marin County and the people who have lived in it, and recognizes the innovation and creativity of these people. We were founded in 1935, and are located at the Boyd Estate in San Rafael, previously owned by Arctic explorer Louise A. Boyd. We utilize educational programs and community events to teach us to honor the past, understand the present, and imagine the future.

Visit us at 1125 B Street in San Rafael to see the many exhibitions we have on display such as the Golden Gate Bridge exhibition, in honor of the 75th Anniversary of the Golden Gate Bridge that occurred this year. Other exhibitions include "Marin At War!", "Marin IJ: 150 Years of Ink" and "Louise A. Boyd: Heiress and Explorer".  More information can be found at www.marinhistory.org/ under exhibitions.

As the blog begins, we will be writing about events, exhibitions, volunteers, members, and other programs that we offer, as well as the history of Marin County. We will also be posting photos and videos of our events and programs. We hope to provide a new and exciting way to experience the history of Marin and that you will read this blog frequently.