Stinson Beach, California

Infobox Settlement
official_name = Stinson Beach, California
settlement_type = CDP


image_size = 300
imagesize =
image_caption = Stinson Beach
image_

---

mapsize = 250x200px
map_caption = Location in Marin County and the state of California


mapsize1 =
map_caption1 =
subdivision_type = Country
subdivision_type1 = State
subdivision_type2 = County
subdivision_name = United States
subdivision_name1 = California
subdivision_name2 = Marin
government_type =
leader_title = N/A
leader_name =
leader_title = County Board
leader_name = District 4
Steve Kinsey
leader_title1 = Senate
leader_name1 = Carole Migden (D)
leader_title2 = Assembly
leader_name2 = Jared Huffman (D)
leader_title3 = U. S. Congress
leader_name3 = Lynn Woolsey (D)
established_date =
area_footnotes = GR|2
area_magnitude =
area_total_km2 = 2.7
area_total_sq_mi = 1.07
area_land_km2 = 2.7
area_land_sq_mi = 1.06
area_water_km2 = 0
area_water_sq_mi = 0.02
area_water_percent = 2
elevation_ft = 26
elevation_m = 8
elevation_footnotes = [Gnis|235489|Stinson Beach]
latd = 37 |latm = 54 |lats = 9 |latNS = N
longd = 122 |longm = 38 |longs = 44 |longEW = W
population_as_of = 2000
population_footnotes = GR|2
population_total = 751
population_metro =
population_density_km2 = 278
population_density_sq_mi = 683
timezone = PST
utc_offset = -8
timezone_DST = PDT
utc_offset_DST = -7
postal_code_type = ZIP code
postal_code = 94970
area_code = 415
area_code_type = Area Code
lat_d = 37
lat_m = 54
lat_s = 9
lat_NS = N
long_d = 122
long_m = 38
long_s = 44
long_EW = W
blank_name = FIPS code
blank_info = 06-74172
blank1_name = GNIS feature ID
blank1_info = 235489
footnotes =
website =

Stinson Beach, California is an unincorporated community in Marin County, California, on the west coast of the United States. The population of the Stinson Beach CDP (census-designated place) was 751 at the 2000 census.

Stinson Beach is about a 30-minute drive from the Golden Gate Bridge on California's Highway 1. It is near important attractions such as Muir Woods National Monument, Muir Beach, and Mount Tamalpais. It has a long beach with occasional opportunities for surfing, although the water is cold and fog is common throughout the year.

In 2002, a surfer was attacked by a 12-15 foot-long great white shark, while surfing off Stinson Beach. The young man survived, but received more than 100 stitches to close his wounds. The attack was the second in Stinson Beach since 1998, and the 13th in Marin County since 1952. The surf off Stinson Beach is within an area known as the Red Triangle, where there have been an unusually high number of shark attacks. [http://www.ptreyeslight.com/stories/jun06_02/shark_attack.html]

Stinson Beach is a popular day trip for people from the San Francisco Bay Area and for tourists visiting northern California. Although most visitors arrive by private car, Stinson Beach is linked to Marin City by a weekend bus service, and the network of hiking trails around Mount Tamalpais also reaches the town.

History

In 1870, the first road was built along the Pacific coast from Sausalito, California, and a tent settlement sprang up amongst the willow trees at the beach, which gave rise to the town's original name, Willow Camp. The Mill Valley and Mt. Tamalpais Scenic Railroad opened in 1896, making Willow Camp more accessible. Visitors could ride the train to West Point Inn and then hike or arrange a stagecoach to take them to the beach. In 1906, refugees from the San Francisco earthquake came to the area and built some of the area's first businesses. Stinson Beach became the official town name in 1916, in honor of the largest landowners, Rose and Nathan Stinson.

In 1939, the beach was sold to Marin County. It was transferred to the State of California in 1950, and was eventually transferred to the National Park Service in 1977.

Geography

Stinson Beach is located at coor dms|37|54|9|N|122|38|44|W|city (37.89847, -122.63878)GR|1, between Bolinas and Muir Beach.

The CDP has a total area of 1.07 square miles (2.8 km²), of which, 1.06 square miles (2.7 km²) of it is land and 0.02 square miles (0.1 km²) of it (2%) is water.GR|2

Demographics

As of the censusGR|2 of 2000, there were 751 people, 374 households, and 178 families residing in the CDP. The population density was 712 people per square mile (274/km²). There were 693 housing units at an average density of 657/sq mi (252/km²). The racial makeup of the CDP was 95.87% White, 0.27% African American, 0.27% Native American, 0.67% Asian, 0.93% from other races, and 2.00% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.60% of the population.

There were 374 households out of which 18.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 40.6% were married couples living together, 4.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 52.4% were non-families. 42.0% of all households were made up of individuals and 11.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 1.98 and the average family size was 2.75.

In the CDP the population was spread out with 16.9% under the age of 18, 3.3% from 18 to 24, 25.8% from 25 to 44, 39.4% from 45 to 64, and 14.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 47 years. For every 100 females there were 98.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 100.0 males.

The median income for a household in the CDP was $87,679, and the median income for a family was $105,827. Males had a median income of $58,750 versus $56,875 for females. The per capita income for the CDP was $62,452. About 3.8% of families and 5.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 11.8% of those under the age of eighteen and 10.4% of those sixty five or over.

Education

Stinson Beach is in the Bolinas-Stinson Union School District, the Tamalpais Union High School District, and the Marin Community College District. Students in primary grades (kindergarten – grade 2) attend Stinson Beach School, while elementary grade students (grades 3–8) attend Bolinas School. Stinson Beach is in the attendance area of Tamalpais High School, in Mill Valley.

Government

Stinson Beach is unincorporated, receiving general government services from Marin County, including law enforcement, land use planning, library, public health, and code enforcement. Three special districts provide local services. The Stinson Beach County Water District provides water and septic tank maintenance service and contracts for garbage and recycling collection. [ [http://stinson-beach-cwd.dst.ca.us/ Stinson Beach County Water District] ] The Stinson Beach Fire Protection District provides fire protection, emergency medical care, and disaster management services. [ [http://www.stinsonbeachfire.com/ Stinson Beach Fire Protection District] ] The Marin County Flood Control and Water Conservation District administers programs which aim to mitigate flooding, historically concentrating on issues related to the flooding of Easkoot Creek. [ [http://www.co.marin.ca.us/depts/pw/main/floodcontrol/fczone5.cfm Marin County Flood Control and Water Conservation District - Zone 5] ]

Community organizations

The Stinson Beach Village Association was formed in 1976 to represent the town as the County developed the first Stinson Beach Community Plan. [ [http://stinsonbeachvillage.com/index.html Stinson Beach Village Association] , accessed December 30, 2007] Previously, development of the town had been promoted by the Stinson Beach Progressive Club, one of several non-profit organizations that formed the board of the Stinson Beach Community Center. [ [http://www.stinsonbeachcommunitycenter.org/ Stinson Beach Community Center] , accessed December 30, 2007] The other founding organizations were the Allied Arts Club, the Stinson Beach Community Church, The Volunteer Fire Department, and the Parent-Teachers Club. The Community Center complex on Belvedere Avenue includes the Fire House, which fronts on Shoreline Highway, the Community Center, and the Chapel. The land was donated by the FitzHenrys and the other heirs of the Stinson families.

Points of interest

*Mount Tamalpais State Park
*Golden Gate National Recreation Area
*Point Reyes National Seashore
* [http://www.egret.org/ Audubon Canyon Ranch]

Annual events

On the second Sunday of June, the town serves as the ending point for the annual running of the Dipsea Race, the second-oldest foot race in the U.S. The California Road Club holds its Mount Tamalpais Hill Climb, one of the oldest bicycle races in the West, in early fall. Since 2002, the race has been held on the third Saturday of the month, with about 400 bicyclists competing in the convert|12.5|mi|km|sing=on road race from Stinson to the head of Bolinas Lagoon and on to the West summit of Mount Tamalpais at Rock Spring. [ [http://www.californiaroadclub.org/tam/ California Road Club, "The 46th Annual Mount Tamalpais Hill Climb, Saturday, September 16th 2006"] ]

Stinson Beach people

Residents, landowners, and summer people important in the development, life, and culture of Stinson Beach. Arrival or tenure is shown in square brackets. Birth and death dates are shown in parentheses.

*Rafael Garcia [1836–1846] , first manager of Rancho las Baulines [http://www.nps.gov/archive/muwo/stbe/stbe_history.htm National Park Servcie, Stinson Beach History] ]
*Gregorio and Ramona Garcia Briones [1837–] , received grant of Rancho Las Baulines from the Mexican government [ [http://www.co.marin.ca.us/depts/lb/main/crm/maps/baulines.html Marin County, Baulines (Las Baulines) Rancho] ]
*Pablo Briones [1837–] , helped Rafael Garcia manage Rancho for his parents, Gregoriao and Ramona; trained as curandero by his aunt, Juana Briones de Miranda; settled in Bolinas
*Isaac Morton [c. 1852–] , purchased Stinson Beach portion of Rancho in 1852; grew apples
*Nathan and Rose Stinson [1870s–] , established first campground at Willow Camp
*Captain Alfred Easkoot [1870s–] , Marin County surveyor; founder of second campground; member of Duxbury Grove No. 26, UAOD [ [http://mill-valley.freemasonry.biz/marin-fraternities-02.htm "Toward a Fraternal History of Marin County," "United Ancient Order of Druids (UAOD)"] ]
*William Kent (March 29, 1864–March 13, 1928) United States Congressman; donor of the land for the Muir Woods National Monument; owner of the beach and tidelands that became Seadrift [http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/chronicle/archive/1995/12/17/SC46737.DTL&type=printable Susan Sward, "San Francisco Chronicle," December 17, 1995, "Dredging Up Trouble? West Marin residents agree that Bolinas Lagoon must be saved from silt that threatens to destroy it. What they can't agree on is how."] ]
*Newman Lee Fitzhenry (1881–November 20, 1938) [c. 1913–1938] , BS, University of Chicago, 1905 [ [http://books.google.com/books?id=c7RBAAAAIAAJ&pg=PA112&lpg=PA112&dq=%22stinson+beach%22+fitzhenry&source=web&ots=y2uDjEo58X&sig=Ti_AdyEDwMpkDqwrBwCoYz0GEQM Alumni Directory, the University of Chicago, 1919] , accessed December 30, 2007] ; married Eve Stinson and pursued real estate and resort development [ [http://www.co.marin.ca.us/depts/lb/main/crm/oralhistories/ghreinhardtFT.html Marin County Oral History, Inteview with Geneva Reinhardt, January 9, 1977] , accessed December 30, 2007] ; suicided November 20, 1938 [ [http://www.sfgenealogy.com/boards/mcobits/archive2/3121.html "Marin Journal," November 24, 1938, p 2, "Newman Fitzhenry’s Body Cremated ‘Mayor’ of Stinson Beach Suicides Sunday"] , accessed December 30, 2007]
*William Kent, Jr., began the development of the Seadrift subdivision in the 1950s
*Mildred Sadler (May 16, 1905–February 18, 2004) [1926–2004] , Principal, Stinson Beach School, 1926–1967 [ [http://www.ptreyeslight.com/stories/feb26_04/sadler_obit.html Larken Bradley, "Point Reyes Light," February 26, 2004, "Mildred Sadler, 98, dies; a Stinson Beach matriarch"] , accessed December 30, 2007]
*Landis Everson [1960s] , poet and painter [ [http://jacketmagazine.com/26/ever-iv.html "Jacket Magazine," "Jacket Interview: Landis Everson in conversation with Kevin Killian 2004"] ]
*John Korty [1964–c. 1970s] , film maker
*George Hunter White, also known as Colonel White [1965–1975] (died October 23, 1975), Federal Bureau of Narcotics agent and District Supervisor, retired, led Project MKULTRA in Boston and Operation Midnight Climax in New York and San Francisco brothels (or "safehouses") until the closure of the San Francisco facilities in 1965; Chief, Stinson Beach Fire Department [ [http://caselaw.lp.findlaw.com/scripts/getcase.pl?court=2nd&navby=case&no=976116&exact=1 U.S. 2nd Circuit Court of Appeals, "KRONISCH v USA," Docket No. 97-6116] ] [ [http://www.frankolsonproject.org/Articles/Spin.html Richard Stratton, "Spin Magazine," March 1994, "Altered States of America"] ] [ [http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9E0CEEDC153FF932A25756C0A9659C8B63 Ed Boland Jr. "F.Y.I. – The C.I.A.'s Bad Trip," "The New York Times," May 11, 2003] , accessed July 12, 2008] [ [http://select.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=F30E13F83D54177A93C4AB178BD95F418785F9 Associated Press obituary "George H. White, Stinson Beach," "The New York Times," October 26, 1975] , accessed July 12, 2008]
*Peter Bishop Allen (November 1, 1943–June 3, 2004) [c. 1967–2004] , sculptor of marine mammals; Assistant Chief, Stinson Beach Fire Department; founder of The Kids Camp nature education program [ [http://www.ptreyeslight.com/stories/june10_04/allen_obituary.html Larken Bradley, "Point Reyes Light," "Ex-assistant fire chief of Stinson Beach dies", June 10, 2004] , accessed December 10, 2007] [ [http://webresult.com/gallery/peter.html Willow Camp Gallery (photo of bronze dolphin in collection] , accessed December 10, 2007]
*Steve Miller [1960s–1970s] , musician [ [http://www.stevemillerband.com/bio.html Steve Miller Band website, Bio] ]
*Jerry Garcia [1970s] , musician [http://www.metroactive.com/papers/sonoma/05.04.00/garcia-0018.html Greg Cahill, MetroActive, May 4, 200, "High on Bluegrass"] ]
*Carolyn Adams, also known as Mountain Girl [1970s] , member of Merry Pranksters, wife of Jerry Garcia
*Keith and Donna Godchaux [1970s] , musicians [ [http://www.deaddisc.com/disc/Keith_And_Donna.htm Grateful Dead Family Discography: Keith and Donna Godchaux] , accessed February 2, 2008]
*Peter Rowan [1970s] , musician
*The Rowan Brothers – Lorin and Chris Rowan [1970s] , musicians [ [http://www.philzone.com/interviews/rowan_bros/ philzone.com, "Rowan Brothers: Now, Then, Always Friends," 2004] ] [ [http://www.lorinrowan.com/JoelSelvin%2011_3_2004.html Joel Selvin, "San Francisco Chronicle," "Once the 'next big thing,' the Rowan Brothers, 30 years later, cut 2nd album, step back into the spotlight"] ]
*David Grisman [1970s] , musician [ [http://www.rexfoundation.org/grisinterview.html KPFA, Rex Radio show, January 1991] ]
*George Frayne [c. 1976–1997] , musician (Commander Cody and the Lost Planet Airmen) and painter [ [http://www.metroactive.com/papers/sonoma/08.31.05/cody-0535.html Bruce Robinson, MetroActive, August 31, 2005, "Ozone Player: Commander Cody touches down in California again"] ] [ [http://www.commandercody.com/Story.html George Frayne, "Some of the Story of Commander Cody and His Lost Planet Airmen"] ]
*Jerry Cebe - artist (abstract painting; art glass) [ [http://www.bolinasmuseum.org/2001lap/exlapdec.html Bolinas Museum, "Glass Symphony: Art Glass by Jerry Cebe, December 7 to 30, 2001"] , accessed September 3, 2007]

Stinson Beach in popular culture

Stinson Beach has been the setting and filming location for several movies:

* "Play It Again, Sam"
* "The Fog"
* "Memoirs of an Invisible Man"
* "Basic Instinct"
* "On The Edge"
* "Shoot The Moon"

The town was mentioned in an episode of M*A*S*H.

George Frayne (Commander Cody) wrote a song about Stinson Beach entitled "Midnight On The Strand." It was recorded on his 1987 album, "Let's Rock."

The town and the beach are the topic of a poem by Garrison Keillor. In "We Are Still Married: Stories and Letters," Keillor has a 4-page essay about his visits to Stinson Beach and how thinking of the beach helps him sleep. [ [http://www.amazon.com/dp/0140131566 Keillor, Garrison. Penguin (Non-Classics); Reprint edition (April 1, 1990) "We are still Married: Stories and Letters," ISBN 0140131566, pages 258–261] , accessed May 10, 2007]

Notes

Further reading

* "Bolinas and Stinson Beach," Arcadia Publishing, August 4, 2004, ISBN 0738528951. Text and images from the photographic collections of the Bolinas Museum and the Stinson Beach Historical Society
* Steve Aikenhead, et al."Group memories: School days in Bolinas and Stinson Beach," Schoolhouse Publications, 1993
* Joan Reutinger, "Memories of Willow Camp: A personal history of Stinson Beach," Stinson Beach Village Association, 1993
* Bernard Poinssot, "The Stinson Beach Salt Marsh: The Form of Its Growth," Stinson Beach Press, June 1977,ISBN 0918540011

External links

* [http://www.californiacoastline.org/cgi-bin/image.cgi?
]
* [http://www.californiacoastline.org/cgi-bin/image.cgi?
]
* [http://stinsonbeachcommunitycenter.org Stinson Beach Community Center]
* [http://www.co.marin.ca.us/depts/lb/main/wmarin/sbindex.cfm Stinson Beach Library]
* [http://www.co.marin.ca.us/depts/lb/main/crm/oralhistories/ghreinhardtFT.html 1977 Oral account of Stinson Beach History from Marin Public Library]
* [http://www.bolinaslagoon.org/index.html Bolinas Lagoon Foundation]