Stinson Beach, California

Stinson Beach
census-designated place

Stinson Beach

Location in Marin County and the state of California
Stinson Beach

Location in the United States

Coordinates: 37°54′02″N 122°38′40″W / 37.90056°N 122.64444°W / 37.90056; -122.64444Coordinates: 37°54′02″N 122°38′40″W / 37.90056°N 122.64444°W / 37.90056; -122.64444
Country  United States
State  California
County Marin
Government
 • County Board District 4
Steve Kinsey
 • State Senate Mark Leno (D)
 • Assembly Marc Levine (D)
 • U. S. Congress Jared Huffman (D)[1]
Area[2]
 • Total 1.459 sq mi (3.779 km2)
 • Land 1.441 sq mi (3.731 km2)
 • Water 0.018 sq mi (0.048 km2)  1.27%
Elevation[3] 26 ft (8 m)
Population (2010)
 • Total 632
 • Density 430/sq mi (170/km2)
Time zone PST (UTC-8)
 • Summer (DST) PDT (UTC-7)
ZIP code 94970
Area codes 415/628
FIPS code 06-74172
GNIS feature ID 235489

Stinson Beach is a census-designated place in Marin County, California, on the west coast of the United States. Stinson Beach is located 2.5 miles (4 km) east-southeast of Bolinas,[4] at an elevation of 26 feet (8 m).[3] The population of the Stinson Beach CDP (census-designated place) was 632 at the 2010 census.

Stinson Beach is about a 35-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, where the cold water promotes fog throughout the year.

Stinson Beach is a popular day trip for people in 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 daily bus service, and the network of hiking trails around Mount Tamalpais also reaches the town. The beach is one of the cleanest in the state, and sandy, unlike the rockier neighboring beach in Bolinas.[5]

History

Nathan H. Stinson bought land at the site in 1866.[4]

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 Mt. Tamalpais & Muir Woods Railway 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.

1916 photo postcard of Stinson Beach, showing Airey's Hotel to the left
1916 photo postcard of Stinson Beach, showing Airey's Hotel to the left

The first post office opened in 1916.[4]

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.

Stinson Beach is the home for GDTSToo, Inc., the mail order distribution company for the Fare Thee Well Tour (Dead50), and other musical acts.

Geography

Stinson Beach is located at 37°54′02″N 122°38′40″W / 37.90056°N 122.64444°W / 37.90056; -122.64444,[3] between Bolinas and Muir Beach.

The CDP has a total area of 1.46 square miles (3.8 km2), of which, 1.44 square miles (3.7 km2) of it is land and 0.02 square miles (0.052 km2) of it (1.27%) is water.

Demographics

Stinson Beach CDP, California (yellow)
94970 ZIP Code Tabulation Area (yellow)

2010

The 2010 United States Census[6] reported that Stinson Beach had a population of 632. The population density was 433.1 people per square mile (167.2/km²). The racial makeup of Stinson Beach was 582 (92.1%) White, 3 (0.5%) African American, 8 (1.3%) Native American, 14 (2.2%) Asian, 1 (0.2%) Pacific Islander, 9 (1.4%) from other races, and 15 (2.4%) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 33 persons (5.2%).

The Census reported that 629 people (99.5% of the population) lived in households, 3 (0.5%) lived in non-institutionalized group quarters, and 0 (0%) were institutionalized.

There were 339 households, out of which 50 (14.7%) had children under the age of 18 living in them, 134 (39.5%) were opposite-sex married couples living together, 14 (4.1%) had a female householder with no husband present, 10 (2.9%) had a male householder with no wife present. There were 26 (7.7%) unmarried opposite-sex partnerships, and 8 (2.4%) same-sex married couples or partnerships. 147 households (43.4%) were made up of individuals and 45 (13.3%) had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 1.86. There were 158 families (46.6% of all households); the average family size was 2.54.

The population was spread out with 76 people (12.0%) under the age of 18, 26 people (4.1%) aged 18 to 24, 117 people (18.5%) aged 25 to 44, 278 people (44.0%) aged 45 to 64, and 135 people (21.4%) who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 54.4 years. For every 100 females there were 94.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 95.1 males.

There were 773 housing units at an average density of 529.8 per square mile (204.5/km²), of which 209 (61.7%) were owner-occupied, and 130 (38.3%) were occupied by renters. The homeowner vacancy rate was 2.3%; the rental vacancy rate was 9.7%. 425 people (67.2% of the population) lived in owner-occupied housing units and 204 people (32.3%) lived in rental housing units.

2000

As of the census[7] 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 in 2010 was 89.6% non-Hispanic White, 0.5% non-Hispanic African American, 0.2% Native American, 2.2% Asian, 0.2% from Pacific Islander, 0.5% from other races, and 1.6% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 5.2% 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.[8] The Stinson Beach Volunteer Fire Protection District provides fire protection, emergency medical care, and disaster management services.[9] 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.[10]

Community organizations

Church and Community Center

The Stinson Beach Village Association was formed in 1976 to represent the town as the County developed the first Stinson Beach Community Plan.[11] The Village Association's current elected president is village resident Michael Matthews. 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.[12] 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.

Regional recreation areas

Safety

In 2002, a surfer was attacked by a 12-to-15-foot-long (3.7 to 4.6 m) 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, and the 13th in Marin County since 1952. In 1998, Jonathan Kathrein was attacked by a great white shark, while paddling into the ocean. His injury from the shark bite required over 600 stitches.[13][14] 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.[15]

Marin County added 12 tsunami warning signs to the Stinson Beach shoreline in 2012 to explain the risk to beachgoers.[16]

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 12.5-mile (20.1 km) road race from Stinson to the head of Bolinas Lagoon and on to the West summit of Mount Tamalpais at Rock Spring.[17] "Cuisine On the Green" is a yearly event held in the town's central park The Village Green, each May. It features local restaurants and merchants selling a wide variety of foods, trinkets, clothing, art and novelty items at different booths. Talent local to the area often performs on the small park stage. Cuisine On the Green benefits the Stinson Beach Community Center. On July 4 of every year, a "tug-of-war" is held with Bolinas across the intlet dividing the two communities. 30 women from each shore pull against each other until a winner is declared, then 30 men from each take their turn. It is a slice of life, pure Americana and always contested both during the actual event and then after in the local bars of Smiley's and the Sand Dollar where the winner's trophies are displayed.

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.

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

The town was mentioned in an episode of M*A*S*H - The Merchant of Korea. In the episode, BJ borrows $200 from Charles to wire home to his wife as a down payment on the purchase of a one-acre lot with "trees, the beach, a view of San Francisco...everything!"

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.[50]

The poet Robert Duncan wrote his influential collection Opening the Field at a house in Stinson Beach.[51]

Some of Janis Joplin's cremated ashes were scattered along this beach as well as the Pacific Ocean.[52]

The story of a young surfer's recovery from a shark attack is the subject of a book, Far From Shore.

Notes

  1. ↑ "California's 2nd Congressional District - Representatives & District Map". Civic Impulse, LLC. Retrieved March 8, 2013.
  2. ↑ "U.S. Census". Archived from the original on January 24, 2012. Retrieved 2012-07-30.
  3. 1 2 3 U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Stinson Beach
  4. 1 2 3 Durham, David L. (1998). California's Geographic Names: A Gazetteer of Historic and Modern Names of the State. Clovis, Calif.: Word Dancer Press. p. 707. ISBN 1-884995-14-4.
  5. ↑ Bay Area beaches grade well for safe swimming, May 27, 2010 by Carolyn Jones, San Francisco Chronicle
  6. ↑ "2010 Census Interactive Population Search: CA - Stinson Beach CDP". U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved July 12, 2014.
  7. ↑ "American FactFinder". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on September 11, 2013. Retrieved 2008-01-31.
  8. ↑ "Stinson Beach County Water District". Stinson-beach-cwd.dst.ca.us. Retrieved 2012-07-30.
  9. ↑ "Stinson Beach Fire Protection District". Stinsonbeachfire.com. Retrieved 2012-07-30.
  10. ↑ "Marin County Flood Control and Water Conservation District - Zone 5". Co.marin.ca.us. 2012-07-18. Retrieved 2012-07-30.
  11. ↑ Stinson Beach Village Association, accessed December 30, 2007
  12. ↑ Stinson Beach Community Center, accessed December 30, 2007
  13. ↑ Santa Cruz Patch, "Man who was Attacked by a Great White Shark Now Wants to Save Them" Archived October 4, 2012, at the Wayback Machine. accessed November 12, 2012
  14. ↑ Los Angeles Times, "Summer reading: Pirates, poems and sharks" accessed November 12, 2012
  15. ↑ Archived March 27, 2010, at the Wayback Machine.
  16. ↑ "'Tsunami zone' warning signs headed for Marin coast".
  17. ↑ "California Road Club, ''The 46th Annual Mount Tamalpais Hill Climb, Saturday, September 16th 2006''". Californiaroadclub.org. Retrieved 2012-07-30.
  18. 1 2 3 4 5 6 National Park Service, Stinson Beach History Archived June 15, 2007, at the Wayback Machine.
  19. ↑ "Rancho Baulines (Las Baulines), Marin County". Co.marin.ca.us. Retrieved 2012-07-30.
  20. ↑ "OLDEST WOMAN IN THE STATE - Mrs. Ramona Garcia Munos Passes Away at Bolinas". Sausalito News, Volume 17, Number 22, p. 3. 29 June 1901. Retrieved 15 August 2013.
  21. ↑ Livingston, Dewey (1995). A Good Life: Dairy Farming in the Olema Valley. San Francisco: National Park Service. p. 419.
  22. ↑ "''Toward a Fraternal History of Marin County,'' "United Ancient Order of Druids (UAOD)"". Mill-valley.freemasonry.biz. Archived from the original on 2012-07-17. Retrieved 2012-07-30.
  23. 1 2 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."
  24. ↑ Alumni Directory, the University of Chicago, 1919, accessed December 30, 2007
  25. ↑ Marin County Oral History, Interview with Geneva Reinhardt, January 9, 1977, accessed December 30, 2007
  26. ↑ Marin Journal, November 24, 1938, p 2, "Newman Fitzhenry’s Body Cremated ‘Mayor’ of Stinson Beach Suicides Sunday", accessed December 30, 2007
  27. ↑ Larken Bradley, Point Reyes Light, February 26, 2004, "Mildred Sadler, 98, dies; a Stinson Beach matriarch", accessed December 30, 2007 Archived November 21, 2006, at the Wayback Machine.
  28. ↑ "''Jacket Magazine,'' "Jacket Interview: Landis Everson in conversation with Kevin Killian 2004"". Jacketmagazine.com. Retrieved 2012-07-30.
  29. ↑ "U.S. 2nd Circuit Court of Appeals, ''KRONISCH v USA,'' Docket No. 97-6116". Caselaw.lp.findlaw.com. Retrieved 2012-07-30.
  30. ↑ Richard Stratton, Spin Magazine, March 1994, "Altered States of America"
  31. ↑ Ed Boland Jr. "F.Y.I. – The C.I.A.'s Bad Trip," The New York Times, May 11, 2003, accessed July 12, 2008
  32. ↑ Associated Press obituary "George H. White, Stinson Beach," The New York Times, October 26, 1975, accessed July 12, 2008
  33. ↑ Macgowan, Bruce (September 3, 2006). "Career in the NFL just a part of still-active career for Collett". Marin Independent Journal. Retrieved 9 May 2011.
  34. ↑ Larken Bradley, Point Reyes Light, "Ex-assistant fire chief of Stinson Beach dies", June 10, 2004, accessed December 10, 2007 Archived May 10, 2008, at the Wayback Machine.
  35. ↑ Willow Camp Gallery (photo of bronze dolphin in collection, accessed December 10, 2007
  36. ↑ "Western beaches: The center of attraction". Lodi News-Sentinel, UPI. May 20, 1987. Retrieved 9 May 2011.
  37. ↑ Steve Miller Band website, Bio Archived April 2, 2007, at the Wayback Machine.
  38. 1 2 3 "Greg Cahill, MetroActive, May 4, 2000, "High on Bluegrass"". Metroactive.com. Retrieved 2012-07-30.
  39. ↑ Grateful Dead Family Discography: Keith and Donna Godchaux, accessed February 2, 2008
  40. ↑ Liberatore, Paul (2014-07-11). "Retired CBS president Richard Jencks of Mill Valley dies at 93". Marin Independent Journal. Retrieved 2014-07-29.
  41. ↑ "philzone.com, "Rowan Brothers: Now, Then, Always Friends," 2004". Philzone.com. Archived from the original on 2012-03-18. Retrieved 2012-07-30.
  42. ↑ Selvin, Joel. San Francisco Chronicle, "Once the 'next big thing,' the Rowan Brothers, 30 years later, cut 2nd album, step back into the spotlight"
  43. ↑ KPFA, Rex Radio show, January 1991 Archived January 22, 2009, at the Wayback Machine.
  44. ↑ "Bruce Robinson, MetroActive, August 31, 2005, "Ozone Player: Commander Cody touches down in California again"". Metroactive.com. 2005-09-06. Retrieved 2012-07-30.
  45. ↑ George Frayne, "Some of the Story of Commander Cody and His Lost Planet Airmen" Archived January 29, 2011, at the Wayback Machine.
  46. ↑ Liberatore, Paul (May 6, 2010). "Commander Cody recalls life as zany boozer-rocker and artist in new book". Marin Independent Journal. Retrieved May 9, 2010.
  47. ↑ San Francisco Curbed, "In Stinson Beach, Another Esherick on the Market" accessed November 12, 2012
  48. ↑ Cambron, Tricia (December 24, 1999). "Stinson Beach Checks Out New Library". San Francisco Chronicle. Retrieved 15 August 2010.
  49. ↑ Bolinas Museum, "Glass Symphony: Art Glass by Jerry Cebe, December 7 to 30, 2001", accessed September 3, 2007 Archived October 13, 2007, at the Wayback Machine.
  50. ↑ Keillor, Garrison. Penguin (Non-Classics); Reprint edition (April 1, 1990) We are still Married: Stories and Letters, ISBN 0-14-013156-6, pages 258–261, accessed May 10, 2007
  51. ↑ Opstedal, Kevin. "Dreaming As One: Poetry, Poets and Community in Bolinas, California 1967 - 1980". Big Bridge Press. Retrieved 6 January 2010.
  52. ↑ Joplin, Laura (August 16, 2005). Love, Janis. HarperCollins. ISBN 0-06-075522-9.

Further reading

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