Looking Back
CIRCA 1905
Olema Inn,
Revisited
It first opened on the Fourth of
July in 1876 and reopened on
Valentine’s Day, 2013. BY JIM WOOD
According to local historian dewey livingston, the above photo was taken around 1905. it shows the West Marin village of olema, meaning “little coyote” in the language of the coast Miwok indians, who’d long resided in the area. the road
in the foreground became Highway 1, and coming in from the
upper right is today’s Sir Francis drake Boulevard. “Back then,”
says livingston, “it was called the olema road; a stagecoach
connected the area to San rafael.” the two-story in the middle
of the photo was, and still is, the olema Hotel, which first
opened on July 4, 1876. now, nearly 140 years later and after a
succession of owners, one of whom renamed it the olema inn, it
is once again ready for dining guests as the olema. “We opened
on Valentine’s day,” says daniel delong, who co-owns the
olema with chef Margaret grade (both of Manka’s inverness
lodge). “the restaurant will begin serving at 2 in the afternoon
and continue through the dinner hour.” Plans for the inn’s six
upstairs rooms are, at present, indefinite. M
Olema
means ‘little
coyote’ in the
language of the
Coast Miwok
Indians, who’d
long resided in
the area.
