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Stinson Beach has grown under the influence of people from many cultures over many years; they came to enjoy the scenic beauty of this treasure and stayed to become part of its history.
Coastal Miwoks may have been the first human residents of the area. Shell mounds have been found near the beach indicating past habitation. Using the abundant natural resources to survive, they built their homes and boats from willows and tules and gathered coho salmon, steelhead trout, mussels and clams from the ocean to eat.
The first historic record of the area dates back to 1836, when the beach became part of the Spanish land grant Rancho Baulines. It was run by Rafael Garcia for ten years, then by his brother-in-law Gregorio Briones. The land passed out of the family's hands in 1852, when Captain Issac Morton purchased it and began to grow prize-winning apples.
Surrounded as it is by mountains and ocean, the settlement remained isolated in the early years. Visitors could only reach the beach by boat, horseback, or foot. The first dirt road came into town in 1870, running along the coastal route that is now Highway 1, increasing accessibility to the beach and bringing more tourists. Nathan and Rose Stinson set up tents for visitors to stay in among the willows, giving the town its first name, Willow Camp. Alfred Easkoot set up his own tent camp nearby, giving the Stinsons a little competition.
Throughout the 20th century land was set aside for preservation. Established in 1972, the Golden Gate National Recreation Area administers much of the land just east and north of the town, but the state did not transfer possession of the beach to the National Park Service until 1977.
Visit the Stinson Beach website to learn more!
Intern Responsibilities/Duties
1. Riparian Habitat, Stinson Beach : The intern will work in riparian habitat restoration, in Marin County at Stinson Beach and Tennessee Valley. Golden Gate National Recreation Area and Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy are jointly cooperating on riparian and wetland restoration activities at Stinson Beach and in Tennessee Valley. Most recently, a creek restoration project was completed at Stinson Beach and a stock pond removed at Tennessee Valley.
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for a full description of this internship.
Intern Skills/Qualities
· Student must be dependable, on time, responsible, fulfill hours commitment, and can work independently to achieve workplan goals.
· Student should have interest in riparian and wetland resources, completed some biological coursework, enjoys field work, and have evidence of strong verbal communication skills.
Intern Transportation
Must be able to get to Building 1061 in the Marin Headlands.