The history of Sausalito is quite impressive, beginning with occupation by Native Americans. With an abundance of wildlife, this made the perfect place for hunting. However, by 1822, William Richardson, an English sailor came to San Francisco and falling in love with its beauty, he stayed. His business involved providing anchored ships with fresh water and firewood and as business grew, it soon spread to areas outside of San Francisco to include Sausalito.
In 1838, Richardson was given a grant for the land, which included all of the Marin headlands, all 19,500 acres. The ranch he built was named Rancho del Sausalito, meaning the Ranch of the Little Willow Grove because of the vast number of willow growing along the waterfront. Over many years, Richardson was successful in building a successful ranching and maritime empire. Although the area of Sausalito was overrun from people looking for wealth during the Gold Rush, the businesses eventually failed and in 1856, he died heavily in debt.
From that time forward, Sausalito has gone through many changes to include the addition of the railroad and ferry. While the Golden Gate Bridge was being constructed, Sausalito was a main thoroughfare to San Francisco but once finished in 1937, demand for ferry and railroad dropped. The town underwent many more changes and today, it is home to around 7,500 people.
People can learn about this town and all it has to offer through the Sausalito Chamber of Commerce. Some of the peaceful places that remain a favorite include the location of Dunphy Park, Sausalito Dog Park, and the Sausalito Community Garden. Being only a few minutes from San Francisco and with a magnificent view of the Bay, this town is once again considered a great destination in that it is close to many of the big city attractions while also offering visitors a breathtakingly beautiful place to enjoy and relax. |