The Point Reyes Station Library has a number of books about the history, culture, and natural
features of the Point Reyes peninsula. The collection includes books by Dewey Livingston, an
historian who has been researching and writing about Point Reyes for over 25 years. Several of
the works were published by the Point Reyes National Seashore as part of its ongoing efforts to
inform the public about the historical and cultural significance of buildings and other sites
in the park.
Dewey Livingston lives in Inverness with his family. His wife, Kerry Livingston, is a Community
Library Specialist at the Stinson Beach Library and the Bolinas Library.
Following are five selections by Livingston. They are notable for their vivid details,
meticulous research, and masterful storytelling. Links to the library catalog are provided in
order to view bibliographic information, to check on a book's availability, and to request it
from the library.
The fertile Olema Valley, lying directly over the San Andreas Fault, has been
continuously exploited over the last 150 years by dairymen and farmers. Twenty two ranches are
examined here; many of them are still in operation. Descriptions, histories and evaluations of
ranch resources are supplemented with historic maps and photographs. The rural life of West
Marin is beautifully characterized in this extensively researched work.
The tiny settlement of Hamlet on Tomales Bay was at one time a flag stop on the North
Pacific Coast Railroad, a favorite recreation spot for families, the site of a fish cannery,
home to Coast Miwok Indians and others. Livingston interviewed many former residents and
workers to uncover the fascinating and varied history of this spot on the bay. The study
includes maps of the site from the mid-1800's to the present day.
The Point Reyes Lifeboat Station on Drakes Bay was designated a National Historic
Landmark in 1989. This Historic Structure Report was written to provide guidance for the
management and preservation of the buildings and other resources in the complex. It includes a
thorough history of the lifeboat station and descriptions of several shipwrecks and rescues
faced by the station's crew. Photographs and personal accounts by local eyewitnesses bring to
life these dramatic events.
In 1900 there were about 40 working ranches in what is today the Point Reyes National
Seashore. This Historic Resource Study is a detailed history and evaluation of the ranches. The
study is derived from interviews with ranchers, site inventories, and extensive archival
research. The photographs, anecdotal descriptions, and primary source material provide a lively
account of the early days on the peninsula.
Construction began on the Point Reyes Lighthouse Station in 1870. In 1990 it was placed
on the National Register of Historic Places. Currently, it is a major visitor attraction within
the National Seashore. The report includes numerous historic drawings and architectural plans
of the lighthouse as it has evolved over the years. There are detailed accounts of its
construction as well as descriptions of the work and daily life of the "keepers of the light"
on this foggy and isolated point on the coast.
