By Larry Clinton, Sausalito Historical Society
In the 1870s, various Northern California newspapers reported on new roads and rail lines being introduced in what was then called Saucelito.
The October 29, 1870 Marin Journal carried an article about a new road being constructed along the shore from Lime Point “to facilitate the operations of the men engaged on the fortifications” at Fort Baker. Lime Point frames the north side of the Golden Gate with its counterpart to the south, Fort Point in San Francisco. Early English surveyors believed the rocks that formed this point were of the same white chalk as the famous white cliffs of Dover, but, in fact, the white color comes from bird droppings. The Journal added: “A landslide occurred at the works being constructed at Lime Point last week. The men had been ordered away by the officer in charge a few minutes before, and no person was hurt.”
The same article told of a new road from Saucelito to Bolinas, “making the trip in the short space of 3 hours and 12 minutes, and being only 4 hours from San Francisco.” The following month the paper announced that: “In honor of the completion of the Saucelito Road a Banquet will be given to the Board of Supervisors at Saucelito, on the 8th proximo, on which occasion the following Bill of Fare will be presented: First Course: Green Turtle Soup; Stew a la Ring Tail Monkey; Stuffed Macaroni. Second Course: Ram Tail Pie, with truffles: Hearts of Oak, done brown; Saucelito Codfish Fritters.” Sorry, I was unable to find recipes for Stew a la Ring Tail Monkey or Ram Tail Pie.
The hazards of travel on the early roads were graphically described in the Journal a couple of years later:
John Nelson, proprietor of the Olema and Bolinas stage line, and a companion named Britton attempted the trip in a buggy, carrying a mail bag, despite being warned of “slides in descending the banks of the creek.” Here’s how the paper described their misadventure:
“While descending the bank, the horse fell forward and sank beneath the water, throwing Mr. Nelson over the dashboard on the horse's back; Mr. Britton fell into the creek, but they fortunately were able to catch hold of the wheel.“ But, “being unable to extricate themselves from this perilous position, they succeeded in detaching the animal from the buggy, and by main strength and perseverance gained high ground. Mr. Britton went for assistance to Supervisor Parsons, while Mr. Nelson attempted to recross the stream. Upon reaching the opposite bank the horse backed into deep water. The current was so strong that horse, buggy and driver were swept back across the creek, when Mr. Nelson caught at a bush on the bank. Coming in contact with the animal frantically struggling in the water, he lost his hold, but finally, after much exertion, succeeded in getting on his back. He again grasped the bush, when the horse and the buggy drifted away from beneath him. He was saved from a watery grave by the timely assistance of Messrs. Britton and Parsons. Taking the Supervisor's horse, Mr. Nelson again plunged into the torrent to the rescue of his property. Alter swimming down the stream some distance, the harness was cut loose and the horse saved. The buggy which was badly damaged, was afterward drawn out. The mail bags were found the next day.”
Hazards like that were alleviated when train service was introduced. In January, 1875, the Russian River Flag reported: “The first regular trains began to run last Monday on the North Pacific Narrow-Gauge Railroad. The schedule time from Saucelito to Tomales is to be three and one-half hours. The cars are to run southward in the morning and up in the afternoon.” Fares ranged from 25 cents between San Francisco and Saucelito, up to $2.25 to Tomales.
The Daily Alta Californian provided this account of an excursion on the new line on January 8, 1875:
“The North Pacific Railroad Company yesterday invited a number of prominent capitalists and citizens of San Francisco to take a trip over the new road from Saucelito to Tomales. They started at 7:30 a. m., arrived at Tomales at 1 p. m., spent two hours there and reached the city at 8 p. m. after a very pleasant day. All spoke well of the road, of the scenery, and of the lunch provided at Tomales by the people of that place and vicinity. The road runs through an extensive tract of redwood, which is a novelty to many of the old Californians. Paper Mill Creek, for seven miles, is a succession of beautiful and varied landscapes. Tomales Bay, about fifteen miles long and a mile wide, is a fine sheet of water.”
PHOTO FROM SAUSALITO HISTORICAL SOCIETY
Sausalito’s business district was built up around the railroad and ferry wharf after 1875