Elizabeth Regina LbNA #42200 (ARCHIVED)
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Add Location| Owner: | The Olde Oak  |
|---|---|
| Plant date: | Jul 27, 2008 |
| Location: | |
| City: | Novato |
| County: | Marin |
| State: | California |
| Boxes: | 1 |
| Found by: | fleetwood7 |
|---|---|
| Last found: | Sep 20, 2009 |
| Status: | FFFFFr |
| Last edited: | Jul 27, 2008 |
Olompali State Park just north of Novato right off Hwy. 101 has a little something for everyone in terms of historical information, cultural interest and flora and fauna. Archaeological evidence indicates this tract of land has been inhabited since 6000 B.C. by at least the Coastal Miwok from about 500 A.D., the Spanish beginning in the 18th century and the Burdell family from 1863 who were given Olompali as a wedding present (the modern day equivalent one supposes of a large screen TV, a set of non-stick cookware or season tickets to NBA games).
$8 parking fee.
Please visit the State Park website to read more about this fascinating area which figured in The Bear Flag Revolt and was designated California Landmark No. 210:
http://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=465
The last of the Burdells sold the elaborate mansion, formal gardens and land in 1942. There have been numerous occupants including for awhile in 1966 The Grateful Dead.
One of the most interesting archaeological finds is the Elizabethan sixpence dated 1567, time of the sometimes posited landing of Sir Francis Drake on the Marin County coast. Whether this event happened or not the sixpence represents early contact between Eurpeans and North American Native Americans. The coin is no longer on site, but is currently housed n the collection of the Bancroft Library at UC Berkeley.
The first leg of your journey to find the Elizabeth Regina Letterbox is to find Olompali State Park. Drive south on 101 approaching Novato. There is no northbound access. Enter, park and pay the $5 fee.
The Burdells spent much effort and money on restoring and developing Olompali. They built sumptuous formal gardens, hints of which can still be seen. One of their projects was the Burdell Garden Fountain. Find it.
Walk around to the highway side of the fountain and locate the old crumbling retaining wall. Stand facing the fountain with your back to the highway and the retaining wall in front of you. Although there are numerous palm trees around find two palm trees with four other trees (This may present difficulties for the botanical stickler as it’s hard to tell sometimes whether a forked trunk is technically one or two trees.) inbetween the two palm trees. Look at the palm tree on your right and then the next tree in that line to the left. The Elizabeth Regina Letterbox is behind that tree and about two feet to the right wedged within the retaining wall and obscured by several rocks.
Thanks for coming. Please be discreet.
$8 parking fee.
Please visit the State Park website to read more about this fascinating area which figured in The Bear Flag Revolt and was designated California Landmark No. 210:
http://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=465
The last of the Burdells sold the elaborate mansion, formal gardens and land in 1942. There have been numerous occupants including for awhile in 1966 The Grateful Dead.
One of the most interesting archaeological finds is the Elizabethan sixpence dated 1567, time of the sometimes posited landing of Sir Francis Drake on the Marin County coast. Whether this event happened or not the sixpence represents early contact between Eurpeans and North American Native Americans. The coin is no longer on site, but is currently housed n the collection of the Bancroft Library at UC Berkeley.
The first leg of your journey to find the Elizabeth Regina Letterbox is to find Olompali State Park. Drive south on 101 approaching Novato. There is no northbound access. Enter, park and pay the $5 fee.
The Burdells spent much effort and money on restoring and developing Olompali. They built sumptuous formal gardens, hints of which can still be seen. One of their projects was the Burdell Garden Fountain. Find it.
Walk around to the highway side of the fountain and locate the old crumbling retaining wall. Stand facing the fountain with your back to the highway and the retaining wall in front of you. Although there are numerous palm trees around find two palm trees with four other trees (This may present difficulties for the botanical stickler as it’s hard to tell sometimes whether a forked trunk is technically one or two trees.) inbetween the two palm trees. Look at the palm tree on your right and then the next tree in that line to the left. The Elizabeth Regina Letterbox is behind that tree and about two feet to the right wedged within the retaining wall and obscured by several rocks.
Thanks for coming. Please be discreet.