Novato

Novato is a city in northern Marin County, in the North Bay region of the San Francisco Bay Area, in the U.S. state of California. As of the 2010 United States Census, its population was 51,904. Novato is located about 10mi northwest of San Rafael and about 30mi north of San Francisco on U.S. 101.HistoryWhat is now Novato was originally the site of several Coast Miwok villages: Chokecherry, near downtown Novato, Puyuku, near Ignacio, and Olompali, at the present Olompali State Historic Park.In 1839 the Mexican government granted the 8876acre Rancho Novato to Fernando Feliz. The rancho was named after a local Miwok leader who had probably been given the name of Saint Novatus at his baptism. Subsequently, four additional land grants were made in the area; Rancho Corte Madera de Novato to John Martin in 1839, Rancho San Jose to Ignacio Pacheco in 1840, Rancho Olompali awarded in 1843 to Camilo Ynitia, son of a Coast Miwok chief, and Rancho Nicasio, by far the largest at 56621acre, awarded to Pablo de la Guerra and John B.R. Cooper in 1844. Novato, along with the rest of California, became part of the United States on February 2, 1848. Early pioneers included Joseph Sweetser and Francis De Long who bought 15000acre in the mid-1850s and planted orchards and vineyards.