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B−History
History · Novato

Novato’s post office opened in 1856, and 2 of its places are on the National Register

More historic than 50% of U.S. towns · #151 of 847 in California. What drives it

Most of Novato was built recently: 3% of its homes predate 1940 and the median home dates from 1975. 2 places in town are on the National Register, among them a historic district with 108 buildings. Below: 29 old photos and papers, maps from 1911 on, and the census since 1960.

1856first post office
2on the National Register
3%homes built before 1940
29old photos & papers
11famous people
Add an old photoShare a memory
From Novato’s archive · credits on each photo
Quick answers

How Novato began

When was Novato founded?

1856

The Novato post office opened in 1856, the earliest record of the town by name. Two smaller post offices, Ignacio (1893) and Hamilton (1949), opened inside today’s city and later closed.

First census: 17,881 in 19602020 census: 53,225170 years

How historic is Novato?

B−

More historic than 50% of U.S. towns, on its age, its old homes and the National Register.

What drives the grade ↓
Founding year: the first Novato post office (Blevins & Helbock, CC0).The full story ↓
History grade

What drives Novato’s History grade

On its age, its old homes and the National Register, Novato is more historic than 50% of U.S. towns, #151 of 847 in California. Its National Register listings hold the grade up; its share of homes from before 1940 pulls it down.

B−
HistoryA character grade: shown, never part of Novato’s overall grade.
Founding era1856, from the first post office: founded 1850–1899, an older era than 37% of U.S. townsC+Homes built before 19402.5% of homes (±0.9) · typical CA town 3.4% · U.S. 8.4%C−National Register2 listings, 110 historic buildings, 20.9 per 10,000 residents · typical CA town 0.0 · U.S. 2.4A
All U.S. towns we grade (21,289)Ahead of 50%
NewerOlder
California towns of 2,500+ (847)Ahead of 82%

Few California towns list much on the Register (a typical California town has 0.0 per 10,000 residents, the U.S. 2.4), so Novato’s 20.9 sits above most of its state (95% of California towns have fewer) while its 110 historic buildings outnumber those of 90% of U.S. towns.

How sure. Graded on any two of the three inputs instead, the letter would range from C− to B+. The pre-1940 share (±0.9 points) is firm at this size. The founding year is the first post office, not a stated founding date.

Founding year: the first post office (other dates in Quick answers). Homes: Census ACS 2020–24. National Register: National Park Service, May 2026 list; each listing counted once (boundary changes and added documentation belong to their listing), and a historic district counts its contributing buildings. How TownRatings grades history →

What stands out about Novato’s past

Read from the archive, the National Register and the record. The page puts what stands out first.

A town in old photos29 old photos, postcards and papers.A historic districtThe Hamilton Army Air Field Discontiguous Historic District takes in 108 historic buildings.Lost villages3 post offices opened and closed inside today’s Novato, and 4 old place names are still on the map.On the map since 19145 editions of the USGS map, 1914 to 1980. Watch Novato change.
★ What stands out · By decade

Novato, decade by decade

2 decades in the archive, from the 1930s to the 1940s. Scroll each row; tap a photo for its story.

1930s5 items
Untitled photo, possibly related to: In the parade of the Festival of the Holy Ghost1935Untitled photo, possibly related to: In the parade of…Untitled photo, possibly related to: In the parade of the Festival of the Holy Ghost, a Portuguese-American celebration…1935Untitled photo, possibly related to: In the parade of…Untitled photo, possibly related to: In front of the church during the Festival of the Holy Ghost, Portuguese-American …1935Untitled photo, possibly related to: In front of the …Untitled photo, possibly related to: In front of the church during the Festival of the Holy Ghost, Portuguese-American …1935Untitled photo, possibly related to: In front of the …Untitled photo, possibly related to: Novato, California. Drill team which participated in the parade at the Portuguese-…1935Untitled photo, possibly related to: Novato, Californ…
1940s24 items
Queen of the Festival of the Holy Ghost. Novato, California1942Queen of the Festival of the Holy Ghost. Novato, Cali…Novato, California. Portuguese-Americans at the Festival of the Holy Ghost1942Novato, California. Portuguese-Americans at the Festi…Parade of the Festival of the Holy Ghost at Novato, California1942Parade of the Festival of the Holy Ghost at Novato, C…In the Portuguese-American Festival of the Holy Ghost at Novato, California1942In the Portuguese-American Festival of the Holy Ghost…In the parade of the Festival of the Holy Ghost1942In the parade of the Festival of the Holy GhostParade of the Portuguese-American Festival of the Holy Ghost at Novato, California1942Parade of the Portuguese-American Festival of the Hol…Preparing dinner at the Portuguese-American Festival of the Holy Ghost. Novato, California1942Preparing dinner at the Portuguese-American Festival …Leaving church after mass at the Portuguese-American Festival of the Holy Ghost. Novato, California1942Leaving church after mass at the Portuguese-American …The Queen and her court of the Holy Ghost Festival arrive at church. Novato, California1942The Queen and her court of the Holy Ghost Festival ar…The Queen of the Portuguese-American Festival of the Holy Ghost leaving the church1942The Queen of the Portuguese-American Festival of the …Mr. Thomas Dias, Portuguese-American radio commentator at the Festival of the Holy Ghost. Novato, California1942Mr. Thomas Dias, Portuguese-American radio commentato…Leaving church after special mass for the Portuguese American Festival of the Holy Ghost. Novato, California1942Leaving church after special mass for the Portuguese …In the parade of the Festival of the Holy Ghost, a Portuguese-American celebration. Novato, California1942In the parade of the Festival of the Holy Ghost, a Po…In the parade of the Festival of the Holy Ghost, a Portuguese-American celebration. Novato, California1942In the parade of the Festival of the Holy Ghost, a Po…Queen and her maids at the Festival of the Holy Ghost, a Portuguese-American celebration. Novato, California1942Queen and her maids at the Festival of the Holy Ghost…In front of the church during the Festival of the Holy Ghost, Portuguese-American celebration. Novato, California1942In front of the church during the Festival of the Hol…Part of the parade of the Holy Ghost Festival of the Portuguese-Americans at Novato, California1942Part of the parade of the Holy Ghost Festival of the …In front of the church during the Festival of the Holy Ghost, a Portuguese-American clecbration. Novato, California1942In front of the church during the Festival of the Hol…Drill team in the parade of the Holy Ghost Festival of the Portuguese-Americans at Novato, California1942Drill team in the parade of the Holy Ghost Festival o…Part of parade of the Festival of the Holy Ghost of the Portuguese-Americans at Novato, California1942Part of parade of the Festival of the Holy Ghost of t…Part of the parade of the Portuguese-American Festival of the Holy Ghost arriving at the church. Novato, California1942Part of the parade of the Portuguese-American Festiva…Novato, California. Drill team which participated in the parade at the Portuguese-American Festival of the Holy Ghost1942Novato, California. Drill team which participated in …Part of the parade of the Festival of the Holy Ghost of the Portuguese-Americans at Novato, California1942Part of the parade of the Festival of the Holy Ghost …Drill team which participated in the parade of the Holy Ghost Festival of the Portuguese-Americans at Novato, California1942Drill team which participated in the parade of the Ho…
1950s–1990snothing yet
Nothing in the archives for these yearsWeddings on Main Street, storms, parades, school pictures, the old store. If it’s in your family album, it belongs here.
Add from your album
On the National Register

2 listings protect 110 historic buildings

The country’s official list of buildings and places worth saving.

places listed
2
National Historic Landmarks
0
none yet
historic buildings protected
110
each building in a district counts
first listed
1980
Fashion Shop and Stephen Porcella House
Hamilton Army Air Field Discontiguous Historic District, built 1932Fashion Shop and Stephen Porcella House
BuildingsDistricts

Architectural styles listings

Spanish Eclectic1
Mission Revival1
Modern Movement1
Art Modern1
Art Deco1
Vernacular1
Hamilton Army Air Field Discontiguous Historic DistrictSpanish Eclectic · Built 1932
All 2 listings
Fashion Shop and Stephen Porcella HouseBuilding · listed 1980

National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places. Photos from Wikimedia Commons, credited on each place’s page.

Places that used to be

Lost post offices, old corners, places now gone and burying grounds

Novato’s post office has been open since 1856. Three other post offices opened and closed inside today’s town.

Novato
1856–today
Ignacio
1893–1966
Hamilton
1949–1956
Hamilton Air Force Base
1956–1980
18501940today
Hamlets and corners on the map
DewittIgnacioOld TownRafael Village
Gone or out of use
Hamilton Air Force BasemilitaryHamilton FieldairportSan Jose Schoolschool
1cemetery inside Novato
Valley Memorial Park Cemetery and Funeral Home

US Post Offices dataset (Blevins & Helbock, CC0). Places and cemeteries from the USGS Geographic Names Information System (2021).

The story

How Novato came to be

From Wikipedia’s history of Novato.

Read it all →

What is now Novato was originally the site of several Coast Miwok villages: Chokecherry, near downtown Novato; Puyuku, near Ignacio; and Olómpali, at the present-day Olompali State Historic Park.

ChaptersMexican eraPost-Conquest eraModern era

Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.

From the old history books

What they wrote about Novato in 1880

Passages that mention Novato, cut from the printed page as they were published.

the farms. As an evidence of what may be done in the way of growing fruits and vines, we will take a hasty survey of the extensive orchard and vineyard of F. De Long. This orchard lies just north-west of the town of Novato, in a valley opening to the south-east, and well sheltered on the north and …
History of Marin County, California ... also an historical sketch of the state of California1880 · page 291Read the page →
Read the text

the farms. As an evidence of what may be done in the way of growing fruits and vines, we will take a hasty survey of the extensive orchard and vineyard of F. De Long. This orchard lies just north-west of the town of Novato, in a valley opening to the south-east, and well sheltered on the north and west by a high range of hills. In this orchard there are twenty thousand apple trees, three thousand and five hundred pear trees, three thousand apricot trees, two hundred cherry trees, six hundred peach trees, and five hundred almond trees. The vineyard has eight thousand vines in it, and

Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.
phy's Camp, Calaveras county, where he mined for four years. We next find Mr. Faggiano following the occupation of a butcher in Amador county for seven years, after which he returned to San Francisco, purchased a sloop and established what is known as the " Novato Line," plying between Novato and S…
History of Marin County, California ... also an historical sketch of the state of California1880 · page 441Read the page →
Read the text

phy's Camp, Calaveras county, where he mined for four years. We next find Mr. Faggiano following the occupation of a butcher in Amador county for seven years, after which he returned to San Francisco, purchased a sloop and established what is known as the " Novato Line," plying between Novato and San Francisco. Having continued this enterprise for fourteen years, he sold out and bought a store at Novato, which he has since managed.

Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.

Scans and text from the Internet Archive. Books published in 1930 or earlier, which are in the public domain.

Timeline

Novato, 1856 to 1994

Woven from the archive, old maps, post office records, the National Register and the people born here.

  1. 19th century
  2. 1856Post officeThe Novato post office opens
  3. 1893Post officeThe Ignacio post office opens
  4. 20th century
  5. 1914On the mapFirst mapped by the U.S. Geological Survey
  6. 1932BuiltHamilton Army Air Field Discontiguous Historic District is built
  7. 1935In the archiveUntitled photo, possibly related to: In the parade of the Festival of the Holy Ghost
  8. 1942In the archiveQueen of the Festival of the Holy Ghost. Novato, California
  9. 1949Post officeThe Hamilton post office opens
  10. 1952Born hereMichael B. Donley is born here
  11. 1956Post officeThe Hamilton post office closes
  12. 1966Post officeThe Ignacio post office closes
  13. 1968Born hereJeffrey Ford is born here
  14. 1974Born hereBrande Roderick is born here
  15. 1994Born hereJared Goff is born here
On the map

Novato on the map, 1914 to 1980

Every edition of the U.S. Geological Survey’s map of Novato. Tap a year, or press play to watch the town change.

Novato on the 1914 USGS mapNovato on the 1942 USGS mapNovato on the 1954 USGS mapNovato on the 1968 USGS mapNovato on the 1980 USGS map1914Petaluma sheet · 1:62,500

U.S. Geological Survey historical topographic maps (public domain), via Esri’s collection of the scans. The red ring marks the center of Novato.

Every building

Novato, building by building, 1911

Fire insurance maps drew every building, what it was made of and what it was used for, so insurers could price the risk of fire. Pick a sheet.

Novato fire insurance map, 1911, sheet 11911Sheet 1 of 1
Sheets
BrickWoodStone

Sanborn Map Company, via the Library of Congress. Editions published in 1930 or earlier, which are in the public domain.

Then & now

Stand where they stood

No then-and-now pairs yet. Take a photo from the same spot as an old one and they appear here side by side.

Untitled photo, possibly related to: In the parade of the Festival of the Holy Ghost
Retake this viewUntitled photo, possibly related to: In the parade of the Festival of the Holy Ghost, 1935

Find the spot, match the angle, and add your photo. It becomes the first then-and-now pair on Novato’s page.

Retake this view · +15
People over time

Novato, census by census

05,00010,00015,00020,00025,00030,00035,00040,00045,00050,00055,000196019802000202053,225

Grew from 17,881 people in 1960 to 53,225 in 2020.

7 censuses, 1960–2020.

U.S. Census Bureau decennial counts, from the census table on Novato’s Wikipedia page.

Famous people

11 famous people were born in Novato

Writers, athletes, leaders and more, ranked by how widely they’re known.

See all →
Brande RoderickAmerican model and actress · b. 1974
Jared GoffAmerican football player · b. 1994
J
Jeffrey FordAmerican film editor · b. 1968
Michael B. Donley22nd Secretary of the United States Air Force · b. 1952
Zia Inayat KhanAmerican Sufi teacher · b. 1971
B
Brent MooreAmerican football linebacker · b. 1963
Help out

Finish Novato’s story

Most archives stop around 1920. The photos from after that are in family albums, not libraries.

Decades since 1900 with photos
00s10s20s30s40s50s60s70s80s90s
2 of 10 decades. The empty ones are waiting for someone’s album.
Retake an old viewUntitled photo, possibly related to: In…: stand where they stood+15Share a family photoSign in to add one+10
Stories next door

History across the town line

Each neighbor’s History grade, on the same three inputs.

Black Point-Green PointIts storyC−Lucas Valley-Marinwood1 historic placeC+

Questions about Novato’s history

What year was Novato founded?

The Novato post office opened in 1856, the earliest record of the town by name (U.S. post office records).

How does Novato rank for history?

Novato is more historic than 50% of U.S. towns, #151 of 847 in California. The History grade combines the town’s founding era, the share of homes built before 1940 and its National Register listings. It’s a character grade, so it isn’t part of the overall grade. How it works.

What is on the National Register in Novato?

Two places: the Hamilton Army Air Field Discontiguous Historic District (listed 1998) and the Fashion Shop and Stephen Porcella House (1980).

How old are the homes in Novato?

3% of Novato’s homes were built before 1940 (Census estimate), against a typical 3.4% for a California town; the median home was built in 1975.

Memory lane

What the archives can’t tell you, neighbors can.

Town Square →
Start a conversation
Sources

Where this page comes from

Founding dates: Wikidata, Wikipedia, the U.S. post office records of Blevins & Helbock (CC0) and the Census. Homes by year built: Census ACS 2020–24. National Register of Historic Places: National Park Service (list of May 22, 2026). Old photos, postcards and papers: Wikimedia Commons, the Library of Congress and other public archives, credited on each item’s page. Maps: U.S. Geological Survey historical topographic maps (via Esri) and Sanborn fire-insurance maps (Library of Congress). History text and census tables: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0). Places that used to be: USGS Geographic Names Information System (2021).

From the Library of Congress (29), Wikidata (1), the National Register of Historic Places (2), Wikipedia, Wikidata and Wikipedia for famous people, U.S. Geological Survey historical maps, U.S. Census counts (via Wikipedia), the US Post Offices dataset (Blevins & Helbock), the USGS Geographic Names Information System, Sanborn fire insurance maps (Library of Congress) and old county and town histories (Internet Archive). Archive images are copied here with their credits and licenses, shown on each photo’s page. Refreshed monthly.