1973: The Marin Countywide Plan at 50

Imagine a Marin County with 800,000 people living here, more than triple the current population. Imagine no Marin Headlands, but a full scale city covering the land. What would Marin be like without its agricultural foundation?

These realities were in the works in the mid-20th century as development across California boomed. But in Marin, a different path was fought for and eventually chosen. With almost half of county land under some form of protection against development, Marin’s natural landscape, ranches and open space define life here. 

But why is Marin this way? 

The story is complex and includes the influence of the 1973 Marin Countywide Plan.

A new exhibition at the Marin History Museum looks back over the past several decades to explore how planning efforts as well as grassroots activism and community participation shaped today’s county.

A major responsibility of state, county and local governments is to engage in planning for the future. In 1973, the Board of Supervisors developed a plan to provide for adequate housing, jobs, shopping, transportation and open space.

The exhibit draws upon photographs, maps, archival materials and artifacts from the museum’s collection as well as other countywide historical societies and libraries.