Polished and carved abalone and clam shells were used to craft beaded decorations and make currency. They were prolific farmers and craftspeople who used native grasses, gray willow, hazel, lupine and tule to create thatched roofs, mats and baskets. The Miwok lived along the central Californian coast for thousands of years before European contact, building small communities and developing rich economies based on gathering, fishing and hunting. The earliest known human inhabitants of what is now the National Seashore were the Miwok American Indians, indigenous people who thrived within the fertile and biologically dynamic region. Visitors today have an opportunity to experience how the coastal peninsula has been shaped by many converging traditions, life ways, economies and technologies, brought to the region from great distances or established along its shores. The park truly exemplifies centuries of cultural connection to the land and sea along the central California coastline. The park contains twelve historic cultural landscapes and many buildings and structures listed in the National Register of Historic Places, from farmhouses, barns and creameries to a lighthouse and radio station. In addition to the area’s incredible natural beauty, Point Reyes is home to a unique set of cultural resources, which highlight the many layers of human history present in the region. Vast windswept beaches, scrub grasslands, salt and freshwater marshes, coniferous forests and striking granite headlands characterize the peninsula, which is home to over 1,000 species of plants and animals. The park preserves the natural ecosystems, native species and cultural heritage found along the diminishing undeveloped western coastline of the United States. Located just north of California’s San Francisco Bay, Point Reyes National Seashore encompasses over 100 square miles (just over 71,000 acres) of coastal wilderness area. Member of the Point Reyes Life-Saving Service
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