What happened to the Olema Hotel?

Standing at the junction of what is now Highway 1 and Sir Francis Drake Boulevard, the building that once housed the Olema Hotel sits on land that was originally part of Rafael Garcia’s Spanish land grant.

John Nelson built the hotel in 1876, and Garcia’s son, Felix, built a saloon next door. When Garcia’s creditors came calling, Nelson took over the building and added some rooms. In a short while, the Olema Hotel was known statewide.

John Nelson was born in Sweden and arrived in San Francisco in 1850. After working in mines and ranching, he found his way to Olema. In 1863, he started the stage line to San Rafael, which he ran for 14 years. Nelson married Malicia Shippy on Dec. 25, 1865, and they had five children.

Olema was named after the Coast Miwok village of Olemaloke, which means “coyote village.”

Olema acted as the central community for Point Reyes ranches. At one point, the hotel served as a local bank and stage stop. After the railroad arrived, Olema Hill was too steep, so the rail line was built to Point Reyes. In the early 1900s, the town was four blocks long, and the Olema Hotel “dominated the town.”

According to the Marin County Journal, Nelson was “regarded by everyone as one of the most honorable men who ever lived in this county, and an equally worthy mention can be made of his wife, Mrs. Malicia Nelson. She was a noble woman, faithful and true.”

On March 30, 1898, Nelson was tragically thrown from his buggy on Bolinas Road and died. For the next 40 years, his son, Edgar, carried on the business.

On Nov. 16, 1929, there was a celebration for the dedication of the completion of the cement roadway, Sir Francis Drake Highway. A procession of automobiles carrying more than 200 residents and local dignitaries left the San Rafael courthouse and drove the new highway to Olema.

During World War II, the Army used the building as barracks immediately following the attack on Pearl Harbor. When the military left, it was left in disrepair and abandoned for many years. In the 1960s, new owner Ruth Ruoff was asked by the county to tear it down since it was a fire hazard and in a dilapidated state. Yet, the building was saved on more than one occasion.

The Olema Hotel was renamed the Olema Inn during the 1970s. In 1974, Ron Brandes, owner of San Anselmo restaurant Bib’n Rib, purchased the building. According to a Point Reyes Light article on Jan. 4, 1973, Brandes planned to open a small version of Bib’n Rib on the first floor. The second floor would be living quarters, and the 10 vacant rooms would be used for seniors to operate and sell their arts and crafts. In 1998, Dana and Jennifer Sulprizio bought the building and opened a restaurant and inn. They sold it in 2006 for $3 million to John and Carole Wiltshire, who made renovations. In 2012, Sir and Star occupied the 136-year-old building owned and run by Margaret Grade and partner Daniel DeLong. In fall 2023, the restaurant was closed for remodeling and was scheduled to reopen in spring 2024, but it has since permanently closed.

Although the Olema Inn has been opened and closed over the past years, this historical gem still stands surrounded by a picturesque town that radiates charm and nostalgia, perhaps waiting for its next chapter.

History Watch is written by Lane Dooling, marketing and social media coordinator at the Marin History Museum, marinhistory.org. Images included in History Watch are available for purchase at 415-382-1182 or info@marinhistory.org