The earliest European contact with Native Peoples in northern California occurred at Drakes Bay in Marin County. This 1579 visit was years before Roanoke, Jamestown or Plymouth.

This talk will explore the background for Drake's voyage, its progress and the events here. A surprisingly diverse group of people met here — in peaceful interactions, but they certainly did not understand each other.

Then, the Coast Miwok were left undisturbed for nearly 200 years. The site was named a National Historic Landmark in 2012 and a California Historical Landmark in 2021.