Novato, California facts for kids

Quick facts for kids City of Novato
City
Clockwise from left: Marin Museum of Contemporary Art; City Hall; Unity Church; Downtown Novato. Motto: “The place to be”
Nickname(s):  Valley of No Regrets
Location in Marin County and California
Novato, California Location in the United States
Country	United States
State	California
County	Marin
Incorporated	January 20, 1960
Area
• Total	27.99 sq mi (72.48 km2)
• Land	27.48 sq mi (71.16 km2)
• Water	0.51 sq mi (1.32 km2)  1.85%
Elevation	30 ft (9 m)
Population  (2020)
• Total	53,225
• Density	1,901.6/sq mi (734.34/km2)
• Demonym	Novatan
Time zone	UTC−8 (Pacific)
• Summer (DST)	UTC−7 (PDT)
ZIP codes	94945, 94947–94949, 94998
Area codes	415/628
FIPS code	06-52582
GNIS feature IDs	277612, 2411283

Novato is a city in Marin County, California, United States. It is located in the North Bay part of the San Francisco Bay Area. In 2020, about 53,225 people lived in Novato. The name "Novato" comes from a Miwok leader who was likely named after Saint Novatus.

History of Novato

Novato was once home to several Coast Miwok villages. These included Chokecherry, Puyuku, and Olómpali. Today, Olómpali is a state historic park.

Mexican Era in Novato

Rancho Olómpali was granted in 1834 to Miwok leader Camilo Ynitia.

In 1839, the Mexican government gave Fernando Feliz a large piece of land. This land was called Rancho Novato. It was named after a local Miwok leader. Later, more land grants were made in the area. These included Rancho Corte Madera de Novato, Rancho San Jose, Rancho Olómpali, and Rancho Nicasio. Rancho Nicasio was the largest, covering over 56,000 acres.

Novato After American Conquest

After America took over California, Novato became part of the United States in 1848. Early settlers like Joseph Sweetser and Francis De Long bought land. They planted orchards and vineyards in the mid-1850s.

The first post office in Novato opened in 1856. A new one opened in 1891. The first school was built in 1859. It was located where Grant Avenue and Redwood Boulevard meet today.

Historic buildings at Hamilton Army Airfield in 1936.

The original town of Novato was near Novato Creek. In 1879, a railroad was built. It connected Novato to Sonoma County and San Rafael. The area around the train station grew and became known as New Town. This area is now part of Old Town Novato. The Novato Flatiron Building was built in 1908.

Modern Novato

The Great Depression in the 1930s was a tough time. Many farmers in Novato lost their land. After World War II, Novato grew very fast. Many new homes and a freeway were built.

Novato officially became a city in 1960. A popular event called "Western Weekend" helped bring the community together. This event included fun activities like beard-growing contests.

Geography of Novato

Diked fields in Eastern Novato.

Novato covers about 28 square miles. It is the largest city in Marin County by area. Most of this area is land, with a small part being water.

The western part of Novato has many mountains. Eastern Novato has marshlands and flat fields.

Important natural spots nearby include Mount Burdell to the north. Big Rock Ridge is to the southwest. Stafford Lake helps supply water to Novato. Most of the city's water comes from the Russian River in Sonoma County.

Big Rock Ridge, the highest point in Novato.

Novato has ten open space preserves. These include Mount Burdell, Rush Creek, and Deer Island. Even though Novato is near the water, it's hard to reach the water directly. This is because of large farmlands and wetlands.

Hamilton Amphitheater Park.

Climate in Novato

Novato has a warm-summer Mediterranean climate. This means summers are warm and dry. Winters are rainy and can be mild or chilly. It often rains in the colder months. But there are also many sunny days, even in winter. Sometimes, a thick fog called "tule fog" can make it chilly for days.

The highest temperature ever recorded in Novato was 111°F (44°C) in September 2022. The lowest was 16°F (-9°C) in December 2013. Novato gets about 25 inches (65 cm) of rain each year.

Flooding in Northeastern Novato.

Novato often has floods. This is because it is a low-lying area. Also, much of the city used to be marshland. Levees in Eastern Novato help control water. But flooding can still happen from heavy rain or levee breaks.

Population of Novato

Novato Population in 2020

In 2020, Novato had a population of 53,225 people. The city had about 1,900 people per square mile. Most residents were White (62.2%). Other groups included African American (2.7%), Native American (1.8%), and Asian (7.6%). About 13.6% were from other races, and 13.7% were from two or more races.

Novato Population in 2010

Homes at Hamilton Army Airfield in the Spanish Colonial Revival style.

In 2010, Novato had 51,904 people. About 76% of the people were White. Other groups included African American (2.7%), Native American (0.6%), and Asian (6.6%). About 21.3% of residents were Hispanic or Latino.

Most people (98.8%) lived in homes. There were 21,279 households. About 32.9% of these households had children under 18. The average household had 2.53 people. The average family had 3.04 people.

The median age in Novato was 42.6 years. About 22.7% of the population was under 18. About 15.7% was 65 or older.

Novato Population in 2000

Marin Museum of Contemporary Art.

In 2000, Novato had 47,630 people living in 18,524 households. The population density was about 1,719 people per square mile. The racial makeup was similar to later years.

About 32.1% of households had children under 18. The median income for a household was $63,453. For families, it was $74,434.

Economy in Novato

The Buck Institute for Research on Aging studies diseases related to aging.

Novato is home to the Buck Institute for Research on Aging. This institute is a leader in studying diseases that come with aging. Several biotech companies are also in Novato. These include BioMarin Pharmaceutical and Ultragenyx.

Many technology companies are based here too. Some well-known ones are 2K (a video game company) and Toys For Bob.

The historic Hamilton Theatre.

Doctor Insomniac's Coffee, a historic landmark.

The former Hamilton Air Force Base is in Novato. It closed in 1974. In 1998, it became a Historic District. Many old buildings have been turned into homes and offices. Companies like 2K Sports and Birkenstock have offices there.

From 1983 to 1998, Broderbund Software was in Novato. They made famous video games like Prince of Persia. Fireman's Fund Insurance Company was also based in Novato for many years. It was once Marin County's largest employer.

In Eastern Novato, some hayfields contribute to the local economy. However, more and more of these fields are being turned back into wetlands.

Mining and Quarrying in Novato

Novato has a history of mining and quarrying that dates back to 1863. At first, people looked for gold, silver, and copper. But soon, they focused on Mount Burdell.

Mount Burdell became a source of many hand-cut stone blocks. These blocks were used for ship ballast and street construction. They even went as far as Europe. Many foundations in San Francisco before the 1906 earthquake came from Mount Burdell. Novato's largest quarry produced thousands of tons of stone daily. However, quarrying slowly stopped. The last quarry closed in the 1990s.

Top Employers in Novato

The Villas at Hamilton apartments.

Here are some of the biggest employers in Novato as of 2018–19:

Recreation in Novato

Novato is a great place for outdoor activities. It has many parks and open space preserves. These offer hiking and biking trails, picnic spots, and playgrounds.

Parks with hiking trails include:

• Rush Creek Open Space Preserve
• Mount Burdell Open Space Preserve
• Indian Valley Open Space Preserve
• Olompali State Historic Park
• Stafford Lake County Park
• Deer Island
• Little Mountain
• Verissimo Hills

You can find waterfalls in the Ignacio Valley Preserve and Indian Valley Open Space Preserve. There's also one in the Pacheco Valle Preserve. These waterfalls flow mainly in winter and spring. They slow down or dry up in summer and fall.

Popular parks with playgrounds include Miwok Park and Pioneer Park. The playground at Pioneer Park was rebuilt in 2023. It is the first fully accessible playground in Marin County.

Scottsdale Pond is a small pond where you can fish. The path around the pond has signs about local wildlife. Novato also has the Hamilton Community Pool, which is open during certain seasons.

The Stafford Lake Bike Park offers 17 acres of trails for bikers of all skill levels.

Culture in Novato

Hamilton Field History Museum.

Novato has several interesting museums:

• Marin Museum of the American Indian
• Marin Museum of Contemporary Art
• Hamilton Field Aviation Museum
• Olompali State Historic Park
• Novato History Museum

In the summer, Novato hosts free concerts. These happen at the Hamilton Amphitheater and the Novato Civic Green. Every June, Novato has the Art Wine & Music Festival. It features music, arts and crafts, and a kids' section.

Other fun events include "Rock the Block" concerts and "Safe Trick or Treat" for Halloween. There's also an annual Christmas Tree Lighting. For New Year's, 24,000 bouncy balls are dropped from a fire engine ladder for kids to catch!

Education in Novato

Novato is part of the Novato Unified School District. The public high schools are Novato High School and San Marin High School. These schools offer special programs. Students can join the Marin School of the Arts at Novato High. Or they can join STEM Marin at San Marin High. Novato Charter School is also in Novato. The city is also home to the Indian Valley Campus of College of Marin.

Transportation in Novato

Novato Downtown station is served by Sonoma–Marin Area Rail Transit.

Major highways in Novato include U.S. Route 101 and California State Route 37. Important local roads are Novato Boulevard and San Marin Drive.

The Sonoma–Marin Area Rail Transit (SMART) train has three stations in Novato. These are San Marin / Atherton, Hamilton, and Novato Downtown. Novato also has bus routes from Golden Gate Transit and Marin Transit. There is a transit center downtown for buses.

Notable People from Novato

Cherry blossoms bloom on Grant Street in Novato.

Many well-known people have lived in Novato:

• Joe Rosenthal, a photographer famous for "Raising the Flag on Iwo Jima".
• Sacheen Littlefeather, an activist for Native American civil rights.
• Elmo Shropshire, a musician known for the song "Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer".
• Rebecca Solnit, a famous author.
• Jared Goff, an NFL quarterback.
• Juan Alderete, a Grammy Award-winning bassist.
• Yvonne Cagle, a NASA astronaut.
• Jon Miller, a sports broadcaster for the San Francisco Giants.
• Lefty Gomez, a Hall of Fame baseball pitcher for the New York Yankees.

Sister Cities

• Shepparton, Australia

See also

In Spanish: Novato (California) para niños