Project Liwanelowa: Fulfilling the 1979 Promise
 
A community initiative to honor Sausalito’s First Peoples and correct a half-century-old oversight.

The Broken Promise: In the summer of 1979, a highly publicized civic compromise was reached to protect a sacred Coast Miwok burial site discovered during downtown construction. To prevent further desecration of the graves, an agreement was struck between developers, city officials, and Native American representatives to hand-grade the site. Crucially, a public promise was made to install a permanent memorial plaque and rest area to honor the ancestors interred beneath the soil.

For nearly five decades, that promise was completely abandoned. The site remains an unmarked asphalt parking lot. It is time to change that.

What Lies Beneath the Asphalt: Long before early pioneers claimed the waterfront was "vacant" land, the intersection of Pine and Caledonia streets was the heart of Liwanelowa. This massive, conical shellmound served as a central settlement for the Coast Miwok people for thousands of years. It was a thriving village, an ecological hub, and a sacred ancestral tomb.

Over the centuries, the mound was systematically erased. In the 1840s, William Richardson built his adobe hacienda directly atop the burials. In 1896, street contractors casually unearthed skeletons while using the sacred shell material to pave local dirt roads. By 1911, the remaining mound was leveled for a commercial garage, trapping the surviving ancestors beneath the modern street grid.

The 2027 Monument & The "Voices of Sausalito": Today, amid sweeping federal efforts to repatriate excavated remains to the Federated Indians of Graton Rancheria, a coalition of local citizens, historians, and event producers are stepping in where the civic process failed.

We are privately casting the heavy bronze monument that was promised to the Indigenous community in 1979.
On Indigenous Peoples Day in October 2027, we will officially unveil this marker during an immersive, high-profile community gathering. The physical plaque will serve as the anchor for the Voices of Sausalito—an interactive audio and augmented-reality (AR) experience that will allow visitors to digitally peel back the pavement and witness the 4,000-year history of the land around them.

Join the Movement: This project is an act of community honor. The monument will be funded by citizens, with its final inscription guided entirely by sovereign tribal leadership. We invite you to help us unearth the truth.
 

• Read the Investigation: Subscribe to The Sausalito Tattler for our monthly serialized deep-dive into the hidden history, looting, and forgotten lore of the Sausalito waterfront. [Sign up for our newsletter below.]
   

• Fund the Monument: We are currently raising the $5,000 seed capital required to cast the bronze plaque and integrate the AR technology. Become a founding backer today.
  ["To ensure your contribution is fully tax-deductible, we are currently accepting Founding Pledges while our 501(c)(3) status is finalized. Pledge your support today by email, and our team will contact you for fulfillment once the Monument Fund escrow is formally opened."]
   

• Get Involved: Are you a local business owner, historian, or community advocate? Contact us to join the 2027 host committee. [Icontact us at sherwood@bespokebayarea.com]