History · Novato
A history of Novato,
then and now
Postcards, papers and photographs of Novato from public archives, woven together by decade. Neighbors fill in the gaps.
17old images & papers
2historic places
0recent photos
The story
from WikipediaRead it all ↗What is now Novato was originally the site of several Coast Miwok villages: Chokecherry, near downtown Novato; Puyuku, near Ignacio; and Olómpali, at the present-day Olompali State Historic Park.
Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Timeline
built from the dates on the items below1930s5 items · Untitled photo, possibly related to: …LOC
1940s12 items · Queen of the Festival of the Holy Gho…LOC
1950–1999Nothing yet. Family albums go here.
Help out
Finish Novato’s story
Most archives stop around 1920. The photos from after that are in family albums, not libraries.
2 of 10 decades since 1900 have photos 🔁Retake an old viewUntitled photo, possibly related …, 1935: stand where they stood+15 📦Share a family photoSign in to add one+10Famous people from Novato
See all 14 →
By decade
Novato, decade by decade
1930s5 items
LOCUntitled photo, possibly related to: In the parade of the F…1935
LOCUntitled photo, possibly related to: In the parade of the F…1935
LOCUntitled photo, possibly related to: In front of the church…1935
LOCUntitled photo, possibly related to: In front of the church…1935
LOCUntitled photo, possibly related to: Novato, California. Dr…19351940s12 items
LOCQueen of the Festival of the Holy Ghost. Novato, California1942
LOCNovato, California. Portuguese-Americans at the Festival of…1942
LOCParade of the Festival of the Holy Ghost at Novato, Califor…1942
LOCIn the Portuguese-American Festival of the Holy Ghost at No…1942
LOCIn the parade of the Festival of the Holy Ghost1942
LOCParade of the Portuguese-American Festival of the Holy Ghos…1942
LOCPreparing dinner at the Portuguese-American Festival of the…1942
LOCLeaving church after mass at the Portuguese-American Festiv…1942
LOCThe Queen and her court of the Holy Ghost Festival arrive a…1942
LOCThe Queen of the Portuguese-American Festival of the Holy G…1942
LOCMr. Thomas Dias, Portuguese-American radio commentator at t…1942
LOCLeaving church after special mass for the Portuguese Americ…19421950s–
1990s
1990s
Nothing in the archives for these yearsWeddings on Main Street, storms, parades, school pictures, the old store. If it’s in your family album, it belongs here.
📷 Add from your albumNational Register of Historic Places
2 historic places in Novato
Novato has 2 listings on the National Register, and they protect 110 historic buildings, because Hamilton Army Air Field Discontiguous Historic District alone counts 108.
#185
In Californiaby listings · most towns there have none
2places listed1 building · 1 district
0National Historic LandmarksNone here yet
110historic buildings protectedcounting each building in a district
1980first listedFashion Shop and Stephen Porcella House · newest: Hamilton Army Air Field Discontiguous Historic District, 1998
Where they are
Tap a dot for a photo and link. Districts show at their center.
BuildingsDistricts
When they were listed
The Register began in 1966.
60s
70s
180s
190s
00s
10s
20s
Listed 1998Hamilton Army Air Field Discontiguous Historic DistrictListed 1980Fashion Shop and Stephen Porcella HouseNational Park Service, National Register of Historic Places (05/22/2026) · styles from the National Archives catalog · photos from Wikimedia Commons, credited on each place