1875. Payne Shafter took on the role of country squire, taking part in local 

 events and charities, hunting with members of San Francisco society, writing 

 poetry, and keeping a fine stable of race horses which exercised on the race 

 track on the ranch. Shafter loved the ranch and operated a stage service from 

 Tocaloma station offering scenic drives to Bear Valley, Bolinas and the ocean. 

 The dairy was leased to local ranchers; the famous tale of the cow falling into 

 the crack during the 1906 earthquake purportedly happened here. In 1925 

 Shafter sold 2,000 acres, excepting the mansion, to a Los Angeles syndicate bent 

 on developing a golf resort. The plans never materialized and the property was 

 sold in 1946 to the Vedanta Society, a Hindu-based sect brought to America 100 

 years ago by Swami Vivekenanda. Payne Shafter died in 1934, leaving the 

 mansion and small amount of property to his daughters Helen and Mary. They 

 held on to the fine old estate until 1965 when it was sold to Bill and Louise 

 Watt. The Watts eventually sold the mansion to the Vedanta Society, who use 

 the building as a meditation retreat center. The mansion parcel is not within 

 the legislated boundaries of Point Reyes National Seashore, but the Rift Zone 

 Trail is maintained for the public nearby. 232 



B. ROBERT and GEORGE GALLAGHER RANCH 

 North Bend Ranch 



The 330-acre Gallagher Ranch is located on Lagunitas Creek east of 

 Point Reyes Station. It is bounded on the north by the creek which surrounds 

 the ranch on three sides, and on the south by the Genazzi and former Edwin 

 Gallagher Ranches. The land originally belonged to Rafael Garcia, whose wife 

 Loretta inherited it in the 1868 family land division. By 1873 James McMillan 

 Shafter owned the ranch and developed a dairy there. He built a large house, 

 reportedly as a country estate for his daughter Julia, but for the most part the 

 ranch was leased to dairymen. The North Pacific Coast Railroad built tracks 

 through the ranch in 1874 and named the flagstop there North Bend. 233 



After James McMillan Shafter 's death in 1892 his heirs rapidly sold their 



232 Ibid.. pp. 83, 100-103. 



233 Deeds Book H, p. 77, Book M, p. 462, Book Q, pp. 324 and 621, MCRO; 1873 Map of 

 Marin County. 



398 



