First as a coastal Miwok Indian village; later as the Marconi Wireless Company of America; and now as the non-profit Marconi Conference Center & California State Historic Park, the tradition of communications continues at this 62-acre site located on Northern California's famed scenic coastal Highway 1. It's a unique slice of history & a serene atmosphere for concentration without a sense of isolation.

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As he literally circled the world creating the first global wireless communications system, Guglielmo Marconi left his enduring mark in California on the shores of Tomales Bay in Marin County, about an hour's drive north of San Francisco Bay.

Guglielmo Marconi's ultimate and ambitious plan was to link the globe with a series of high-powered wireless transmitters and receivers. As part of this vast scheme, the Marconi Wireless Receiving Station in Marshall, California (dedicated September 24, 1914), along with its sister transmitting station in Bolinas, California provided vital links in worldwide radio communication. With the opening of other Pacific Rim stations, radio communication became possible between California, Hawaii, Japan, Europe and South America. The Marshall/Bolinas Stations (KPH) also provided marine (ship-to-shore-to-ship) radio covering the Pacific Ocean, which made sea travel much safer.

During World War I all coastal and shipboard stations were appropriated by the United States Navy, leaving: the Marconi Company with no commercial wireless operation. After the War, the Marshall Bolinas Stations were returned to the Marconi Company. On November 20, 1919, Station KPH was sold - through a merger - to the Radio Corporation of America (RCA).

When developing technology proved that short wave signals were more effective for long distance transmission, the operation at Marshall, which was a long wave station, was relocated across Tomales Bay to the Point Reyes Peninsula for superior short wave reception. Records from RCA indicate that maritime service continued at the Marshall Station until 1939.

RCA retained title to the Marshall property until 1947; the property then changed hands three times before it was bought by Synanon - dedicated to the rehabilitation of drug addicts - in 1965. It was Synanon's world headquarters from 1965 to 1980.

The California State Parks Foundation acquired the property in 1984 with Buck Trust funds, remodeled it as a conference center, and gave it to the California Dept. of Parks and Recreation which now operates it as the Marconi Conference Center, a non-profit facility.

The conference center operation enables these grounds to be preserved and protected, while the historical buildings constructed by Marconi await restoration - a long-range process given the continuing budget problems of the California Department of Parks and Recreation, but the wait will be worth it. The main building of the Marconi Wireless station on this site is known as the Marconi Hotel and is destined to become a grand landmark when restoration is finally accomplished

This was quite a remote site in 1914, and The Hotel housed station workers and Marconi guests. It offered the conveniences of a library, dining hall, billiard room and state-of-the-art plumbing. Built of concrete and tile, the three-story building's front veranda was designed in the classic Italinate villa style. Restoration of the Marconi Hotel will provide administration facilities, gift shop, conference services rooms, lounges and museum; on the second floor will be a fully restored guest room, library/reading room. and a variety of meeting rooms.