Marin County Civic Center
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Why it's listed
Two long concrete wings, the 580-foot Administration Building and the 880-foot Hall of Justice, bridge the valleys between low hills in San Rafael and meet at an 80-foot-diameter rotunda. Designed by Frank Lloyd Wright and Aaron Green's San Francisco office, the complex has precast concrete roof shells, gold anodized aluminum details, open light wells and a drive-through archway. The rotunda holds the supervisors' chambers and the county library beneath a shallow dome, with a tall tower beside it. A small elliptical post office near the entrance, Wright's only federal commission, is also included. The nomination treats the complex as Wright's last major work and the largest public project he built. It argues that the layout puts public services ahead of the instruments of government, and that the buildings and landscape were conceived together. It was prompted by Marin's postwar growth, which left county offices scattered across rented sites.
Significance in brief: The nomination calls it the last major work of Frank Lloyd Wright and the largest constructed public project of his career, and the only one for a governmental jurisdiction. The post office is described as his only federal commission. It is presented as a leading example of his organic architecture and of his ideas about democratic government expressed through design and landscape.
Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 91002055, listed July 17, 1991. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | Jct. of N. San Pedro Rd. and Civic Center Dr., San Rafael |
|---|---|
| County | Marin County |
| Listed | July 17, 1991 |
| Reference number | 91002055 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1960-1970 |
| Architect / builder | Frank Lloyd Wright |
| Architectural style | Modern Movement |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | National |
| National Historic Landmark | Yes, designated July 17, 1991 |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Described as still in use for government offices, courts and library; the form lists current function as the same as historic. Correspondence in the file concerns a proposed jail addition that could affect its integrity. |
| Acreage | 81.5 |
| Coordinates | 37.99808, -122.53185 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
National Register listing is honorary: it recognises significance and does not restrict what a private owner may do without federal money or permits. It unlocks the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit for income-producing buildings, state credits in many states, and Section 106 review when federal agencies are involved. See what listing means in practice.
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 91002055.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q1150950
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.