Nicasio

The town of Nicasio was founded in the early 19th century to support local agricultural, timber, and fishing activities. The town once boasted the twenty-two-room Hotel Nicasio, which opened in 1867 but burned down in December 1940. Just north of town on Nicasio Valley Road is a beautiful red-painted one-room schoolhouse that opened in 1871. Within Nicasio are about 250 homes located on approximately 350 parcels. Much of the land is still used for agricultural purposes including beef and dairy cattle grazing, small-scale truck farming (including organic farming), and the raising of forage. The most significant non-agricultural business within Nicasio is George Lucas' Skywalker Ranch. Nicasio’s town center has a post office, a general store, a tiny real estate office, St. Mary's Church (established in 1867), Nicasio Volunteer Fire Department, a baseball field located in the town square, Rancho Nicasio, which is a bar/restaurant/live music establishment, a Druid's Hall, as well as a number of private homes.