The ghostly College of Marin marine biology lab stands across from the Bolinas Lagoon, on Wharf Road. The shabby appearance of the buildings belies their important and colorful history, beginning as the United States Coast Station No. 321 from 1917 to 1947. Later, from 1964 to 2005, the buildings served as a vibrant educational facility: the marine biology lab for the College of Marin.
The story of the Coast Guard station in Bolinas starts in…