Fairfax

History

The Coast Miwok Native Americans occupied stretches along local creeks, spring and seep areas; moreover, prehistoric habitations were usually chosen near permanent and seasonal drainages, typically along flat ridges and terraces. The town was named for the American peer and state assemblyman Lord Charles Snowden Fairfax. decided to settle a political dispute at the home of Lord Fairfax, a mutual friend. Although Fairfax provided lunch to both men and tried to talk them out of it, they eventually headed to an open field nearby and dueled, with Showalter killing Piercy. The first post office opened in 1910. Fairfax became an incorporated town in 1931. On May 16, 1946, a B-17 Flying Fortress bomber, crashed on White's Hill just west of Fairfax.

Geography

Fairfax is in western Marin County, bordered to the east by San Anselmo and to the north by unincorporated Sleepy Hollow. The community lies in the valleys of San Anselmo Creek and its tributary Fairfax Creek, and climbs the surrounding hills. It is bordered to the south by the Mount Tamalpais protected watershed. According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of , all land. These soils consist of moderately deep, well-drained soils on uplands. These soils are typically formed from sandstone and shale and often occur on slopes ranging above 15 percent.

Race & ethnicity

Most-observed species

• Mourning Dove

  Zenaida macroura (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  5,084
• California/Woodhouse's Scrub-Jay

  Aphelocoma californica (Vigors, 1839) · Aves
  4,788
• Black Phoebe

  Sayornis nigricans (Swainson, 1827) · Aves
  4,703
• House Finch

  Haemorhous mexicanus (P.L.Statius Müller, 1776) · Aves
  4,669
• European Starling

  Sturnus vulgaris Linnaeus, 1758 · Aves
  4,037
• Northern Mockingbird

  Mimus polyglottos (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  4,025
• Anna's Hummingbird

  Calypte anna (R.Lesson, 1829) · Aves
  3,977
• House Sparrow

  Passer domesticus (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  3,387

Most recent

• M 2.53 — 2026-09-18
  11 km N of Fillmore, CA
• M 2.62 — 2026-09-11
  6 km W of Edwards Air Force Base, CA
• M 2.79 — 2026-07-29
  10 km SW of Lamont, CA
• M 2.92 — 2026-07-12
  2 km SSE of Frazier Park, CA
• M 4.10922888670317 — 2026-07-12
  2 km ESE of Frazier Park, CA
• M 3.43 — 2026-06-06
  15 km NW of Fillmore, CA