Olema Lime Kilns

The Olema Lime Kilns are three stone structures built around 1850 to produce lime from local limestone, now standing as ruins in the Point Reyes National Seashore area. The barrels are positioned against a hillside, with varying internal designs, though only one was ever actually fired during operation.

Two San Francisco entrepreneurs built the kilns in 1850 to supply lime to growing settlements after California became part of the United States. The venture failed quickly and was abandoned by 1855 due to poor limestone quality and financial hardship affecting the region.

The kilns reflect how mid-1800s entrepreneurs attempted to develop local industry using nearby resources in a new region. They represent an early effort by settlers to build something lasting from the natural materials around them.

The kilns are located about five miles south of Olema near the coast, accessible via California State Highway 1 and a short scenic drive into the national park area. Visitors should move carefully around the ruins since the structures are fragile and climbing on them is not permitted.

A large Douglas fir tree grew between two of the kilns and damaged them as it expanded, showing how nature reclaimed the abandoned structures over time. Notably, only one of the three kilns was ever actually fired, while the others remained unused from the start.