Prior to the arrival of Europeans this area was occupied by the Coast Miwok. There was fresh spring water and abundant sea-life for the nearly 200 people in the nearby village of Takau.
From the early 1800s to the 1840s, Bodega Head was used by Russian colonists as a safe harbor in their hunt for sea mammals such as otter, sea lions and seals. The Russians used this location as a source of fresh water and food.
Late In the 1950s, PG&E acquired property from a local rancher to construct what was to be the natlon's first commercially-viable nuclear power plant. Construction of the Atomic Park began in the early 1960s, only to be halted by the efforts of concerned citizens in 1964. The original location of the Atomic Park was dangerously close to the San Andreas Fault, which was the deciding factor to halt construction.
This "Hole in the Head" is actually a 90 foot by 120 foot deep hole dug by PG&E during the initial phase of the power plant construction. The "hoie" is constantly being replenished by
the same fresh water spring that drew both the Native people and early settlers to this location. This area now provides a
safe habitat for a wide variety of birds and wildlife.