Breck Parkman’s first assignment as a State Archaeologist was to inventory the cultural resources of Rancho Olompali, a brand, new 760-acre State Park in Marin County. According to Breck, one of his most important discoveries was a cultural deposit consisting of artifact-rich fire debris inside the ruins of the former Burdell Mansion. It was here that he found a virtual time capsule of hippie material culture, items that once belonged to the Grateful Dead-affiliated, Chosen Family commune, the residents of the mansion when it was destroyed by fire on February 2, 1969. This presentation describes the importance of that discovery.