Matt Mullenweg, the cofounder of WordPress and chief executive of Automattic, is set to acquire Mirene, a historic houseboat that has been home to Whole Earth Catalog creator Stewart Brand and his partner, Ryan Phelan, for decades. Built in Coos Bay, Oregon, and completed in 1912, Mirene was originally a gasoline schooner intended to serve canneries in Alaska. It was converted into a diesel tugboat in the 1930s. Mullenweg confirmed in a September 11 blog post that he had made an offer for the vessel, and The San Francisco Standard reported on September 16 that the deal was under contract. The purchase also involves the couple’s smaller houseboat, although the agreed price for the vessels has not been disclosed. For Brand and Phelan, the planned sale marks the end of a long chapter shaped by restoration, life on the water and their connection to Sausalito’s distinctive houseboat community.
Get breaking news anytime, anywhere. Download the TOI app now!
