Monterey, California

Monterey is a city on the southern edge of Monterey Bay, on the Central Coast of California. It covers an area of about 8.645 square miles and had a population of 30,218 as of the 2020 census.

The city was founded by the Spanish in 1774 when Gaspar de Portolá and Junípero Serra built the Presidio of Monterey and the Cathedral of San Carlos Borromeo. It served as the capital of the Province of the Californias and later became an important place for both Alta California and Baja California.

Today, Monterey is well-known for its tourism. Popular spots include the Monterey Bay Aquarium, Cannery Row, and Fisherman's Wharf. It also hosts events like the California Roots Music and Arts Festival and the Monterey Jazz Festival. The city is home to important schools and military centers, such as the Defense Language Institute, the Naval Postgraduate School, the Middlebury Institute of International Studies at Monterey, and California State University, Monterey Bay.

History

Ohlone period

Long before European explorers came, the Rumsen Ohlone tribe lived in the area now called Monterey. They lived in villages and fished, hunted, and gathered food around the Monterey Peninsula.

Researchers found shell middens showing the Ohlone ate mussels and abalone from the rocky coast.

Spanish period

The city is named after Monterey Bay. The bay was named in 1602 by Sebastián Vizcaíno to honor the Conde de Monterrey, the viceroy of New Spain.

In 1770, Spanish explorers built the Presidio of Monterey and the Cathedral of San Carlos Borromeo. The Presidio protected the port, and the cathedral became an important church.

Monterey was the capital of the "Province of Both Californias" from 1777 until Mexico became independent from Spain in 1821.

Argentine raid and occupation

In 1818, Argentine forces led by Hippolyte Bouchard landed near Monterey. They captured the Presidio after a short fight and stayed in the city for six days. They took supplies and burned some buildings but did not hurt the local people.

Mexican period

After Mexico gained independence, Monterey stayed important. In 1834, the first print shop in California came to Monterey by Agustín V. Zamorano.

In 1846, during the Mexican–American War, Monterey was the site of the Battle of Monterey. That year, Commodore John D. Sloat raised the U.S. flag, claiming California for the United States.

American period

In 1849, Colton Hall was built as a school and government building. It hosted California's first constitutional convention.

Monterey became famous for fishing, but the fishery declined in the 1950s due to overfishing. Some old fishing cabins from that time are still along Cannery Row.

Monterey has been home to many famous writers and artists, including John Steinbeck and Robert Louis Stevenson.

In 2021, Apple named its new operating system macOS Monterey after the Monterey region.

Geography

The city of Monterey covers an area of 12.3 square miles, with 8.6 square miles of land and 3.6 square miles of water. It includes several areas like New Monterey, Del Monte, and Cannery Row. The city sits near important underwater protected areas that help keep ocean life safe.

Monterey has many special plants and animals, such as sea otters and certain types of pine trees. The area also has places where special plants grow, some of which are rare.

Monterey has many different natural places, including sandy areas, forests of special pine trees, and areas with chaparral plants. The city does not have any dairy farms, though a type of cheese called Monterey Jack comes from nearby.

Monterey has a cool climate because it is near the ocean. Summers are often foggy and mild, while winters are gentle with little rain. Snow is very rare in the city itself.

Demographics

The headquarters of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Monterey in California is in Monterey, and one of the few Oratorian communities in the United States is in the city. The city is next to the historic Catholic Carmel Mission.

The 2020 census said Monterey had 30,218 people. Many people were between the ages of 25 and 44. The median age was 36.7 years.

In 2023, the US Census Bureau estimated the median household income was $104,110, and the per capita income was $62,541. About 8.0% of families and 10.5% of the population were below the poverty line.

The 2010 United States census reported Monterey had 27,810 people. Many had English, German, Irish, Mexican, Italian, and Scottish ancestry.

Economy

Monterey has many jobs in both private and public sectors. Some big private companies hire people there, but their names are not listed here. The same is true for the top public companies.

Other important employers in Monterey include the Monterey Peninsula Unified School District and Mapleton Communications. The city also has military facilities such as the Fleet Numerical Meteorology and Oceanography Center and the United States Naval Research Laboratory – Monterey.

Arts and culture

Attractions

Monterey is famous for its sea life, like sea lions, sea otters, harbor seals, and birds. Just offshore is the Monterey Canyon, a very deep underwater canyon. This makes Monterey a great place for scuba diving. The Monterey Bay Aquarium on Cannery Row is one of the biggest aquariums in North America. The area also has many marine science labs.

Monterey has many old buildings from the 1800s, and some are museums. Cannery Row was once full of factories but is now a popular place to visit with shops and restaurants. Lake El Estero is a park where you can rent paddleboats and see many birds.

Arts

Monterey has art museums and many art galleries.

Music

The Monterey Jazz Festival began in 1958 and has had famous musicians play there.

In 1967, Monterey held a big rock concert that helped introduce many musicians to large crowds.

Literature

Writer John Steinbeck had friends in Monterey. Robert Louis Stevenson, another famous writer, visited Monterey in 1879 and wrote some of his books there. His old hotel is now a place where you can see items that belonged to him.

Theater

Monterey has a long history of theater. The first paid public show in California was in an old building called “California’s First Theater.”

The Wharf Theater opened in 1950 and is still hosting shows today.

The Golden State Theatre, an old movie theater, was fixed up in 2005 and now shows live performances.

Sports

Monterey has some interesting sports teams and events. The Monterey Amberjacks are a baseball team that plays in an independent league, not connected to Major League Baseball. They play at Sollecito Ballpark.

Monterey Bay FC is a soccer team that plays in the USL Championship, the second level of professional soccer in the United States. They play their home games at Cardinale Stadium in Seaside, California. There is also a soccer league just for adults from Monterey and nearby areas.

Monterey also hosts the PURE Insurance Championship, a golf tournament held in Monterey and Pebble Beach.

Government

Monterey is led by a mayor and four city council members. The mayor is Tyller Williamson, and the council members are Kim Barber, Gino Garcia, Jean Rasch, and Ed Smith.

The city helps take care of important places like the Presidio of Monterey and the Naval Postgraduate School. They keep streets, parks, and buildings in good shape. They also plan traffic and manage construction. This is called the "Monterey Model." It has saved money and helped keep the military strong in the area.

The city also runs the Monterey Sports Center for fun and activities.

Media

See also: Media in Monterey County, California

Monterey has several local radio stations such as KPIG-FM 107.5, KAZU-FM – 90.3, KDON-FM – 102.5, KCDU-FM – 101.7, KWAV-FM – 96.9, KDFG-FM – 103.9, KMBY – 1240 AM, and KRML. The area gets its television service from the Monterey-Salinas-Santa Cruz region. Local newspapers include the Monterey County Herald and the Monterey County Weekly.

Infrastructure

Monterey has a post office run by the United States Postal Service. This post office opened in 1849 and was the first one west of the Rocky Mountains.

Transportation

Monterey’s roads include CA 1, called the Cabrillo Highway. It follows the coast to Monterey Bay in the north and Big Sur in the south. CA 68, the Monterey-Salinas Highway, links the city to US 101 at Salinas and to Pacific Grove.

Local buses are operated by Monterey-Salinas Transit. The Monterey Regional Airport offers flights to big cities in California, Arizona, Colorado, and Nevada. The Monterey train station stopped regular service in 1971 when Amtrak took over train travel.

Education

Monterey has many places for learning. These include the Defense Language Institute at the Presidio of Monterey, California, and the Naval Postgraduate School. There is also the Middlebury Institute of International Studies at Monterey, which is part of Middlebury College, and Monterey Peninsula College, which is part of the California Community Colleges system.

Other schools nearby include California State University, Monterey Bay and the Monterey College of Law at the site of the former Fort Ord in Seaside. The Monterey Peninsula Unified School District runs one high school, one middle school, and three elementary schools. Private schools in the area are Santa Catalina School and Trinity Christian High School.

Notable people

Monterey, California, has been home to many famous people over the years. Some well-known individuals include Mike Aldrete, a former major league baseball player, and Tory Belleci, a presenter on MythBusters. The city also attracted notable figures such as Salvador Dalí, the famous artist, and Clint Eastwood, an acclaimed actor, director, and producer.

Other famous residents and visitors include John Steinbeck, the Nobel Prize-winning author of The Grapes of Wrath and Of Mice and Men, and Robert Louis Stevenson, the Scottish author of The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde and Treasure Island.

Sister cities

See also: List of sister cities in California

Monterey is twinned with several cities around the world. These include:

• Dubrovnik, Croatia (2006)
• Isola delle Femmine, Italy (2017)
• Cervia, Italy (2014)
• Kuşadası, Turkey (2007)
• Lankaran, Azerbaijan (2011)
• Lleida, Spain (1980)
• Nanao, Japan (1995)
• Tainan, Taiwan (1984)