Big Sur, Bolsa Knolls, Bradley

Carmel, Carmel Highlands, Carmel Valley, Carmel Valley Village, Castroville, Chualar

Del Rey Oaks

Gonzales, Greenfield

King City

Marina, Monterey

Pacific Grove, Pebble Beach, Prunedale

Salinas (county seat), San Ardo, San Lucas, Seaside, Soledad

Tassajara Hot Springs

*This list of cities may not be complete

If you have information about any of these unlinked communities or have a community not listed at all, please send it to us and we will add a page for that community.

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Information & Facts about Monterey County, California

Government

Monterey County official website

County Clerk-Recorder
Monterey County Court House
240 Church Street (Corner of Alisal and Church Streets)
West Wing, Third Floor, Room 305
Salinas, California

County of Monterey
Administrative Offices
Salinas Courthouse, North Wing
240 Church Street, room 218
Salinas, CA 93901
Phone: 831-755-5115
Fax: 831-757-5792

Association of Monterey Bay Area Governments
445 Reservation Road, Suite G
P.O. Box 809
Marina, California 93933
e-mail: info@ambag.org
phone: (831) 883-3750
fax: (831) 883-3755

The Presidio of Monterey
This facility is within the city of Monterey and has 392 acres of land. It is used as the Defense Language Institute (DLI) which is the foreign language school for all branches of the US Armed Forces.

History

For a brief period of time, the city of Monterey was the capital of California! This county was created and founded in 1850

The first inhabitants were Native Americans with the first European coming in 1542. Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo of Portugal, came upon the area, but was prevented from landing due to high seas. It took another sixty years before another explorer, Sebasitan Vizacaino, of Spain, was able to land. He named the area Monte Rey for the Count of Monte Rey for whom he was sailing.

In the late 1700's, colonization began when Caspar de Portola and Father Junipero Serra proclaimed the area both the military and ecclesiastical capital of Alta California. Presidios were built as well as the Mission San Carlos de Borromeo. When the Spanish rule ended in 1822, Monterey became the Mexican capital. Mexican rule ended 7 June 1846 when the American Flag was raised over the Montery Custom House. In 1849 delegates met in Monterey to draft the new California state constitution. California became a state in 1850.

Fort Ord, once one of the main training facilities for the US Army, has closed from active status. But the facility has been put to good use and there are many plans for more utilization of the former army post. The Fort had 44 square miles. Part of this area has become California State University at Monterey Bay. Other future plans include a University of California - Santa Cruz technology facility, environmental clean-up, military retiree health care programs and more.

History links and information may be found on this good history page.

Historical Landmarks in Monterey County

A history page for the county

Location & Size

Just below the San Francisco Bay area along the Pacific Coast and inland from the coast. The county is approximately 125 miles south of San Francisco and 345 miles north of Los Angeles
Latitude 36-40
Longitude 121-37

Surrounding areas include: Santa Cruz County to the north, San Benito, Fresno and Kings Counties to the east and San Luis Obispo County to the south. The Pacific Ocean is to the west.

Size: 3,324 square miles
The average width of the county is 30 miles

Elevation

0 to 5,844 feet above sea level
Junipero Serra Peak is the highest point, located 12 miles inland in the Big Sur area in the Santa Lucia Range.

Geography

The county has 99 marvelous miles of shoreline - more than any California County. The Monterey Bay is about 19 miles across at its entrance. It is about 300-350 feet deep on an average. The Pacific Grove coastline is protected as a marine garden fish refuge. Point Lobos and Carmel Bay are ecological reserves, with strict regulations regarding fishing or the taking of any marine life.

The ocean temperature along the southern shore of the Bay averages 55 degrees during the colder summer months, and 58 degrees during the warmer late fall and early winter months

Weather & Climate

Average annual rainfall: 17 inches (mostly between November and April)
Average annual temperature: 57 degrees F.

The county has a temperate climate. In the summer, there is abundant fog. The spring and fall have more clear days.

weather moderate. Here is Weather info for the Monterey area.

Average summer high: 68 degrees Fahrenheit
Average winter low: 61 degrees Fahrenheit

Population

1990 - 290,444
1995 - 360,241
1997 - 364-534
1999 - 391,300

Organizations & Groups

Monterey Peninsula Chamber of Commerce
380 Alvarado St.
Monterey, California 93940
Phone: 831-648-5360
Email: info@mpcc.com

Monterey County Visitors & Convention Bureau
P.O. Box 1770
Monterey, California 93942
Toll-free: 888-221-1010

Monterey County Historical Society

P.O. Box 3576
333 Boronda Rd
Salinas, CA 93907-1808
Phone: 831-757-8085

Monterey County Chambers

Monterey County Symphony Association
San Carlos St & 9th St
Carmel, CA 93923
P.O. Box 3965
Carmen, CA 93921
Phone: 831-624-8511
Fax: 831-624-3837
Email: info@montereysymphony.org

Monterey County California GenWeb Project page

Schools

Monterey County Education Office
901 Blanco Cir
Salinas, CA 93901-4401
Phone: 831-373-2955

An education page for Monterey County with links to many of the higher educational facilities in the county.

Library

Monterey County Free Libraries

Information, Attractions & Links

Access Monterey Peninsula - Online guide to Monterey County
many things to see and places to go in the area.

North Monterey County information

Visitor's Info for Monterey County

The Monterey Peninsula is known as the "Golf Capital of the World." There are 17 golf courses on the Peninsula, and more than 20 in Monterey County, including the world-renowned Pebble Beach Course

Monterey County Strawberry Festival
Monterey, CA 93940
Phone: 831-663-4166

Mission San Antonio de Padua
The third California Mission founded by Father Junipero Serra in 1771. There is a small fee to visit the museum.
It is located about 10 miles northwest of King City
Phone: 831-385-4478
Please call to confirm hours of operation

Monterey Bay Aquarium
886 Cannery Row
Monterey, California
Phone: 831-648-4888
Please call ahead for hours of operation

Monterey County Youth Museum
601 Wave St
Monterey, California 93940
Phone: 831-649-6444

Monterey County Fairgrounds
2004 Fairground Rd
Monterey, CA 93940-5260
Phone: 831-372-5863

Monterey Pride Festival
June each year
2004 Fairground Rd
Monterey, CA 93940
Phone: (831) 372-5863

National Steinbeck Center
1 Main St.
Salinas, California
Phone: 831-775-4720
Phone: 831-796-3833
Works of literary art created by Monterey County's favorite native son, Nobel Prize-winning author John Steinbeck, are on permanent display at this new museum in the heart of Salinas

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