Monterey, California

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Monterey, California
Official flag of Monterey, California
Flag
Official seal of Monterey, California
Seal
Nickname: "The Cradle of History,
California's "First" City"
Location of Monterey, California
Location of Monterey, California
County Monterey
Mayor Chuck Della Sala
Area  
 - City 11.7 mi² / 30.4 km²
 - Land 8.4 mi² / 21.9 km²
 - Water 3.3 mi² / 8.5 km²
Population  
 - City (2005) 30,641
 - Density 1402/km²
Time zone PST (UTC-8)
 - Summer (DST) PDT (UTC-7)
Website: http://www.monterey.org/

The City of Monterey is located on Monterey Bay along the Pacific coast in central California. As of 2005, the city population was 30,641. The city is noted for its rich history of resident artists beginning in the late 1800s and its historically famed fishery. Monterey is home to the Naval Postgraduate School the Defense Language Institute, former Fort Ord, which is now the site of California State University Monterey Bay; Fleet Numerical Oceanography Center, the Monterey Bay Aquarium, the Monterey American Viticultural Area; Cannery Row, Fisherman's Wharf and a Marine Mammal Center field station located in the area. It is from Monterey that the semi-hard cheese known as Monterey Jack originated.

Contents

[edit] History

The Customs House
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The Customs House

In prehistoric times the Rumsen Ohlone tribe, one of seven linguistically distinct Ohlone groups in California, inhabited the area now known as Monterey. They lived a subsistance life of hunting, fishing and gathering in what has been deduced as a biologically rich Monterey Peninsula. The most prominent archeological resources extant here are shell middens, the garbage dumps of these early peoples. We can infer from midden contents that the Rumsen Ohlone consumed mussel and abalone as the chief marine staples. The principal archaeological sites that have been mapped are located between the Monterey Bay Aquarium and the Naval Postgraduate School, within about 2000 feet (610 m) of the coastline.

First established in 1770 by Father Junípero Serra and Gaspar de Portolà, Monterey served as the capital of California from 1777 to 1849, under the flags of Spain and Mexico. Portola erected the Presidio of Monterey to defend the port against expected Russian invasion. It was also the site of the July 7, 1846, Battle of Monterey during the Mexican-American War. It was on this date that John D. Sloat, Commodore in the United States Navy, raised the U.S. flag over the Monterey Customs House and claimed California for the United States.

Jellyfish at the Monterey Bay Aquarium
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Jellyfish at the Monterey Bay Aquarium

In addition, many California "firsts" occurred in Monterey. These include California's first theater, brick house, publicly funded school, public building, public library, and printing press. California's first constitution was also drafted here in October 1849.

Monterey had long been famous for the abundant fishery in Monterey Bay. That changed in the 1950s, when the local fishery business collapsed due to overfishing. A few of the old fishermen's cabins from the early twentieth century have been preserved as they stood along Cannery Row (photo above). The famous Cannery Row has now been turned into a tourist attraction, with restaurants and shops in the historical site. It is also the location of the Monterey Bay Aquarium. In June 1967 the city was the venue of the Monterey Pop Festival. Some have dubbed Monterey "the cradle of history."

Monterey has a noteworthy history as a center for California painters in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Such painters as Arthur Frank Mathews, Armin Hansen, Xavier Martinez, Rowena Meeks Abdy and Percy Gray lived or visited to pursue painting in the style of either En plein air or Tonalism.

In addition to painters many noted authors through the years have also lived in and around the Monterey area such as John Steinbeck, Robinson Jeffers, Robert A. Heinlein, Henry Miller, Ed Ricketts, and Robert Louis Stevenson.

[edit] Attractions

Colton Hall
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Colton Hall

The city is famed for its abundant sea habitat, including kelp seaweed forests, sea otters and sea lions. The large diversity of sealife draws thousands of scuba divers each year to Monterey, which is considered one of the best regions for the sport in Northern California.

Monterey is also the location of one of the largest aquariums in North America, Monterey Bay Aquarium, and hosts several important marine science laboratories. Monterey's geographic location gives scientists access to the deep sea within hours. Just miles off the shores of Monterey is Monterey Canyon, an underwater canyon two miles (3.2 km) deep.

The Larkin House, a part of the Monterey State Historic Park and a National Historic Landmark, was built in the Mexican period by Thomas Oliver Larkin and is an early example of Monterey Colonial architecture. The old Custom House, the town historic district and the Royal Presidio Chapel are also National Historic Landmarks. The Cooper-Molera Adobe is a National Trust Historic Site.

Colton Hall, built in 1849 by Walter Colton, was originally a public school and government meeting place. It also hosted California's first constitutional convention. Today it houses a museum, while adjacent buildings serve as the seat of local government.

Other well known attractions close to the city of Monterey are:

Monterey is the location of the Naval Postgraduate School, Presidio of Monterey, Monterey Institute of International Studies and Monterey Peninsula College. Monterey is served by Monterey Peninsula Airport and local bus Service is provided by Monterey Salinas Transit.

[edit] Environmental features and geography

California sea otter off Cannery Row
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California sea otter off Cannery Row

The city is situated on the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary, a Federally protected ocean area extending 276 miles (444 km) along the coast. Sometimes this sanctuary is confused with the local bay which is also termed Monterey Bay. In the local Monterey Bay marine environment can be found the California sea otter, a protected species. A field station of the Marine Mammal Center is located in Monterey to support sea rescue operations in this section of the California coast. Endangered bird species in Monterey are: California clapper rail, found in salt marshes; California brown pelican and Yuma clapper rail, both found at dunes and rocky headlands. One rare mammal, the San Joaquin kit fox, is found here in oak forest and chapparal habitats. The chapparal habitat is general located on the drier slopes at the eastern part of the city and hosts such plants as manzanita, chemise and ceanothus. Additional species of interest (that is, possible candidates for endangered species) are the Salinas kangaroo rat and the Silver sided legless lizard.

A variety of natural habitats are manifested within the city: littoral zone and sand dunes; closed cone pine forest; and Monterey Cypress habitat. During the early 1900s, Willis L. Jepson characterized the forests on the Monterey Peninsula as the "most important silva ever", and encouraged Samuel F. B. Morse of the Del Monte Properties Company to explore the possibilities of preserving the unique forest communities[1]. The dune area is also important, as it hosts the endangered species such as the vascular plants Seaside birds beak, Hickman's potentilla and Eastwoods Ericameria. The closed cone pine forest habitat is dominated by Monterey pine, Knobcone pine and Bishop pine, contains the rare Monterey manzanita; rare plants inhabiting chapparal habitat in Monterey are: Hickman's onion, Yadon's piperia (Piperia yadonii) [[ and Sandmat manzanita. Other rare plants within Monterey are: Hutchinson's delphinium, Tidestrom lupine; Gardner's yampah and Monterey Knotweed, the latter of which may be extinct.

Looking north from Cannery Row toward Fisherman's Wharf
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Looking north from Cannery Row toward Fisherman's Wharf

The city of Monterey sits over Quaternary Alluvium soil and is in a moderate to high seismic risk zone, the principal threat being the active San Andreas Fault, which is approximately 26 miles (42 km) east. The active Monterey Bay fault which traces three miles (4.8 km) to the north and the active Palo Colorado fault resides seven miles (11.3 km) to the south. More minor potentially active faults nearby are the Berwick Canyon, Seaside, Tularcitos and Chupines faults. There is a considerable undeveloped area subject to high landslide and erosion potential in the northwestern part of the city. A maximum credible tsunami for a 100 year interval has been calculated for Monterey Bay as a nine foot (2.7 m) high wave. Sand deposits in the northern coastal area comprise the sole known mineral resources. Annual rainfall in Monterey is only 15 inches (38 cm).

Environmental Noise has been mapped in the city of Monterey to define principal sources and extent of population exposed to significant levels (Hogan, 1981). The principal sources of noise are the Monterey Airport, State Route 1 and major arterial streets such as Munras Avenue and Camino Aguajito. While most of Monterey is a quiet residential city, there are a moderate number of people exposed to aircraft noise at sound levels in excess of 60 CNEL in the northern part of the city. The most intense source is SR 1, such that the total number of residents exposed to sound levels greater than 65 CNEL live near SR 1 or one of the principal arterial streets; that exposed population above 65 CNEL is approximately 1600 people.

Monterey is located at 36°36′0″N, 121°53′26″W (36.600010, -121.890605)GR1. According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 30.4 km² (11.7 mi²). 21.9 km² (8.4 mi²) of it is land and 8.5 km² (3.3 mi²) of it (28.05%) is water.

[edit] Demographics

Monterey Harbor
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Monterey Harbor

As of the censusGR2 of 2000, there were 29,674 people, 12,600 households, and 6,476 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,357.5/km² (3,516.9/mi²). There were 13,382 housing units at an average density of 612.2/km² (1,586.0/mi²). The racial makeup of the city was 80.83% White, 2.52% African American, 0.57% Native American, 7.43% Asian, 0.29% Pacific Islander, 3.91% from other races, and 4.45% from two or more races. 10.86% of the population were Hispanic.

There were 12,600 households out of which 21.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 39.5% were married couples living together, 8.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 48.6% were non-families. 37.0% of all households consist of individuals and 11.0% have a lone dweller who is over 64. The average household size was 2.13 and the average family size was 2.82. The age distribution is as follows: 16.6% under the age of 18, 13.1% from 18 to 24, 33.8% from 25 to 44, 21.7% from 45 to 64, and 14.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 96.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 96.1 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $49,109, and the median income for a family was $58,757. Males had a median income of $40,410 versus $31,258 for females. The per capita income for the city was $27,133. About 4.4% of families and 7.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 6.5% of those under age 18 and 4.8% of those age 65 or over.

[edit] Media

The Monterey/Salinas metro area is served by a variety of local television stations, and is the 125th largest designated market area (DMA) in the U.S. with 218,080 homes:

The Monterey/Salinas area lost its American Broadcasting Company broadcast affiliate in 2000, when KNTV was purchased, and then became the NBC station for the San Francisco Oakland San Jose metropolitan area. KNTV, now known as NBC11, later moved its tower from Loma Prieta Peak to San Bruno Mountain, ceasing its coverage in Monterey. At that time, ABC reached an agreement with Comcast Cable to originate a cable-only local affiliate, AABC, to provide ABC network programming to the market. It is the only Big 3 cable affiliate in the United States.

[edit] Notable Residents

Mike Aldrete, a former American baseball player and current hitting coach for the Arizona Diamondbacks

Pete Incaviglia, a former American baseball player who holds the single-season NCAA home run record at 48 and RBI record at 143

Leon Panetta, a former American politician

[edit] Bibliography

  • Augusta Fink, Monterey: The Presence of the Past, Chronicle Books, San Francisco, California (1972)
  • City of Monterey Parks and Recreation Master Plan, City of Monterey Parks and Recreation Department (1986)
  • Environmental Hazards Element, city of Monterey, A part of the General Plan, February, 1977
  • Flora and Fauna Resources: City of Monterey General Plan Technical Study, prepared for City of Monterey by Bainbridge Behrens Moore Inc., Nov. 2, 1977
  • General Plan, City of Monterey, (1980)
  • Helen Spangenberg, Yesterday's Artists of the Monterey Peninsula, Monterey museum of Art (1976)
  • Prehistoric Sources Technical Study, prepared for the city of Monterey by Bainbridge Behrens Moore Inc., May 23, 1977

[edit] External links

 Wikimedia Commons has media related to:

[edit] Gallery

Brandt's Cormorant at San Carlos Beach

A sea lion rookery at the marina

A scene from Ocean View Boulevard

Museum interior with ship models and equipment

Kelp forest display at the Monterey Bay Aquarium

Historic fishermen's cabins at Cannery Row

View of Monterey Bay and its kelp

Frontal view of Colton Hall with holiday decorations

Side view of Colton Hall

Heermann's Gull

Harbor Seal, Pt. Lobos

Diver and Harbor Seal, Pt. Lobos

Scuba diver in kelp forest

Blue Rockfish in kelp forest

Tube Anemone at the Breakwater

Hermissenda sp. nudibranch

Egg Yolk jellyfish adrift in Monterey Bay
v • d • e
Monterey County, California

Incorporated places
Salinas (County seat) • Carmel-by-the-Sea • Del Rey Oaks • Gonzales • Greenfield • King City • Marina • Monterey • Pacific Grove • Salinas • Sand City • Seaside • Soledad

Census-designated places
Aromas • Boronda • Bradley • Carmel Valley Village • Castroville • Chualar • Del Monte Forest (better known as Pebble Beach) • Elkhorn • Las Lomas • Moss Landing • Pajaro • Prunedale • San Ardo • San Lucas • Spreckels

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