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Carmel-by-the-Sea, California

Carmel-by-the-Sea, commonly known simply as Carmel, is a city in Monterey County, California, located on the Central Coast of California. As of the 2020 census, the town had a total population of 3,220, down from 3,722 at the 2010 census. Situated on the Monterey Peninsula, Carmel is a popular tourist destination, known for its natural scenery and rich artistic history.

The Spanish founded a settlement in 1797, when Mission San Carlos Borromeo de Carmelo was relocated by St. Junípero Serra from Monterey. Mission Carmel served as the headquarters of the Californian mission system, until the Mexican secularization act of 1833, when the area was divided into rancho grants. The settlement was largely abandoned by the U.S. Conquest of California in 1848 and stayed undeveloped until Santiago J. Duckworth set out to build a summer colony in 1888. When the Carmel Development Company was formed in 1902, Carmel came to grow and prosper as an art colony and seaside resort, which incorporated in 1916.

History
Carmel-by-the-Sea is in an area permeated by Native American, Spanish, Mexican and American history. Most scholars believe that the Esselen-speaking people were the first Native Americans to inhabit the area of Carmel, but the Ohlone people pushed them south into the mountains of Big Sur around the 6th century.

Spanish and Mexican eras
The first Europeans to see this land were mariners led by Juan Rodríguez Cabrillo in 1542, who sailed up the California coast without landing. Another sixty years passed before the Spanish explorer, Sebastián Vizcaíno discovered for Spain what is now known as Carmel Valley in 1602. It is thought that he named the river running through the valley Rio Carmelo in honor of the three Carmelite friars serving as chaplains for the voyage.

The Spanish did not attempt to colonize the area until 1770, when Gaspar de Portolá, along with Franciscan priests Junípero Serra and Juan Crespí, visited the area in search of a mission site. Portolà and Crespí traveled by land while Serra traveled with the Mission supplies aboard ship, arriving eight days later. The colony of Monterey was established at the same time as the second mission in Alta California and soon became the capital of California, remaining so until 1849. From the late 18th through the early 19th century most of the Ohlone population died out from European diseases (against which they had no immunity), as well as overwork and malnutrition at the missions where the Spanish forced them to live. Mission San Carlos Borromeo de Carmelo was founded on June 3, 1770, in the nearby settlement of Monterey, but was relocated to Carmel Valley by Junípero Serra due to interactions between soldiers stationed at the nearby Presidio and the native Indians.

In December 1771, the transfer was complete as the new stockade of approximately 130x200 became the new Mission Carmel. Simple buildings of plastered mud were the first church and dwellings until a more sturdy structure was built of wood from nearby pine and cypress trees to last through the seasonal rains. This too, was only a temporary church until a permanent stone edifice was built. In 1784, Serra, after one last tour of all the California missions, died and was buried, at his request, at the Mission in the Sanctuary of the San Carlos Church, next to Crespí, who had died the previous year. Serra was buried with full military honors. Carmel Mission contains the state's first library.

When Mexico gained independence from Spain in 1821 Carmel became Mexican territory.

Early American era
Carmel became part of the United States in 1848, when Mexico ceded California as a result of the Mexican–American War. In the 1850s, "Rancho Las Manzanitas", the area that was to become Carmel-by-the-Sea, was purchased by French businessman Honoré Escolle. Escolle was well known and prosperous in the City of Monterey, owning the first commercial bakery, pottery kiln, and brickworks in Central California. His descendants, the Tomlinson-Del Piero Family, still live throughout the area.

William Martin of Scotland arrived in Monterey in 1856 by ship with his family. His son, John Martin (1827-1893), bought land around the Carmel River from Lafayette F. Loveland in 1859. He built the Martin Ranch on 216 acre that went as far as the Carmel River to the homes along Carmel-by-the-Sea. The ranch became known as the Mission Ranch because it was so close to the Carmel Mission. They farmed potatoes and barley and had a milk dairy.

In 1888, Escolle and Santiago J. Duckworth, a young developer from Monterey with dreams of establishing a Catholic retreat near the Carmel Mission, filed a subdivision map with the County Recorder of Monterey County. By 1889, 200 lots had been sold. The name "Carmel" was earlier applied to another place on the north bank of the Carmel River 13 mi east-southeast of the present-day Carmel. A post office called Carmel opened in 1889, closed in 1890, re-opened in 1893, moved in 1902, and closed for good in 1903. Abbie Jane Hunter, founder of the San Francisco-based Women's Real Estate Investment Company, first used the name "Carmel-by-the-Sea" on a promotional postcard.

Modern era
In 1902, James Franklin Devendorf and Frank Hubbard Powers, on behalf of the Carmel Development Company, filed a new subdivision map of the core village that became Carmel. They asked Michael J. Murphy to help build the houses. From 1902 to 1940, he built nearly 350 buildings in Carmel. The Carmel post office opened the same year. In 1899, Fritz Schweninger (1867-1918) opened the first bakery on Ocean Avenue, called the Carmel Bakery, which stands in its original location today. In 1910, the Carnegie Institution established the Coastal Laboratory, and a number of scientists moved to the area. Carmel incorporated in 1916. August Englund served as Carmel's first police chief and one-man police department, dedicated to ensuring the safety and security of Carmel for nearly 20 years.

In 1905, the Carmel Arts and Crafts Club was formed to support and produce artistic works. After the 1906 San Francisco earthquake, the village was inundated with musicians, writers, painters and other creatives, all arriving to the growing artists' colony after their bayside city was utterly devastated. These new residents were offered home lots – ten dollars as a down payment, little or no interest, and whatever they could afford to pay on a monthly basis. In 1906, the San Francisco Call devoted a full page to the "artists, writers and poets at Carmel-by-the-Sea", and in 1910 it reported that 60 percent of Carmel's houses were built by citizens who were "devoting their lives to work connected to the aesthetic arts." Early City Councils were dominated by artists, and several of the city's mayors have been poets or actors, including Herbert Heron, founder of the Forest Theater, bohemian writer and actor Perry Newberry, and actor-director Clint Eastwood, who served as mayor from 1986 to 1988.

The Carmel Arts and Crafts Club held exhibitions, lectures, dances, and produced plays and recitals at numerous locations in Carmel, including the Pine Inn Hotel, the Old Bath House on Ocean Ave, the Forest Theater, a small building in the downtown area donated by the Carmel Development Company, and finally, purchasing their own lot on Casanova Street, where they built their own clubhouse in 1907. By 1914, the club had achieved national recognition. In 1911, the town became host to what became an ongoing tradition of presenting plays by Shakespeare with a production of Twelfth Night, directed by Garnet Holme of UC Berkeley and featuring future mayors Perry Newberry and Herbert Heron, with settings designed by artist Mary DeNeale Morgan. Twelfth Night was again presented in 1940 at Heron's inaugural Carmel Shakespeare Festival, and was repeated in 1942 and 1956.

In 1915, Carmel lacked recognition as a tourist destination. During the Panama–Pacific International Exposition in San Francisco, various items showcasing Carmel were featured in the Monterey County exhibit within the California Building. This exhibit included natural and industrial products of this part of the state. As part of Carmel's involvement in the Exposition, the Junipero Serra or The Padres performance from the Forest Theater took place on July 30–31, 1915, within the Court of the Universe. This pageant, written and directed by Perry Newberry, was a tribute to Father Junipero Serra and featured prominent citizens of Carmel in its cast, such as Frederick R. Bechdolt and Grant Wallace. Around twenty-five thousand individuals attended these performances. This exposition marked an important moment in the early development of Carmel-by-the-Sea.

In 1925, Paul Aiken Flanders built the Flanders Mansion and used his home as a model for the Hatton Fields subdivision. The City of Carmel purchased the Flanders Mansion and adjoining 14.9 acre in 1972, from the Flanders heirs for US$275,000. It has become part of the 34 acre Mission Trail Nature Preserve. Part of this property is now the Rowntree Native Plant Garden at 25800 Hatton Road.

In 1932, the city developed the Devendorf Park that occupies the block of Ocean Avenue and Junipero Street. The city park is Carmel's central gathering place for outdoor events.

Geography
Carmel is located on the Monterey Peninsula, situated on the southern portion of Monterey Bay, on the Central Coast of California.

Carmel Pinnacles State Marine Reserve, Carmel Bay State Marine Conservation Area, Point Lobos State Marine Reserve and Point Lobos State Marine Conservation Area are marine protected areas in the waters around Carmel. Like underwater parks, these marine protected areas help conserve ocean wildlife and marine ecosystems.

Carmel-by-the-Sea is situated in a moderate seismic risk zone, the principal threats being the San Andreas Fault, which is approximately thirty miles northeast, and the Palo Colorado Fault which traces offshore through the Pacific Ocean several miles away. More minor potentially active faults nearby are the Church Creek Fault and the San Francisquito Fault.

Climate
Carmel-by-the-Sea experiences a cool summer Mediterranean climate (Köppen climate classification Csb) normal in coastal areas of California. Summers are typically mild, with overcast mornings produced by marine layer clouds which can bring drizzles that typically give way to clear skies in the afternoon.

September and October (Indian summer) offer the most pleasant weather of the year, with an average high of 72 °F. The wet season is from October to May.

Average annual rainfall in Carmel-by-the-Sea is 20 in per year, and the average temperature is 57 °F.

City planning
The town has historically pursued a vigorous strategy of planned development to enhance its natural coastal beauty and to retain its character, which the city's general plan describes as "a village in a forest overlooking a white sand beach". Carmel-by-the-Sea was incorporated in the year 1916 and as early as 1925 the town adopted a clear vision of its future as "primarily, essentially and predominantly a residential community" (Carmel-by-the-Sea City Council, 1929). The city regularly hosts delegations from cities and towns around the world seeking to understand how the village retains its authenticity in today's increasingly homogeneous world.

New buildings must be built around existing trees and new trees are required on lots that are deemed to have an inadequate number.

The one-square-mile village has no street lights or parking meters. In addition, the businesses, cottages and houses have no street numbers. (Originally, the early artists who were the first builders of the homes in the town, named their houses, rather than having numerical addresses.) Due to this situation, the Postal Service provides no delivery of mail to individual addresses. Instead, residents go to the centrally located post office to receive their mail. Overnight delivery services do deliver to what are called geographical addresses, such as "NE Ocean and Lincoln" (Harrison Memorial Library) or "Monte Verde 4SW of 8th" (Golden Bough Playhouse). The format used for geographical addressing lists the street, cross street, and the number of houses from the intersection. For example, in the case of "Monte Verde 4SW of 8th", the address translates to a building on the west side of Monte Verde Street four properties south of the 8th Avenue intersection.

Planning has consistently recognized the importance of preserving the character of these major sociocultural and public facilities: Sunset Center, Golden Bough Playhouse, Forest Theater, Mission San Carlos Borromeo de Carmelo, Tor House and Hawk Tower, Harrison Memorial Library, and Carmel City Hall.

2010
The 2010 United States Census reported that Carmel-by-the-Sea had a population of 3,722. The population density was 3,445.5 PD/sqmi. The racial makeup of Carmel-by-the-Sea was 3,464 (93.1%) White, 11 (0.3%) African American, 8 (0.2%) Native American, 111 (3.0%) Asian, 6 (0.2%) Pacific Islander, 45 (1.2%) from other races, and 77 (2.1%) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 174 persons (4.7%).

The Census reported that 3,722 people (100% of the population) lived in households, 0 (0%) lived in non-institutionalized group quarters, and 0 (0%) were institutionalized.

There were 2,095 households, out of which 254 (12.1%) had children under the age of 18 living in them, 831 (39.7%) were opposite-sex married couples living together, 138 (6.6%) had a female householder with no husband present, 50 (2.4%) had a male householder with no wife present. There were 81 (3.9%) unmarried opposite-sex partnerships, and 20 (1.0%) same-sex married couples or partnerships. 934 households (44.6%) were made up of individuals, and 471 (22.5%) had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 1.78. There were 1,019 families (48.6% of all households); the average family size was 2.39. The population was spread out, with 381 people (10.2%) under the age of 18, 114 people (3.1%) aged 18 to 24, 544 people (14.6%) aged 25 to 44, 1,355 people (36.4%) aged 45 to 64, and 1,328 people (35.7%) who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 59.2 years. For every 100 females, there were 77.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 76.9 males.

There were 3,417 housing units at an average density of 3,163.1 /sqmi, of which 1,182 (56.4%) were owner-occupied, and 913 (43.6%) were occupied by renters. The homeowner vacancy rate was 5.3%; the rental vacancy rate was 8.8%. 2,198 people (59.1% of the population) lived in owner-occupied housing units and 1,524 people (40.9%) lived in rental housing units.

Performing arts
In 1907, the town's first cultural center and theatre, the Carmel Arts and Crafts Clubhouse, was built. Poets Austin and Sterling performed their "private theatricals" there.

By 1913, The Arts and Crafts Club had begun organizing lessons for aspiring painters, actors, and craftsmen. Some of the most prominent painters in the United States offered instruction for beginners and advanced students, including William Merritt Chase, Xavier Martinez, Mary DeNeale Morgan, C. P. Townsley, Matteo Sandona, C. Chapel Judson, and James Blanding Sloan. It was Sloan and his wife who organized Carmel's first international film festival. In 1924, the Arts and Crafts Hall was built on an adjacent site. This new facility was renamed numerous times including the Abalone Theatre, the Filmarte, the Carmel Playhouse and, finally, the Studio Theatre of the Golden Bough. The original clubhouse, along with the adjoining theatre, burned down in 1949. The facilities were rebuilt as a two-theatre complex; the theater opened in 1952 as the Golden Bough Playhouse. A photo of the fire from 1949 was still on file 60 years later at the rebuilt theatre illustrating the loss to the city's culture and history.

In 1910, the Forest Theater, one of the first outdoor theaters west of the Rockies, was built, with poet Mary Austin and actor/director Herbert Heron leading the endeavor. The property was deeded to the City of Carmel-by-the-Sea in order to qualify for federal funding and, in 1939, the site became a Works Progress Administration (WPA) reconstruction project. After several years, the site re-opened as The Carmel Shakespeare Festival, with Herbert Heron as its director and, with the exception of the World War II years of 1943–44, the festival continued through the 1940s. Theatrical activities in the town grew to such a proportion that between 1922 and 1924, two competing indoor theatres were built – the Arts & Crafts Hall and the Theatre of the Golden Bough, designed and built by Edward G. Kuster and originally located on Ocean Avenue. In 1935, after a production of By Candlelight, the Golden Bough was destroyed by fire. Kuster, who had previously bought out the Arts and Crafts Theatre, moved his operation to the older facility and renamed it the Golden Bough Playhouse. In 1949, after remounting By Candlelight, the playhouse again burned to the ground. It was rebuilt and reopened in 1952.

In 1931, the Carmel Sunset School constructed a new auditorium, complete with Gothic-inspired architecture, with seating for 700. Often doubling as a performing arts venue for the community, the facility was bought by the City of Carmel-by-the-Sea in 1964, renaming the venue the Sunset Theatre. In 2003, following a $22 million renovation, the Sunset Center re-opened with the 66th annual Carmel Bach Festival, hosting such renowned artists as Lyle Lovett, k.d.lang, Wynston Marsalis, and the Vienna Boys' Choir. In 1949, the first Forest Theater Guild was organized. For most of the 1960s, the outdoor theater lay unused and neglected, with the original Forest Theater Guild having ceased operations in 1961. In 1968, Marcia Hovick's Children's Experimental Theater leased the indoor theater and continued until 2010. In 1972, a new Forest Theater Guild was incorporated and continues to produce musicals, adding a film series in 1997.

In 1984, Pacific Repertory Theatre initiated productions on the outdoor Forest Theater stage, reactivating Herbert Heron's Carmel Shake-speare Festival in 1990 which, in 1994, expanded to include productions at the Golden Bough Playhouse. Pacific Repertory Theatre (PacRep), a regional theatre company, is the only year-round professional (Equity) company in the Carmel area. One of the eight major arts institutions in Monterey County, it was founded in 1982 by Carmel resident Stephen Moorer as the GroveMont Theatre. Its name was changed to Pacific Repertory Theatre in 1994 when the company acquired the Golden Bough Playhouse, a two-theatre complex housing both the Golden Bough and the Circle Theatres.

Literature

In 1905, poet George Sterling came to Carmel and helped to establish the town's literary base. He was associated with Mary Austin, as well as Jack London, who also spent considerable time in the Carmel and Monterey area. In San Francisco, Sterling was known as the "uncrowned King of Bohemia" and, following the great San Francisco earthquake of 1906 many of his literary associates followed him in his move. He is often credited with making Carmel world-famous. His aunt Missus Havens purchased a home for him in Carmel Pines where he lived for six years.

Sterling wrote to his long-time literary mentor, Ambrose Bierce; "Well, you can see why I must raise vegetables. Belgian hares, hens and the fruit of their wombs, squabs and goldfish, 'keep a bee,' raid mussel reefs, and cultivate a taste for rice – not to mention cold water and 'just one girl.' I'm determined to get into black and white unnumbered multitudes of lines that romp up and down in my innards, eight a-breast." In 1905, novelist Mary Austin moved to Carmel. She is best known for her tribute to the deserts of the American Southwest, The Land of Little Rain. Her play, Fire, which she also directed, had its world premiere at the Forest Theater in 1913. Austin is often credited as suggesting the idea for the outdoor stage.

In 1914, poet Robinson Jeffers (1887–1962), and his wife, Una (1884–1950), found their "inevitable place" when they first saw the Carmel-Big Sur coast south of California's Monterey Peninsula. Among the many contributors to the lore of Mary Austin and Robinson Jeffers was the Carmel landscape photographer Morley Baer, whose photographs, published in two books, complemented their writings. Over the next decade, on a windswept, barren promontory, using granite boulders gathered from the rocky shore of Carmel Bay, Jeffers built Tor House as a home and refuge for himself and his family. It was in Tor House that Jeffers wrote all of his major poetical works: the long narratives of "this coast crying out for tragedy," the shorter meditative lyrics and dramas on classical themes, culminating in 1947 with the critically acclaimed adaptation of Medea for the Broadway stage, which featured Dame Judith Anderson in the title role. He called his home Tor House, naming it for the craggy knoll, the "tor" on which it was built. Carmel Point, then, was a treeless headland, almost devoid of buildings. Construction began in 1918.

In 1920, the poet-builder began his work on Hawk Tower. Meant as a retreat for his wife and sons, it was completed in less than four years. Jeffers built the tower entirely by himself. He used wooden planks and a block and tackle system to move the stones and to set them in place. Many influential literary and cultural celebrities were guests of the Jeffers family. Among them were Sinclair Lewis, Edna St. Vincent Millay, Langston Hughes, Charles Lindbergh, George Gershwin and Charlie Chaplin. Later visitors have included William Everson, Robert Bly, Czesław Miłosz and Edward Abbey.

Visual arts
In 1906, San Francisco photographer Arnold Genthe joined the Carmel arts colony, where he was able to pursue his pioneering work in color photography. His first attempts were taken in his garden, primarily portraits of his friends, including the leading Shakespearean actor and actress of the period, Edward Sothern and Julia Marlowe, who were costumed as Macbeth and Lady Macbeth. Of his new residence, he wrote, "My first trials with this medium were made at Carmel where the cypresses and rocks of Point Lobos, the always varying sunsets and the intriguing shadows of the sand dunes offered a rich field for color experiments."

According to the Library of Congress, where over 18,000 of his negatives and prints are on file, Genthe "became famous for his impressionistic portrayals of society women, artists, dancers, and theater personalities."

Renowned photographer Edward Weston moved to Carmel in 1929 and shot the first of numerous nature photographs, many set at Point Lobos, on the south side of Carmel Bay. In 1936, Weston became the first photographer to receive a Guggenheim Fellowship for his work in experimental photography. In 1948, after the onset of Parkinson's disease, he took his last photograph, an image of Point Lobos. Weston had traveled extensively with legendary photographer Ansel Adams, who moved to the Carmel Highlands in 1962, a few miles south of town. Gray Gables, at Lincoln and Seventh was the birthplace of the Carmel Art Association, founded by artists Josephine M. Culbertson and Jennie V. Cannon. This small group supported art, primarily through the auspices of the Carmel Arts and Crafts Club until 1927, when a meeting took place, and the group elected Pedro Joseph de Lemos as president and committed to building an exhibition gallery to display their works. Their first show with 41 artists took place in October of the same year in the Seven Arts building of Herbert Heron. The permanent gallery was completed in 1933 at its present location on Dolores Street. In the early 1930s the tiny group claimed four members who had attained membership in the National Academy of Design.

G. H. Rothe, the Mezzotint painter, lived for a time in Carmel and built two studios there in 1979.

Music
The Carmel Bach Festival began in 1935 as a three-day festival of concerts, expanding to 3 weeks until the 2009 Season which, due to economic concerns, was reduced to 2 weeks. The Festival is a celebration of music and ideas inspired by the historical and ongoing influence of J.S. Bach in the world. For over 80 years the Festival has brought the music of the Baroque and beyond to communities of the Monterey Peninsula.

The Sunset Arts Center was the venue for a concert by world-renowned jazz pianist Erroll Garner on September 19, 1955. Unknowingly the concert was being discreetly recorded but when Martha Glaser, Erroll's Manager, found out she obtained the tapes and the famous Concert by the Sea album was produced.

Government
Carmel is a general law city governed by a mayor and four city council members. The current mayor is Dave Potter. Elected councilmembers are Carrie Theis, Jeff Baron, Bobby Richards and Jan Reimers. Chip Rerig is the newest City Administrator.

The City of Carmel-by-the-Sea has established a "sphere of influence" that includes the communities of Carmel Woods, Hatton Fields, Mission Fields, Mission Tract, Carmel Point, and Carmel Hills. These neighborhoods are officially parts of unincorporated Monterey County, which provides most primary services, including law enforcement, street repairs, and public transit. Except for several shopping areas at the mouth of Carmel Valley, these satellite areas contain few, if any, businesses and serve primarily as bedroom communities to Carmel-by-the-Sea and the greater Monterey Peninsula.

Mail
There are no street addresses, and no home mail-delivery, in Carmel-by-the-Sea (by contrast with adjacent, "county-Carmel" residential districts). Carmel-by-the-Sea residents may obtain the use of a U.S. Postal Service mailbox, free of charge, upon submitting annual proof of Carmel-by-the-Sea residence.

For non-mailing purposes (other than payment of property taxes, when parcel numbers are used), an individual property is identified on a geographical-location pattern (a fictitious example follows): Sealion 5 NW Sea Otter. In this example, the property is the 5th house on Sealion Street, northwest of Sea Otter Street. Given Carmel's geographic orientation, this is the 5th house on the side of Sealion St. closer to the Pacific Ocean.

This unconventional mail system often leads to banks addressing their first mortgage statements undeliverably to the house's geographical location.

Unusual laws
Though often mistakenly thought of as an urban legend, the municipal code prohibits wearing shoes having heels taller than 2 inches (5.1 cm) or with a base of less than 1 square inch (6.5 cm2) unless the wearer has obtained a permit for them. While the local police do not cite those in violation of the ordinance, this seemingly peculiar law was authored by the city attorney in 1963 to defend the city from lawsuits resulting from wearers of high-heeled shoes tripping over irregular pavement distorted by tree roots. Permits are available without charge at City Hall.

Argyll Campbell served as city attorney of Carmel from 1920 to 1937. He was responsible for drawing up many of Carmel's first zoning laws and ordinances. Campbell backed zoning ordinances that limited the business district and restricting the size of residential houses and lots. No sidewalks in the residential area, no streetlights, no commercial development on the beach, preservation of the native trees, one or two stories height limitation, no chain restaurants, and no billboards. These ordinances have helped preserve Carmel's character as a village.

County, state, and federal representation
On the Monterey County Board of Supervisors, Carmel is represented by Supervisor Mary Adams. In the California State Assembly, Carmel is in. In the California State Senate, Carmel in.

In the United States House of Representatives, Carmel is in California's 19th Congressional District, represented by Democrat Jimmy Panetta.

Education
Carmel is served by the Carmel Unified School District, which operates nearby schools including Carmel High School, Carmel Middle School, Tularcitos Elementary School and Carmel River School.

The Californian
The Californian, formerly The Carmel Sun, was published weekly in 1936-1937 by E.F. Bunch in Carmel-By-The-Sea.

Carmel Valley Sun
Stan Hall, a former United Press International editor, bought the Carmel Valley Sun after moving to Carmel Highlands in 1988, later renamed the paper the Carmel Sun and published it weekly, closing the paper in 1994.

Carmel Pine Cone
The Carmel Pine Cone is the town's weekly newspaper and has been published since 1915, covering local news, politics, arts, entertainment, opinions and real estate.

Film
In February 2009, the town was used as a prime location for the 24-day film shoot of The Forger.

Transportation
Carmel-by-the-Sea lacks traffic lights in order to preserve the city's residential character. California State Route 1 (Cabrillo Highway) actually travels outside of Carmel's borders, running parallel to the city's eastern city limits, with connections into the city via (from south to north) Rio Road, Ocean Avenue, and Carpenter Road. Heading north, Highway 1 becomes a limited-access freeway where it enters Monterey on its way towards U.S. Route 101 and San Francisco. South of Carmel, Highway 1 follows the scenic Big Sur coast towards Santa Barbara and Los Angeles. However, bypassing the Big Sur Coast and taking U.S. Route 101 to these cities is much faster, and Highway 1 frequently closes along the Big Sur Coast during rainy season due to mudslides in that area, occasionally for months at a time due to the damage.

Ocean Avenue runs through Carmel's main business district, connecting Highway 1 to the east with the beach to the west. An entrance gate to the 17 Mile Drive, a scenic road along the Monterey Bay coast, is located just inside Carmel's northern city limits.

Local transportation is provided by Monterey–Salinas Transit. Amtrak Thruway provides connections to intercity train service in Salinas.

Actors

 * Jean Arthur, actress
 * Barbara Babcock, actress
 * Ian Bohen, actor
 * Doris Day, actress, singer
 * Phyllis Diller, actress, comedian
 * Clint Eastwood, actor, film director, mayor of Carmel 1986–1988
 * Joan Fontaine, actress
 * Brodie Greer, actor
 * Craig Kilborn, entertainer, talk show host, comedian
 * Sondra Locke (1944–2018), actress, film director
 * Stephen Moorer, founder/actor with Pacific Repertory Theatre
 * Brad Pitt, actor, film producer
 * Dick Sargent, actor
 * Jeremy Sumpter, actor
 * Betty White (1922–2021), actress

Business leaders

 * Joseph Costello, businessman
 * Ingemar Henry Lundquist, inventor and mechanical engineer, most notable for inventing over-the-wire balloon angioplasty
 * Hugh W. Comstock, Carmel designer and builder
 * Michael J. Murphy Carmel builder and businessman

Political leaders, politicians, civil service, activists

 * Saul Alinsky, community activist, writer and political theorist.
 * Sam Farr, U.S. Congressman
 * Harvey Hancock, Richard Nixon's campaign manager, 1949–1952
 * Daniel W. Hand, US Army brigadier general
 * Caleb V. Haynes, USAF general
 * Anne Henrietta Martin, first American woman to run for the United States Senate
 * Jeannette Rankin, first female U.S. Congresswoman
 * Walter S. Schuyler, U.S. Army brigadier general
 * Joseph Stilwell, U.S. Army general

Musicians

 * Erroll Garner, jazz pianist
 * Carrie Lucas, R&B singer
 * Michael Nesmith, musician, songwriter and filmmaker

Researchers, scholars

 * Francis Fukuyama, political scientist
 * Alison Murray, biochemist and Antarctic researcher
 * Ira Remsen, chemist
 * Philip Schwyzer, a Shakespeare scholar

Sports

 * Jerry Colangelo, head of U.S.A. Basketball
 * Andrew Franks, NFL kicker
 * Scott Fujita, NFL linebacker
 * Atlee Hammaker, former pitcher for the San Francisco Giants.
 * John Madden, football coach, TV sportscaster
 * Jim Nantz, sports broadcaster
 * Brita Sigourney, Olympian and freestyle skier
 * Kerry Woodson, professional baseball player

Visual artists, designers

 * Ansel Adams, photographer
 * Gus Arriola, cartoonist
 * Jennie V. Cannon, Artist, author,
 * Wah Ming Chang, Hollywood artist, designer/sculptor, Oscar winner
 * Eldon Dedini, cartoonist
 * Eyvind Earle, artist, author, and illustrator
 * Arnold Genthe, photographer
 * Pauline Gibling Schindler, arts editor
 * Charles Sumner Greene, architect and artist
 * Paul Blaine Henrie, artist
 * Hank Ketcham, cartoonist
 * Xavier Martínez, painter
 * William Frederic Ritschel, painter
 * Esther Rose, Western artist
 * John Edward Walker (1880–1940) California Impressionist painter.
 * Edward Weston, photographer
 * Francis Whitaker, Carmel blacksmith artist, Forge in the Forest prior 1962
 * Steven Whyte, sculptor
 * Shirley Williamson (1875–1944) California Impressionist painter.

Writers, novelists, journalists

 * Mary Hunter Austin, novelist
 * Eric Berne, psychiatrist and author
 * Gelett Burgess, humorist, author
 * Meg Cabot, author, wrote The Mediator series, staged in Carmel
 * Beverly Cleary, author, notable books including fictional characters such as Ramona Quimby and Henry Huggins (1915-2021)
 * James Ellroy, author
 * Charlie Fern, former White House speech writer, journalist
 * Colin Fletcher, writer
 * Nora May French, poet
 * Robert A. Heinlein, author
 * Darrell Huff, author, writer, architect
 * Robinson Jeffers, poet
 * Christopher Kasparek, writer, translator, physician
 * Anna Kavan, British novelist
 * Charlotte Hoffman Kellogg (1874–1960), author and social activist who escorted Marie Curie to the U.S. in 1921
 * Sinclair Lewis, novelist
 * Jack London, novelist
 * Hugo Schwyzer, writer and feminist
 * Cathy Scott, journalist and true-crime author
 * Upton Sinclair, novelist and social reformer
 * George Sterling, poet
 * Lincoln Steffens, writer
 * Robert Louis Stevenson, author
 * Henry Meade Williams
 * Mona Williams
 * Charis Wilson (Weston), writer, model, and subject of Edward Weston's nude studies.

Other

 * Roy Chapman Andrews, naturalist and explorer
 * Father Junipero Serra, a Roman Catholic Spanish priest, Catholic saint.

title: Carmel-by-the-Sea, California


text:
Castroville, California

Castroville is an unincorporated town and census-designated place (CDP) in Monterey County, California, United States. At the time of the 2020 census the population was 7,515, up from 6,481 in 2010. Castroville is known for its artichoke crop and for the annual Castroville Artichoke Festival, leading to its nickname as the "Artichoke Center of the World".

The community's origins lie in Rancho Bolsa Nueva y Moro Cojo, a Mexican-era rancho granted to the Castro family of Californio rancheros. Following the American Conquest of California, Juan Bautista Castro founded Castroville in 1863.

Rancho Bolsa Nueva y Moro Cojo
Rancho Bolsa Nueva y Moro Cojo was a 30901 acre Mexican land grant given in 1844 by Governor Manuel Micheltorena to Maria Antonia Pico de Castro, Juan Bautista Castro's mother. Rancho Bolsa Nueva y Moro Cojo is a combination of three land grants: Rancho Bolsa Nueva y Moro Cojo, given in 1844 by Governor Micheltorena to María Antonia Pico de Castro; Rancho Bolsa del Potrero y Moro Cojo, in 1822 by Governor Pablo Vicente de Solá to Joaquín de la Torre.; and the land between the other two, granted by Governor Juan Alvarado to Simeon Castro (Juan Bautista Castro's father) in 1837.

Lake Merritt and the sloughs were popular for fishing and hunting. The area around Castroville was crisscrossed by a network of sloughs and swamps. In the 1840s, mapmaker Duflot de Mofras wrote, "A few leagues before reaching the Pajaro River, an area measuring a few hundred meters where the ground trembles under the horses feet, although the earth is hard and covered by turf, is encountered. The land is probably formed by a solid crust superimposed on a vast miry base."

Castroville from 1850
The town site was divided into 50 by blocks, with an alley running through each block. A lottery was established, and 100 lots were given away to any person who would clear land and build homes. In 1870 Manuel R. Merritt, editor of the Castroville Argus, announced, "We will give alternate lots, on any part of the town site we still own… to any person who will build as practicable, a good comfortable dwelling house on his lot."

Juan Bautista Castro ran for county supervisor for the district. Castro, Merritt, Geil and others traveled to the oldest settlement of Sotoville in Salinas, where the Indians and Paisanos lived. They packed their belongings. Castro packed the tortilla cast iron pans, personal items and moved the people to Juan Pomber's hotel for ninety days. They were registered and became ready to vote. They were not able to read in English, so the ballots were translated for them. Juan Bautista Castro won the office of supervisor of his district. Juan Pomber became roadmaster of the district. The county supplied money and low-income housing was built on the donated lots.

In 1875, Castroville had 900 residents. There were two hotels, five stores, stables, three saloons, a flour mill, two blacksmith shops, a newspaper, a post office, a telegraph office, a drugstore, a tailor shop, a shoemaker, two churches, a school house, a tin shop, and a brewery.

The Southern Pacific Railroad began extending its line south from Gilroy. Juan Bautista Castro had ambitions of Castroville becoming the new station freight depot. Castroville's asking price for the land was high. Salinas offered the land for free, and was selected over Castroville. Castroville was still considered an important stop, serving as the "point of juncture of the road from Monterey, and from Soledad to San Francisco." The first roundhouse was built in Castroville.

Castroville Argus newspaper
The Castroville Argus was established on July 17, 1869. The publishers were Juan Bautista Castro and Joseph R. Merritt. The editors were Manuel R. Merritt (nephew of Juan Bautista Castro) and S.F. Geil. The office was in the Hicks Building (hardware store, later turned into school house, La Scuola) on the corner of Merritt and Poole Streets. It was a weekly paper and a new edition was available every Saturday.

Joseph Merritt was born April 19, 1851. He was publisher for the Monterey Democrat and the Castroville Argus. In 1882, he was editor of the San Jose Mercury. In 1884, he was on the editorial staff of the San Jose Daily Herald. He married Annie Phillips in 1872. He died at the age of 36.

Manuel R. Merritt was born June 8, 1855. He was the editor of the Castroville Argus, Castroville Gazette, and the Monterey County Herald. In 1878 he was in the mercantile business, elected supervisor of Monterey County from the First District. Four times he was a delegate to the Democratic State Convention. He served as Secretary and as chairman for the Democratic County Committee. He became Postmaster and Justice of the Peace. Real estate and insurance business. He died at the age of 48 from an accidental gunshot wound.

Chinatown

"In 1860 the Chinese contractors had established a presence here in Castroville. They were instrumental in clearing the slough, wetlands, and marshes especially in the northern section of the Rancho Bolsa Nueva y Moro Cojo. The land was ready to grow crops. In 1878 Manteufel moved the Chinese businesses that were on Merritt Street to the corner of McDougall and Speegle Street. In 1883 a fire destroyed the entire Chinatown. Chinatown was rebuilt and once again filled the sections of McDougall between Sanchez St. and Speegle St."

"The new gold rush, applying to agriculture was termed, "Sugar Beet Rush." With additional farms and more people, local businesses were successful. The Monterey County Assessor listed fifteen Chinese companies farming sugar beets in the area of Castroville. The sugar beets farms continued to multiply and grow towards Salinas. The Chinese population in Castroville continue to grow as well. In 1891 Sam Kee and Jim Lee purchased a lot in Castroville. The "Quong Chung Company" purchased another lot. "This was the first time any Chinese had purchased property in the Monterey Bay Area."

In 1893 Salinas's Chinatown was destroyed. Many Chinese contractors and business owners moved to Castroville. When Watsonville's Chinatown burned down, the contractors also moved to Castroville. The California Alien Land Law of 1913 was passed. It prohibited aliens ineligible for citizenship from owning agricultural land or possessing long-term leases over it. It affected the Chinese, Indian, Japanese, and Korean immigrant farmers in California.

The new law was meant to discourage immigration. It created an inhospitable environment among contractors working here in the Monterey Bay Area. Letters from the editorial section had cartoons of anti-Chinese sentiment. A small group of business owners proposed an economic boycott of all businesses that employed Chinese directly or indirectly. Castroville's farmers/landowners would not be intimidated. They would not be pressured to act un-American. The Chinese contractors made many contributions to the area, especially in the agriculture, railroad, and fishing industry. Without the Chinese contractors the agricultural industry would be in ruin. The Chinese contractors began to leave the Monterey Bay Area. Some moved to San Francisco's Chinatown."

First artichoke

It was the Spanish settlers who brought the artichoke to California. Some artichoke plants were in the gardens of European immigrants. California's first artichoke fields grew south of San Francisco, near the town of Half Moon Bay, in the early 1920s. In 1922, Andrew Molera planted the first artichoke shoots in Castroville. Angelo Del Chiaro, Egidio Maracci, Daniel Pieri, and Amerigo Del Chiaro subsequently leased 150 acre of land and grew artichokes.

In 1923, there were nine artichoke growers. Within four years, there were over 50 growers and 12000 acre of artichokes growing in Castroville and the Monterey Bay area. In 1924 Daniel Pieri, Amerigo Del Chiaro, Angelo Del Chiaro, Alfred Tottino, and James Bellone formed the California Artichoke and Vegetable Growers Corporation. In 1995, they renamed the company "Ocean Mist Farms". Giant Artichoke, a large statue of an artichoke, was erected near a restaurant of the same name in 1963. It is the largest artichoke statue in the world.

First Artichoke Queen
Castroville's first Artichoke Queen was Sally DeSante Hebert (1941–2004) crowned in 1961. She was born in Carmel and grew up in Castroville. She moved to Salinas, graduated from Salinas High School, and Hartnell College. She worked for Monterey County in the Planning Department, and was involved in the Junior League, Buena Vista Garden Club, American Cancer Society, and other civic-minded organizations.

Marilyn Monroe, Honorary Artichoke Queen
Stanley Seedman, owner of Carlyle's Jewelers in Salinas, California, made arrangements for a model named Doreen Nash to model for a big promotional sale in Salinas in February 1948. Doreen Nash was not able to attend; her replacement was Marilyn Monroe.

Monroe spent a week in the Monterey Bay area, visiting and promoting her career. She replaced Doreen Nash at Carlyle's Jewelry and signed autographs. Monroe was asked to draw the lucky ticket for a $250 diamond ring in the Vogue Theater. During her stay, Marilyn Monroe visited several men's civic clubs including the Kiwanis Club. During the Kiwanis Club meeting, representatives from CalChoke (the California Artichoke Association) presented her with a sash as "California Artichoke Queen". She posed with Edward Modena, Randy Barsotti, and Enrico Bellone, each holding artichokes.

The photographs of Marilyn wearing the sash and holding artichokes were used in advertisements and passed throughout the produce industry.

Local government
The Castroville Water District was founded in 1952 to replace private wells. The Castroville Community Service Area (providing storm sewer, sanitation sewers, street maintenance and recreational services) was created in 1962. The two entities merged in 2008. At the time of the merger, the Castroville CSA included North Monterey County High School and Moro Cojo, a subdivision in Prunedale which receives separate water service.

Geography
Castroville is located in northern Monterey County at coordinates 36°45′57″N 121°45′29″W. It is 8 mi northwest of Salinas, the Monterey county seat; 16 mi northeast of Monterey; and 28 mi southeast of Santa Cruz. Prunedale, along U.S. Route 101, is 5 mi to the east.

Elkhorn Slough National Estuarine Research Reserve, established in 1983, is 5 mi north of Castroville, while Moro Cojo Slough State Marine Reserve, established in 2007 is directly south of Elkhorn Slough, about 2 mi north of Castroville. Salinas River National Wildlife Refuge, established in 1974, is 4 mi southwest of Castroville, where the Salinas River empties into Monterey Bay.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the Castroville CDP has an area of 1.0 sqmi, all of it land. Tembladero Slough forms the southwest edge of the community.

Climate
Based on Köppen climate classification, Castroville has a cool-summer Mediterranean climate (Csb) and several microclimates, resulting in mild winters and cool summers. The warmest month is September with an average high of 63.1 F and an average low of 56.0 F. The coolest month is January with an average high of 58.6 F and an average low of 42.6 F.

There is no official wet season or dry season. Precipitation is dispersed throughout the year with most of it coming from various types of fog. One variation of is San Francisco fog (also known as advection fog) which mainly occurs along the Central Coast, from San Francisco to Santa Barbara.

2010
The 2010 United States Census reported that Castroville had a population of 6,481. The population density was 6,133.7 PD/sqmi.

The racial makeup of Castroville was 5,841 Hispanic or Latino of any race (90.1%), 2,807 (43.3%) White, 96 (1.5%) African American, 96 (1.5%) Native American, 169 (2.6%) Asian, 9 (0.1%) Pacific Islander, 2,955 (45.6%) from other races, and 349 (5.4%) from two or more races. The Census reported that 6,467 people (99.8% of the population) lived in households, 14 (0.2%) lived in non-institutionalized group quarters, and 0 (0%) were institutionalized.

There were 1,470 households, out of which 931 (63.3%) had children under the age of 18 living in them, 866 (58.9%) were opposite-sex married couples living together, 273 (18.6%) had a female householder with no husband present, 161 (11.0%) had a male householder with no wife present. There were 140 (9.5%) unmarried opposite-sex partnerships, and 11 (0.7%) same-sex married couples or partnerships. 124 households (8.4%) were made up of individuals, and 39 (2.7%) had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 4.40. There were 1,300 families (88.4% of all households); the average family size was 4.44.

The population was spread out, with 2,169 people (33.5%) under the age of 18, 888 people (13.7%) aged 18 to 24, 1,876 people (28.9%) aged 25 to 44, 1,132 people (17.5%) aged 45 to 64, and 416 people (6.4%) who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 26.7 years. For every 100 females, there were 105.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 105.2 males.

There were 1,539 housing units at an average density of 1,456.5 /mi2, of which 601 (40.9%) were owner-occupied, and 869 (59.1%) were occupied by renters. The homeowner vacancy rate was 2.4%; the rental vacancy rate was 2.0%. 2,626 people (40.5% of the population) lived in owner-occupied housing units and 3,841 people (59.3%) lived in rental housing units.

2000
As of the census of 2000, there were 6,724 people, 1,434 households, and 1,280 families residing in the CDP. The population density was 6,656.1 PD/sqmi. There were 1,462 housing units at an average density of 1,447.2 /mi2. The racial makeup of the CDP was 36.56% White, 1.06% Black or African American, 1.04% Native American, 3.26% Asian, 0.10% Pacific Islander, 53.15% from other races, and 4.83% from two or more races. 86.29% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 1,434 households, out of which 58.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 65.2% were married couples living together, 17.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 10.7% were non-families. 7.9% of all households were made up of individuals, and 4.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 4.69 and the average family size was 4.78.

In the CDP the population was spread out, with 37.1% under the age of 18, 13.2% from 18 to 24, 30.4% from 25 to 44, 13.7% from 45 to 64, and 5.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 25 years. For every 100 females, there were 106.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 109.9 males.

The median income for a household in the CDP was $38,594, and the median income for a family was $38,021. Males had a median income of $25,781 versus $23,409 for females. The per capita income for the CDP was $10,729. About 14.6% of families and 19.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 23.0% of those under age 18 and 5.4% of those age 65 or over.

Highway access
California Highways 1, 156, and 183 intersect in Castroville. Highway 156 connects to the 101. Highway 1 provides access from Monterey and Santa Cruz. Highway 183 connects Castroville to Salinas.

Merritt Street serves as Castroville's main street. Most of Castroville's commerce is located in the industrial park on Blackie Road. Many public roads, low-income housing projects, and other publicly owned facilities have been funded by the Castroville Redevelopment Agency that was established by then-Monterey County Supervisor Marc Del Piero in the mid-1980s.

Rail
A train station may be planned to be built in Castroville as part of the Salinas Commuter Rail Extension Project, which would extend Caltrain service southward from Gilroy to Salinas. In the long term, Amtrak's Capitol Corridor trains may be extended to Salinas as well.

Notable people

 * Jamie Iredell, writer

license: Creative Commons - Attribution Share-Alike - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/

title: Castroville, California


text:
Chualar, California

Chualar (Spanish for "Pigweed grove") is an unincorporated community and census-designated place (CDP) in the Salinas Valley of Monterey County, California, United States. Chualar is located 10 mi southeast of Salinas, at an elevation of 115 ft. The population was 1,185 at the 2020 census.

Geography
Chualar is located in northeastern Monterey County at 36.57056°N, -121.51861°W. U.S. Route 101 runs along the southwest side of the community, leading northwest to Salinas and southeast 16 mi to Soledad.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the CDP has a total area of 0.6 sqmi, all of it land.

In her Spanish and Indian Place Names of California (1914), Sanchez states that chualar was the indigenous word for an abundant and native goosefoot. This plant could possibly be Chenopodium californicum, the California goosefoot (also known as pigweed). In his 1500 California Place Names (1998), William Bright writes that the name is Spanish for "where the chual grows," chual being Mexican Spanish for pigweed or goosefoot, and derived ultimately from Nahuatl tzoalli.

History
The Chualar post office opened in 1871, closed in 1873, and re-opened in 1874.

At a railroad crossing about one mile south of town, a bus carrying Mexican migrant workers collided with a train in September 1963, killing 32 passengers and injuring 25. It was the most serious road accident in U.S. history, and helped spur the abolition of the bracero guest worker program. The portion of U.S. Route 101 where the accident occurred was named the "Bracero Memorial Highway" on the 50th anniversary of the accident in 2013. At that time two survivors of the crash were still alive.

On December 4, 2019, a levee near Chualar was partially breached at 2 pm. Highway 101 was shut down due to the broken levee. Children were stranded at the local school with a few teachers overnight. The levee break also caused a nursing home to be evacuated.

Chualar was once owned by the Johnson family. They ran cattle on their 15,000+ acre ranch.

2010
The 2010 United States Census reported that Chualar had a population of 1,190. The population density was 1,900.5 PD/sqmi. The racial makeup of Chualar was 337 (28.3%) White, 1 (0.1%) African American, 2 (0.2%) Native American, 11 (0.9%) Asian, 0 (0.0%) Pacific Islander, 827 (69.5%) from other races, and 12 (1.0%) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1,151 persons (96.7%).

The Census reported that 1,190 people (100% of the population) lived in households, 0 (0%) lived in non-institutionalized group quarters, and 0 (0%) were institutionalized.

There were 245 households, out of which 179 (73.1%) had children under the age of 18 living in them, 160 (65.3%) were opposite-sex married couples living together, 49 (20.0%) had a female householder with no husband present, 22 (9.0%) had a male householder with no wife present. There were 17 (6.9%) unmarried opposite-sex partnerships, and 4 (1.6%) same-sex married couples or partnerships. 9 households (3.7%) were made up of individuals, and 5 (2.0%) had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 4.86. There were 231 families (94.3% of all households); the average family size was 4.79.

The population was spread out, with 429 people (36.1%) under the age of 18, 137 people (11.5%) aged 18 to 24, 330 people (27.7%) aged 25 to 44, 235 people (19.7%) aged 45 to 64, and 59 people (5.0%) who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 26.6 years. For every 100 females, there were 103.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 95.1 males.

There were 251 housing units at an average density of 400.9 /sqmi, of which 112 (45.7%) were owner-occupied, and 133 (54.3%) were occupied by renters. The homeowner vacancy rate was 0%; the rental vacancy rate was 1.5%. 553 people (46.5% of the population) lived in owner-occupied housing units and 637 people (53.5%) lived in rental housing units.

2000
As of the census of 2000, there were 1,444 people, 279 households, and 261 families residing in the CDP. The population density was 2,392.9 PD/sqmi. There were 286 housing units at an average density of 473.9 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the CDP was 15.44% White, 0.42% Black or African American, 0.55% Native American, 3.19% Asian, 76.11% from other races, and 4.29% from two or more races. 93.56% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 279 households, out of which 71.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 77.4% were married couples living together, 11.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 6.1% were non-families. 3.9% of all households were made up of individuals, and 1.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 5.18 and the average family size was 5.22.

In the CDP the population was spread out, with 39.4% under the age of 18, 14.9% from 18 to 24, 30.2% from 25 to 44, 12.0% from 45 to 64, and 3.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 23 years. For every 100 females, there were 115.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 115.5 males.

The median income for a household in the CDP was $43,125, and the median income for a family was $40,000. Males had a median income of $20,667 versus $19,643 for females. The per capita income for the CDP was $10,096. About 12.4% of families and 15.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 18.9% of those under age 18 and 8.5% of those age 65 or over.

title: Chualar, California


text:
Del Rey Oaks, California

Del Rey Oaks (Del Rey, Spanish for "Of the King") is a city in Monterey County, California, United States. It is located just southeast of Seaside, at an elevation of 82 ft. The population was 1,592 at the 2020 census. Del Rey Oaks is a member of the Association of Monterey Bay Area Governments, a regional government agency.

History
The town was formerly known as Del Rey Woods.

Geography
Del Rey Oaks is located in northwestern Monterey County at 36.59333°N, -121.835°W. It is bordered to the north by the city of Seaside and to the west and south by Monterey. Downtown Monterey is 4 mi to the west. California State Route 218 (Canyon Del Rey Boulevard) is the main road through Del Rey Oaks, leading northwest to State Route 1 at Monterey State Beach and southeast to State Route 68 just outside the city limits. Salinas, the Monterey county seat, is 15 mi to the northeast of Del Rey Oaks via SR 68.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city of Del Rey Oaks has a total area of 1.1 sqmi, 99.81% of it land and 0.19% of it water.

Climate
The region experiences warm (but not hot) and dry summers, with no average monthly temperatures above 71.6 °F. According to the Köppen Climate Classification system, Del Rey Oaks has a warm-summer Mediterranean climate, abbreviated "Csb" on climate maps.

History
Prior to incorporation (on September 3, 1953 ) the town was called Del Rey Woods. The Del Rey Oaks post office opened in 1968.

2010
The 2010 United States Census reported that Del Rey Oaks had a population of 1,624. The population density was 3,362.3 PD/sqmi. The racial makeup of Del Rey Oaks was 1,326 (81.7%) White, 16 (1.0%) African American, 12 (0.7%) Native American, 128 (7.9%) Asian, 4 (0.2%) Pacific Islander, 52 (3.2%) from other races, and 86 (5.3%) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 169 people (10.4%).

The census reported that 1,624 people (100% of the population) lived in households, none lived in non-institutionalized group quarters, and none were institutionalized.

There were 701 households, 164 (23.4%) had children under the age of 18 living in them, 361 (51.5%) were opposite-sex married couples living together, 57 (8.1%) had a female householder with no husband present, 25 (3.6%) had a male householder with no wife present. There were 28 (4.0%) unmarried opposite-sex partnerships, and 9 (1.3%) same-sex married couples or partnerships. 209 households (29.8%) were one person and 90 (12.8%) had someone living alone who was 65 or older. The average household size was 2.32. There were 443 families (63.2% of households); the average family size was 2.86.

The age distribution was 284 people (17.5%) under the age of 18, 92 people (5.7%) aged 18 to 24, 412 people (25.4%) aged 25 to 44, 528 people (32.5%) aged 45 to 64, and 308 people (19.0%) who were 65 or older. The median age was 46.2 years. For every 100 females, there were 91.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 86.6 males.

There were 741 housing units at an average density of 1,534.1 per square mile, of the occupied units 517 (73.8%) were owner-occupied and 184 (26.2%) were rented. The homeowner vacancy rate was 1.9%; the rental vacancy rate was 2.6%. 1,171 people (72.1% of the population) lived in owner-occupied housing units and 453 people (27.9%) lived in rental housing units.

2000
At the 2000 census, there were 1,650 people in 704 households, including 449 families, in the city. The population density was 3,378.8 PD/sqmi. There were 727 housing units at an average density of 1,488.7 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the city was 86.36% White, 1.58% Black or African American, 0.85% Native American, 5.15% Asian, 2.55% from other races, and 3.52% from two or more races. 6.61% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

Of the 704 households 24.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 52.7% were married couples living together, 8.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 36.1% were non-families. 27.1% of households were one person and 9.4% were one person aged 65 or older. The average household size was 2.34 and the average family size was 2.86.

The age distribution was 19.2% under the age of 18, 5.7% from 18 to 24, 27.3% from 25 to 44, 31.9% from 45 to 64, and 15.9% 65 or older. The median age was 44 years. For every 100 females, there were 90.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 85.5 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $59,423, and the median family income was $70,119. Males had a median income of $48,977 versus $35,500 for females. The per capita income for the city was $30,035. About 2.9% of families and 5.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 7.4% of those under age 18 and 1.9% of those age 65 or over.

Parks
Del Rey Oaks houses the Frog Pond Wetland Preserve, a 17 acre wetland area popular with birders.

Media
Television service for the community comes from the Monterey-Salinas-Santa Cruz designated market area (DMA). Radio stations Monterey-Salinas-Santa Cruz area of dominant influence (ADI) or continuous measurement market (CMM). Locale newspapers include the Monterey County Herald.

title: Del Rey Oaks, California


text:
Elkhorn, California

Elkhorn is an unincorporated community and census-designated place (CDP) in Monterey County, California, United States.

Elkhorn was originally a stop on the Southern Pacific Railroad 4 mi north of Castroville, at an elevation of 10 ft. The settled part of the community now occupies the hills to the east of the railroad. The population of the Elkhorn CDP was 1,588 at the 2020 census. Local understandings of the extent of Elkhorn may vary from the Census definition.

Elkhorn was named after the elk in the area that have since gone extinct.

Geography
Elkhorn is in northern Monterey County, 14 mi northwest of Salinas, the county seat; 7 mi south of Watsonville; and 22 mi northeast of Monterey. The community receives mail within the ZIP Code areas of 95012 (Castroville) and 93907 (Prunedale / Salinas). Elkhorn Slough, the largest tidal salt marsh in the area outside of San Francisco Bay, borders the northwest side of the community. The Elkhorn Slough National Estuarine Research Reserve promotes education about and preservation of the salt marsh environs.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the Elkhorn CDP has a total area of 4.8 sqmi, of which 0.02 sqmi, or 0.46%, are water.

Streets
Main county roads include Castroville Boulevard, Dolan Road, Elkhorn Road, and Meridian Road. Castroville Boulevard leads southwest to Highway 156 and east to the Prunedale area and U.S. Route 101. Dolan Road leads west to Highway 1. Minor county roads include Del Monte Farms, Bayview Road, Walker Valley Road, Long Valley Road, Amaral Road, Paradise Canyon Road.

2010
At the 2010 census Elkhorn had a population of 1,565. The population density was 324.0 PD/sqmi. The racial makeup of Elkhorn was 1,122 (71.7%) White, 9 (0.6%) African American, 7 (0.4%) Native American, 63 (4.0%) Asian, 3 (0.2%) Pacific Islander, 286 (18.3%) from other races, and 75 (4.8%) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 588 people (37.6%).

The whole population lived in households, no one lived in non-institutionalized group quarters and no one was institutionalized.

There were 532 households, 183 (34.4%) had children under the age of 18 living in them, 329 (61.8%) were opposite-sex married couples living together, 58 (10.9%) had a female householder with no husband present, 27 (5.1%) had a male householder with no wife present. There were 33 (6.2%) unmarried opposite-sex partnerships, and 2 (0.4%) same-sex married couples or partnerships. 95 households (17.9%) were one person and 29 (5.5%) had someone living alone who was 65 or older. The average household size was 2.94. There were 414 families (77.8% of households); the average family size was 3.21.

The age distribution was 364 people (23.3%) under the age of 18, 149 people (9.5%) aged 18 to 24, 349 people (22.3%) aged 25 to 44, 519 people (33.2%) aged 45 to 64, and 184 people (11.8%) who were 65 or older. The median age was 41.5 years. For every 100 females, there were 97.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 97.5 males.

There were 565 housing units at an average density of 117.0 per square mile, of the occupied units 380 (71.4%) were owner-occupied and 152 (28.6%) were rented. The homeowner vacancy rate was 1.3%; the rental vacancy rate was 0.6%. 1,098 people (70.2% of the population) lived in owner-occupied housing units and 467 people (29.8%) lived in rental housing units.

2000
At the 2000 census there were 1,591 people, 523 households, and 411 families in the CDP. The population density was 327.4 PD/sqmi. There were 542 housing units at an average density of 111.5 /sqmi. Most residents live in detached single family homes with land, individual and shared water wells and leach fields. The racial makeup of the CDP was 72.16% White, 1.01% Black or African American, 0.63% Native American, 3.83% Asian, 0.13% Pacific Islander, 18.29% from other races, and 3.96% from two or more races. 27.91% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. Of the 523 households 35.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 65.8% were married couples living together, 8.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 21.4% were non-families. 14.1% of households were one person and 3.3% were one person aged 65 or older. The average household size was 3.04 and the average family size was 3.34.

The age distribution was 25.7% under the age of 18, 7.6% from 18 to 24, 29.0% from 25 to 44, 28.5% from 45 to 64, and 9.2% 65 or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females, there were 103.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 104.5 males.

The median household income was $70,370 and the median family income was $71,296. Males had a median income of $40,662 versus $36,274 for females. The per capita income for the CDP was $24,999. About 4.5% of families and 9.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 5.7% of those under age 18 and 15.2% of those age 65 or over.

Economy
Agricultural is a major part of Elkhorn's small economy. Strawberries and artichokes are key crops. Most Elkhorn residents work in the surrounding areas of Castroville, Prunedale, and Moss Landing, and in the nearby larger towns of Watsonville, Salinas, and Monterey. Elkhorn shares zip codes with nearby Castroville and Prunedale. Elkhorn has limited business and retail services. The only retail service in Elkhorn is the Elkhorn Superette which is located on the west side of Elkhorn Road, just north of Bayview Road. The nearest business and retail center is located about three miles (5 km) away in Castroville. However, many Elkhorn residents travel about 20 minutes to the nearby cities for greater retail and service needs such as department stores, movie theaters, and health services which are not located in Castroville.

Government
As an unincorporated area, Elkhorn is administered by the Monterey County Board of Supervisors. Elkhorn is part of District 2, whose current supervisor is Louis R. Calcagno. The Board is responsible for providing all local public services. Elkhorn is located in the Coastal Zone and all new development is subject to approval by the California Coastal Commission.

Education
Elkhorn Elementary School is the only school located in Elkhorn, and it serves the surrounding K-6 student population. Elkhorn Elementary is the polling site for Elkhorn voters. Middle school students in grades 7 and 8 currently attend North Monterey County Middle School and high school students in grades 9-12 attend North Monterey County High School, both located in Castroville. All local public schools are part of the North Monterey County Unified School District.

title: Elkhorn, California


text:
Gonzales, California

Gonzales is a city in Monterey County, California, United States. Gonzales is located 16 mi southeast of Salinas, at an elevation of 135 ft. The population was 8,647 at the 2020 census, up from 8,187 at the 2010 census. Gonzales is a member of the Association of Monterey Bay Area Governments. Gonzales won the Culture of Health Prize from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation in 2019.

History
Gonzales was founded by Dr. Mariano Gonzalez and his brother Alfredo Gonzales on land that was originally Rancho Rincon de la Puente del Monte. The rancho was given to their father, Teodoro Gonzalez, in 1836 while he was serving as alcalde of Monterey.

The brothers laid out the 50-block town on approximately 15000 acre in 1874 in a grid of northeast to southwest and northwest to southeast streets. In 1872, they granted a 100 ft right-of-way through town to Southern Pacific Railroad, which subsequently built a depot for freight and passengers. The dominant commerce at the time was grain raising and cattle ranching. The Gonzalez brothers are also credited with constructing one of the first irrigation systems in the Salinas Valley. They built a dam and head gate on the nearby Salinas River and miles of canals throughout the area.

In the early 1900s, Gonzales became a predominantly Swiss dairy community when John B. Meyenberg brought his original milk processing procedures to the region. His Alpine Milk Company, later known as the Meyenberg Milk Products Company, opened its first plant in Gonzales in 1906. At one time, there were 7,000 cows within five miles of town being milked.

Prior to being nicknamed the "Wine Capital of Monterey County", Gonzales was known as "The Heart of the Salad Bowl" (due to its central location in the agricultural valley). Before that it was nicknamed "Little Switzerland" (due to the similarities of the valley landscape to Switzerland as well as the predominantly Swiss community at the time).

Dairy farming gave way to orchards and row crops in the 1920s and prospered due to the rich soil and advancements in irrigation, machinery and transportation facilities. These improvements to agriculture technology turned the Salinas Valley into the nation's premier agricultural center. Today, there is only one dairy farm left near town.

The first school house was built in 1874. The first church, the Gonzales Baptist Church, was built in 1884 and still holds weekly worship services today.

St. Theodore Catholic Church, named for Teodoro Gonzales, was built in 1883.

The town was officially incorporated January 10, 1947.

Geography
Gonzales is located in northern Monterey County at 36.50667°N, -121.44444°W, in the Salinas Valley. U.S. Route 101 passes through the northeast side of the city, with access from three exits. US 101 leads northwest 17 mi to Salinas, the county seat, and southeast 8 mi to Soledad.

According to the United States Census Bureau, Gonzales has a total area of 1.95 sqmi, of which 0.04 sqmi, or 1.95%, are water.

2010
At the 2010 census Gonzales had a population of 8,187. The population density was 4,178.5 PD/sqmi. The racial makeup of Gonzales was 3,464 (42.3%) White, 81 (1.0%) African American, 124 (1.5%) Native American, 190 (2.3%) Asian, 14 (0.2%) Pacific Islander, 3,958 (48.3%) from other races, 356 (4.3%) from two or more races and 7,276 (88.9%) Hispanic or Latino of any race.

The census reported that 8,181 people (99.9% of the population) lived in households, 6 (0.1%) lived in non-institutionalized group quarters, and no one was institutionalized.

There were 1,906 households, 1,252 (65.7%) had children under the age of 18 living in them, 1,256 (65.9%) were opposite-sex married couples living together, 309 (16.2%) had a female householder with no husband present, 139 (7.3%) had a male householder with no wife present. There were 120 (6.3%) unmarried opposite-sex partnerships, and 11 (0.6%) same-sex married couples or partnerships. 155 households (8.1%) were one person and 66 (3.5%) had someone living alone who was 65 or older. The average household size was 4.29. There were 1,704 families (89.4% of households); the average family size was 4.45.

The age distribution was 2,856 people (34.9%) under the age of 18, 957 people (11.7%) aged 18 to 24, 2,355 people (28.8%) aged 25 to 44, 1,529 people (18.7%) aged 45 to 64, and 490 people (6.0%) who were 65 or older. The median age was 27.0 years. For every 100 females, there were 104.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 104.4 males.

There were 1,989 housing units at an average density of 1,015.2 per square mile, of the occupied units 1,019 (53.5%) were owner-occupied and 887 (46.5%) were rented. The homeowner vacancy rate was 2.7%; the rental vacancy rate was 2.1%. 4,186 people (51.1% of the population) lived in owner-occupied housing units and 3,995 people (48.8%) lived in rental housing units.

2000
At the 2000 census there were 7,525 people in 1,695 households, including 1,501 families, in the city. The population density was 5,429.4 PD/sqmi. There were 1,724 housing units at an average density of 1,243.9 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the city was 34.78% White, 0.80% Black or African American, 1.41% Native American, 2.05% Asian, 0.17% Pacific Islander, 55.99% from other races, and 4.81% from two or more races. 86.03% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. Of the 1,695 households 61.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 68.0% were married couples living together, 14.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 11.4% were non-families. 9.3% of households were one person and 4.0% were one person aged 65 or older. The average household size was 4.42 and the average family size was 4.61.

The age distribution was 37.8% under the age of 18, 13.1% from 18 to 24, 30.7% from 25 to 44, 12.7% from 45 to 64, and 5.7% 65 or older. The median age was 24 years. For every 100 females, there were 108.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 109.3 males.

The median household income was $41,582 and the median family income was $41,773. Males had a median income of $31,743 versus $27,115 for females. The per capita income for the city was $12,438. About 15.0% of families and 20.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 26.6% of those under age 18 and 11.5% of those age 65 or over.

Media
Local radio stations include KHIP-FM - 104.3 and KKMC-AM - 880. Television service for the community comes from the Monterey-Salinas-Santa Cruz designated market area (DMA). Local newspapers include the Salinas Californian, the Monterey County Herald and the Gonzales Tribune, first published in 1890, and at one time the paper with the largest circulation in Monterey County.

Wine-growing area
Gonzales is an important wine cultivation area. Wineries located in Gonzales include Constellation Brands, Robert Talbott, Pisoni Vineyards, Boekenoogen Winery, McIntyre Vineyards, Mer Soleil, and Salinas Valley Vineyards.

Academics, courses, graduation requirements
Gonzales High School offers a variety of courses, including several ROP/CTE fine arts, agriculture, and tech classes. GHS also has several dual-enrollment and honors programs for language arts, mathematics, social sciences, and laboratory sciences. All courses offered to students are CSU/UC approved.

Water tower
The white golf ball-shaped tank of the water tower at Gonzales is supported by three tubular green legs and reaches about 125 ft high.

Climate
This region experiences dry summers with very hot days and cool nights, and moderately humid winter with mild to cool days and freezing nights. There is no average monthly temperatures above 71.6 °F. According to the Köppen Climate Classification system, Gonzales has a hot-summer mediterranean climate, abbreviated "Csa" on climate maps. Summer daytime temperatures average around 35 C, but nights are cool to cold year-round.

Largest employers
According to the City of Gonzales, the largest employers in the city are:

Notable people

 * John Blume, the "Father of Earthquake Engineering"; born in Gonzales
 * Honoré Escolle, French businessman; purchased a 1400 acre ranch two miles southwest of Gonzales

Schools
Gonzales Unified School District:
 * La Gloria Elementary (K-5)
 * Fairview Middle School (6-8)
 * Gonzales High School (9-12)
 * Somavia Continuation School

title: Gonzales, California


text:
Greenfield, California

Greenfield is a city in Monterey County, California, United States. Formerly Clarke Colony, it lies in the Salinas Valley, 33 mi southeast of Salinas, at an elevation of 289 ft. As of the 2020 census, the population was 18,937, up from 16,330 in the 2010 census. Its most well-known public event is the annual Harvest Festival. Greenfield is a member of the Association of Monterey Bay Area Governments.

History
In 1902, the California Home Extension Association, founded by John S. Clark, purchased 4000 acre of land that had been part of Rancho Arroyo Seco, a Mexican land grant deeded to Joaquín de la Torre in 1840. The land was put up for sale at a public drawing in Los Angeles in 1905. Buyers could purchase an acre with water rights for about $37.50. A purchase of 2.5 acre came with an added benefit — a lot in town.

In addition to the acreage, Clark got the water rights to the land. He formed the Clark Colony Water Company, which became the organization for water distribution and filled the city with water from the nearby Arroyo Seco. The organized water canal system and ideal growing conditions attracted people of Danish, Swiss and other nationalities from surrounding areas to settle in this new colony. Originally, the town was going to be named "Clark City", but that was nixed by the U.S. Postal Service which informed the city there were too many "Clark Cities" in the state. Instead, the community named the town after one of its early founders and president of the Association, Edward Greenfield.

In the 1930, wells were dug to supplement water being drawn from the river, which created a year-round water supply.

The Clark Colony Water Company still holds 1916 Prior Rights guaranteeing delivery to its members a certain amount of water from the Arroyo Seco before any other agencies. The early canals are still viable and visible throughout the original land acreage.

Greenfield was recognized as a municipality by the state legislature and incorporated on January 7, 1947. Greenfield's first mayor was Tom Rogers. Greenfield’s first directly elected mayor and first Hispanic/ Latino mayor was Elias de Leon, Jr. in 1986.

Geography and climate

The city of Greenfield is located in the heart of the Salinas Valley, between the Gabilan Range to the east and the Santa Lucia Range to the west. Greenfield is approximately 145 mi by highway south of San Francisco, 95 mi south of San Jose and 65 mi north of Paso Robles. U.S. Route 101 passes through the city, with access from four exits.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 2.95 sqmi, of which 0.04 sqmi, or 1.29%, are water.

Due to its location near California's Central Coast, the area is filled with rich soil and desirable climate, ideal for many agricultural and wine companies. Some of the vineyards and wineries located nearby are Chalone, Scheid Vineyards, Paraiso Vineyards, Pisoni Vineyards, Hahn Estates Smith & Hook, San Saba, J.Lohr, Kendall-Jackson, Ventana, Hess Select, Estancia, the Michaud Vineyard, and Graff Family Vineyard.

The climate for Greenfield is moderate with average temperatures around 40 F in winter and about 80 F in summer. High temperatures may reach the low 90s °F (32-33 °C) during mid-summer. Most rain falls between October and March; there are 14-20 inches (35.6 – 51 cm) of rain annually.

2010
At the 2010 census Greenfield had a population of 16,330. The population density was 7,647.9 PD/sqmi. The racial makeup of Greenfield was 5,976 (36.6%) White, 183 (1.1%) African American, 878 (5.4%) Native American, 179 (1.1%) Asian, 13 (0.1%) Pacific Islander, 8,453 (51.8%) from other races, and 648 (4.0%) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 14,917 persons (91.3%).

The census reported that 16,301 people (99.8% of the population) lived in households, 29 (0.2%) lived in non-institutionalized group quarters, and no one was institutionalized.

There were 3,460 households, 2,358 (68.2%) had children under the age of 18 living in them, 2,273 (65.7%) were opposite-sex married couples living together, 526 (15.2%) had a female householder with no husband present, 301 (8.7%) had a male householder with no wife present. There were 251 (7.3%) unmarried opposite-sex partnerships, and 22 (0.6%) same-sex married couples or partnerships. 282 households (8.2%) were one person and 115 (3.3%) had someone living alone who was 65 or older. The average household size was 4.71. There were 3,100 families (89.6% of households); the average family size was 4.72.

The age distribution was 5,843 people (35.8%) under the age of 18, 2,159 people (13.2%) aged 18 to 24, 5,023 people (30.8%) aged 25 to 44, 2,530 people (15.5%) aged 45 to 64, and 775 people (4.7%) who were 65 or older. The median age was 25.5 years. For every 100 females, there were 109.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 110.9 males.

There were 3,752 housing units at an average density of 1,757.2 per square mile, of the occupied units 1,829 (52.9%) were owner-occupied and 1,631 (47.1%) were rented. The homeowner vacancy rate was 3.4%; the rental vacancy rate was 5.9%. 7,874 people (48.2% of the population) lived in owner-occupied housing units and 8,427 people (51.6%) lived in rental housing units.

2006
Greenfield is the second most populous city in the Salinas Valley and the fifth most populous city in Monterey County. In 2006, Greenfield was the fourth fastest growing city in California growing 15.6%, from 13,270 in 2005, to 15,335 in 2006. As of the 2007 California Department of Finance estimate, there were 16,629 people in 2,643 households, including 2,360 families, in the city. The population density was 9,781.76 PD/sqmi. There were 2,726 housing units at an average density of 1,606.5 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the city was 39.65% White, 1.18% Black or African American, 1.19% Native American, 0.77% Asian, 0.15% Pacific Islander, 51.95% from other races, and 5.11% from two or more races. 87.86% of the population are Hispanic or Latino of any race.

Of the 2,643 households 65.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 70.5% were married couples living together, 13.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 10.7% were non-families. 7.8% of households were one person and 3.7% were one person aged 65 or older. The average household size was 4.75 and the average family size was 4.83. The age distribution was 38.3% under the age of 18, 13.4% from 18 to 24, 30.7% from 25 to 44, 12.5% from 45 to 64, and 5.0% 65 or older. The median age was 24 years. For every 100 females, there were 108.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 112.5 males.

The median household income was $37,602 and the median family income was $35,520. Males had a median income of $25,759 versus $23,848 for females. The per capita income for the city was $9,226. About 17.1% of families and 21.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 26.2% of those under age 18 and 11.8% of those age 65 or over.

Immigration
In recent years, the town has seen an influx of immigrants from the Mexican state of Oaxaca. Many Oaxacans speak indigenous languages not related to English or Spanish. Probably the largest single bloc of such immigrants are speakers of the Copala Triqui language, who have fled from poverty and long-standing armed conflict in their native region.

Media
Local radio stations include K-DON FM - 102.5. Television service for the community comes from the Monterey-Salinas-Santa Cruz designated market area (DMA). Locale newspapers include the South County Index, Greenfield News, and Monterey County Herald.

Economy

The city of Greenfield is centered in one of the most productive agricultural areas in the world. About 60 percent of the leaf lettuce grown in the United States is grown in the Salinas Valley. The area has often been coined as the "Salad Bowl of the World." More than $3 billion (US) worth of fruits, vegetables and nuts are produced and shipped annually across the U.S. and abroad. (2018 crop report). As a result, many major vegetable producers are headquartered in the nearby city of Salinas. Local tourism is increasing as more people are attracted to the area, which is also known as the center of "Steinbeck Country" because of famed author John Steinbeck. The area is also known as a premier wine grape growing region due to the rich soil and desirable climate. Vineyards, wineries and wine tasting rooms continue to expand throughout the region.

Education
The Greenfield Union School District(GUSD) has four elementary schools and one middle school. The district serves around 2,500 students grades K-8. The city does have a high school but does not belong to GUSD. Greenfield High School (GHS) belongs to South Monterrey County Joint Union High School District (SMCJUHSD). Greenfield High School serves around 974 students. On February 27, 2008, Greenfield Elementary was placed under no help due to the school's achievement in raising their Standardized Testing and Reporting (STAR) Results under the No Child Left Behind Act for the past five years by Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger and Superintendent of Public Instruction Jack O'Connell.

 * Cesar Chavez Elementary
 * Mary Chapa Academy
 * Oak Avenue Elementary
 * Vista Verde Middle School
 * Arroyo Seco Academy
 * Greenfield High School (SMCJUHSD)

Arts and culture
Greenfield holds an annual harvest festival each third Sunday of October.

A northern campus for the Yanks Air Museum of Chino, California is under construction in Greenfield on a 440 acre plot known as the Hanson Ranch, which was purchased in 1994 by museum founders Charles and Judith Nichols. In World War II the Hanson Ranch was the site of the Hanson Auxiliary Field. The new airstrip will use the original location and will see World War II aircraft landing there some 75 years later. This planned project will include a museum facility and the 4250 ft runway that will support both museum flight operations as well as serve the private aviation needs of both museum visitors and local aviators. The new museum facility is not intended to replace the existing facility in Chino, but to greatly expand the opportunities.

Greenfield is constructing the Tom Rogers Community Museum. Named after the first mayor of Greenfield, it will showcase the history of the city as far back as 1905. First Night Monterey with the Arts Council of Monterey County has opened, in conjunction with the City of Greenfield, the Greenfield Cultural Arts Center located at 215 El Camino Real.

Sister cities

 * King City, California
 * Soledad, California
 * Gonzales, California
 * Chualar, California
 * Chupicuaro, GTO, MX

title: Greenfield, California


text:
King City, California

King City (variants: Kings City, City of King) is a city in Monterey County, California, United States. It is located on the Salinas River 51 mi southeast of Salinas, at an elevation of 335 ft. It lies along U.S. Route 101 in the Salinas Valley of California's Central Coast. King City is a member of the Association of Monterey Bay Area Governments. The population was 13,332 at the 2020 census, up from 12,874 in 2010.

History
The first European land exploration of Alta California, Don Gaspar de Portolá's Spanish expedition, camped on the Salinas River just south of today's King City on September 26, 1769, having followed the route of today's Jolon Road from the south. The land they camped on would later become part of King City.

The Dutton Hotel, Stagecoach Station, was located on Jolon Road in King City. What remains are ruins of an adobe inn that was established in 1849. The Dutton Hotel was a major stagecoach stop on El Camino Real in the late 1880s. The landmark was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on October 14, 1971.

King City was originally known as "Kings City" for its founder, Charles King. In 1884 Charles King acquired 13000 acres of the Mexican land grant Rancho San Lorenzo, originally given to Mariano and Feliciano Soberanes in the early 1840s during Mexican rule of California. King began growing 6000 acre of wheat. In an effort to get his crop to market, King allowed the Southern Pacific Railroad to lay tracks across King Ranch land. The terminus was a station known as King's.

In 1886, the Southern Pacific Railroad completed service to King City station to serve the farms and ranches in the south Salinas Valley and to transport the goods to San Francisco and Los Angeles.

It was originally called "Hog Town" due to the passel of semi-wild hogs roaming the stubble fields. King wanted to name the town "Vanderhurst", after local merchant William Vanderhurst, but was outvoted and it was named for him. The city became known as Kings', then the City of King, and later simply King City.

The King City post office first opened in 1887. Edwards S. Brown, brother-in-law of C.H. King was appointed Postmaster. King City incorporated under the name "City of King" in 1911.

J. Ernst Steinbeck, father of the novelist John Steinbeck, claimed to have been the first permanent resident of King City. Steinbeck was certainly among the first settlers. He was the first agent for the Southern Pacific Milling Company, which built an early warehouse and flour mill alongside the railroad tracks running through town. The mill was built by R. M. Shackelford, an early California settler and businessman who owned sheep pasturage next to that of Charles King.

Agriculture has always played a role in King City history. Between 1910 and 1930, the city became famous for growing pink beans. King City Pinks were sold around the country, helped along by additional demand during World War I.

The Robert Stanton Auditorium, built in 1939 as a WPA Depression project, is an example of Art Moderne style, with elliptical rounded corners, Doric-style columns, an expansive curved stairway leading to recessed oak and glass double doors, and a bas-relief triptych by artist Jo Mora, above doors that depict notable multi-cultural scenes of historic importance. Mora's art is incorporated into the building's design both inside and out. In 1991, it was listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Geography
King City is in southeastern Monterey County in the Salinas Valley at an elevation of 330 ft above sea level. It lies between Greenfield 13 mi to the northwest and San Lucas 9 mi to the southeast, all of them along U.S. Route 101. The amount of land area in King City is 3.8 sqmi, of which 0.1 sqmi, or 3.36%, are mapped as water. The Salinas River flows on the west side of the city; due to its sandy bed, portions of the river sometimes flow underground, especially during the summer months.

Climate
King City has a semi-arid climate (BSk), although bordering on a Mediterranean climate (Csb), with very warm, mostly dry summers and cool, wet winters. The average January temperatures are a maximum of 64.1 °F and a minimum of 34.9 °F. The average July temperatures are a maximum of 86.9 °F and a minimum of 51.0 °F. There are an average of 50.6 days with highs of 90 °F or higher and an average of 49.7 days with lows of 32 °F or lower. The record high temperature was 116 °F on September 6, 2022. The record low temperature was 14 °F on December 22–23, 1990.

Average annual precipitation is 11.24 in. There are an average of 40 days with measurable precipitation. The driest year was 1953 with 3.14 in. The most precipitation in one month was 10.50 in in February 1998. The most precipitation in 24 hours was 3.72 in on January 18, 1914. Although snow often falls in the winter in the Santa Lucia mountains west of the city, it is quite rare in the Salinas Valley; however, 5.3 in fell in January 1957 and 3.0 in fell in December 1954. The low humidity in the area contributes to freezing temperatures at night, and intense temperatures during daylight.

Transportation
King City is served by Amtrak Thruway, as the passenger train that passes through the community does not stop. In 2018, King City was denied a $21 million TIRCP grant to build a multimodal transportation center which would provide connections to Amtrak between Paso Robles and Salinas. City officials have said they will apply again in the future. A small $1.5 million grant was approved by the state government the following year, providing funds to design the Amtrak platform.

2010
At the 2010 census King City had a population of 12,874. The population density was 3,231.8 PD/sqmi. The racial makeup of King City was 6,173 (47.9%) White, 150 (1.2%) African American, 347 (2.7%) Native American, 172 (1.3%) Asian, 8 (0.1%), Pacific Islander, 5,451 (42.3%) from other races, and 573 (4.5%) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 11,266 persons (87.5%).

The census reported that 12,815 people (99.5% of the population) lived in households, no one lived in non-institutionalized group quarters and 59 (0.5%) were institutionalized.

There were 3,008 households, 1,852 (61.6%) had children under the age of 18 living in them, 1,823 (60.6%) were opposite-sex married couples living together, 386 (12.8%) had a female householder with no husband present, 272 (9.0%) had a male householder with no wife present. There were 188 (6.3%) unmarried opposite-sex partnerships, and 21 (0.7%) same-sex married couples or partnerships. 412 households (13.7%) were one person and 186 (6.2%) had someone living alone who was 65 or older. The average household size was 4.26. There were 2,481 families (82.5% of households); the average family size was 4.47.

The age distribution was 4,374 people (34.0%) under the age of 18, 1,819 people (14.1%) aged 18 to 24, 3,937 people (30.6%) aged 25 to 44, 1,984 people (15.4%) aged 45 to 64, and 760 people (5.9%) who were 65 or older. The median age was 25.9 years. For every 100 females, there were 115.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 119.3 males.

There were 3,218 housing units at an average density of 807.8 per square mile, of the occupied units 1,394 (46.3%) were owner-occupied and 1,614 (53.7%) were rented. The homeowner vacancy rate was 3.2%; the rental vacancy rate was 3.4%. 5,586 people (43.4% of the population) lived in owner-occupied housing units and 7,229 people (56.2%) lived in rental housing units.

2000
At the 2000 census there were 11,094 people in 2,736 households, including 2,251 families, in the city. The population density was 3,030.0 PD/sqmi. There were 2,822 housing units at an average density of 770.8 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the city was 42.09% White, 0.59% Black or African American, 1.05% Native American, 1.23% Asian, 0.14% Pacific Islander, 50.46% from other races, and 4.46% from two or more races. 80.42% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. Of the 2,736 households 54.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 62.2% were married couples living together, 12.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 17.7% were non-families. 13.5% of households were one person and 6.0% were one person aged 65 or older. The average household size was 4.03 and the average family size was 4.28.

The age distribution was 35.7% under the age of 18, 13.7% from 18 to 24, 31.2% from 25 to 44, 13.3% from 45 to 64, and 6.2% 65 or older. The median age was 25 years. For every 100 females, there were 115.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 119.6 males.

The median annual income for a household in the city was $34,398 and the median annual income for a family was $33,750. Males had a median annual income of $27,377 versus $25,286 for females. The per capita annual income for the city was $11,685. About 16.9% of families and 20.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 23.5% of those under age 18 and 17.1% of those age 65 or over.

Radio and television
Local radio stations include KEXA-FM – 93.9, KRKC-AM – 1490, 102 KRKC-FM, and KDON-FM 102.5. Television service for the community comes from the Monterey–Salinas–Santa Cruz designated market area (DMA).

Newspapers
Local newspapers include the Gannett-owned Salinas Californian and the town's own weekly, The King City Rustler.

The Rustler was founded in 1901 by Fred Vivian, who reportedly went into a local barber shop, sold subscriptions to all the customers and then passed around a hat for them to suggest names for the newspaper. "The Rustler" was the one he drew out.

Vivian was later succeeded as publisher by his grandson Harry Casey, who was called home to King City in 1952 to take over management of the newspaper by his aunt Ruth Steglich after the death of her husband, then-publisher Bill Steglich. He served as co-publisher until Ruth Steglich's death and publisher until declining health forced him to sell The Rustler and three other regional weeklies to News Media, Inc. in 1995.

Casey, whose sons Rich and Bill still operate Casey Printing in King City, died in 1998. Both he and Vivian are members of the California Newspaper Hall of Fame.

In popular culture
The town features prominently in the song "Queen of King City", on the Red Meat album We Never Close.

King City is mentioned repeatedly in John Steinbeck's novel East of Eden. The book is principally set in the surrounding Salinas Valley.

King City is revealed to be the home town of The Man in the Tan Jacket in the novel Welcome to Night Vale, and the town is a major part of the plot.

The 1972 film The Candidate was shot in King City.

Notable people

 * Eldon Dedini, cartoonist
 * Jim Mankins (1944-2004), King City High School running back who played for Oklahoma and Florida State
 * George Taylor Morris (1947–2009), radio host

title: King City, California