Chapter 18: Hawaii - Transportation

Chapter 18 is about the Hawaiian region, which Monterey County is not a part of. The chapter does discuss the region's transportation, so I am going to mention some modes of transportation in Monterey County.

In terms of everyday commuting, most Monterey County residents drive (alone or carpooling) to work.

Bixby Bridge on State Highway 1

Monterey County Highways
Includes 7: US Route 101, State Route 1, State Route 68, State Route 146, State Route 156, State Route 183, and State Route 198.

Monterey-Salinas Transit Bus

Monterey County Public Transportation
Trains: Amtrak
Buses: Greyhound Lines
Local Buses: Monterey-Salinas Transit

Marina Municipal Airport

Monterey County Airports
Monterey Peninsula Airport
Marina Municipal Airport
Salinas Municipal Airport

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Chapter 16: North Pacific Coast - American Indians

Chapter 16 is about the North Pacific Coast region, which Monterey County is not a part of. The chapter does have a section about human occupation and talks about American Indians as settlers of the region. I already spoke about Indian occupation when the Europeans discovered Monterey County in the 1600s, so now I am going to talk about the Indian settlement in Monterey County before that.

Tribes: Ohlone, Esselen, and Salinan were the major Indian groups in Monterey County.
When: Settled between 12,000-2,000 B.C.

Map of Where in Monterey County Early Indians Lived

Location: Lived in provinces or territories defined by natural topographies like rivers and mountains.
Diet: Acorn mush. (Acorns were leached of tannic acids, ground, and then cooked with hot stones in a water proof basket.) Salmon was also a favorite food and was found in most streams back then.
Clothing: Very little clothing (according to the first European accounts). 
Trade: Things like obsidians (used for arrowheads and seashells, which in turn were used for art and currency).

Carefully Painted Esselen Handprints

As in the North Pacific Coast, Indians began dying out when Europeans arrived. Like I mentioned in my chapter 3 blog post, Indians were mistreated in the Missions. They were rounded up and forced to serve in the Missions, they were not allowed to speak their native languages and practice their own customs, and the males and females had to live in separate quarters.

Also like in the North Pacific Coast, few Indian tribes remain in Monterey County. The Esselens' privately owned 1200 acres is the only large Indian land owned today.

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Chapter 15: California - Earthquakes

Chapter 15 is about the California region, which Monterey County is a part of. I am going to talk about the earthquake section of the chapter.

Sign on Bridge in Parkfield

Monterey County is on top of active geologic fault lines. The most active one is the San Andreas fault line. It runs through Parkfield, which is called the "Earthquake Capital of the world." Scientists monitor Parkfield and gather data about earthquakes. The ground there moves at a rate of 2.33 inches per year.

 M6.0 Parkfield Earthquake on 9/28/04

The largest earthquake within 100 miles of Monterey County was a 6.9 Magnitude in 1989. And although San Francisco is over 125 miles north, the 1906 San Francisco earthquake "permanently shifted the course of the Salinas River near its mouth. Where previously the river emptied into Monterey Bay between Moss Landing and Watsonville, it was diverted 6 miles south to a new outlet just north of Marina."

Map of Monterey County Faultlines

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Chapter 14: Southwest Border - Ethnic Diversity

Chapter 14 is about the Southwest Border region, which Monterey County is not a part of. Like the Southwest Border, Monterey County has an ethnic diversity, so I am going to give some statistics and talk a bit about Monterey County's demographics.

Monterey Population Compared to California & US Population

White = 230,717 or 55.6%
African American =12,785 or 3.1%
Native American = 5,464 or 1.3%
Asian = 25,258 or 6.1% (2.8% Filipino, 0.7% Korean, 0.6% Chinese, 0.6% Japanese, 0.4% Vietnamese, 0.4% Indian)
Pacific Islander = 2,071 or 0.5%
Other races= 117,405 or 28.3%
2 or more races = 21,357 or 5.1%
Hispanic or Latino of any race = 230,003 or 55.4% (50.2% Mexican, 0.8% Salvadoran, 0.5% Puerto Rican)

Comparison of Racial Socio-Economic Standing

Like in the Southwest Border, there are large cultural and economic gaps between the white population and the racial minority populations. As seen in the chart above, whites, as a group, have stronger socio-economic standing than other groups. Latinos are in the lowest socio-economic position, and Asians and African Americans are somewhere in the middle.

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Chapter 13: Empty Interior - National/State Parks

Chapter 13 is about the Empty region, which Monterey County is not a part of. However, like the Empty Interior, Monterey County has a lot of national and state parks.

Point Lobos State Reserve

My favorite park is Point Lobos State Reserve. I like that it represents the best coastal features of Monterey. It consists of 750 acres of underwater wonders (like coves) and 550 acres of protected land full of trails and views (like headlands and rolling meadows). Wildlife includes seals, sea lions, sea otters, dolphins, migrating gray whales, and seabirds.

Harbor Seals at Point Lobos State Reserve

Scuba Diver Films Jellyfish at Point Lobos State Reserve

Monterey County National Parks: 1A Los Padres National Forest ; 2A Pinnacles National Monument ; 3A Salinas River National Refuge ; 4A Arroyo Seco Recreation Area

National Parks Map

Monterey County State Parks: A Andrew Molera State Park ; B Asilomar State Beach ; C Carmel River State Beach ; C Carmel River Lagoon & Wetlands ; D Fremont Peak State Park ; E Garrapata State Park ; F Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park ; G Limkiln State Park ; H Marina State Beach / Fort Ord Dunes State Park ; I Monterey State Beach ; J Moss Landing State Beach ; K Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park ; L Point Lobos State Reserve ; M Point Sur ; N Houghton Roberts State Beach ; O Salinas River State Beach ; P Seaside State Beach

State Parks Map

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Chapter 12: Great Plains & Prairies - Grasslands Literature

Chapter 12 is about the Great Plains and Prairies region, which Monterey County is not a part of. The chapter does talk about grasslands literature and The Grapes of Wrath, which relates to Monterey County.

John Steinbeck

John Steinbeck is the Nobel Prize winning author of The Grapes of Wrath and was born and raised in Salinas, which is in Monterey County. His writing often revolves around characters/issues of the Salinas Valley and many of his most famous novels like Mice and Men, East of Eden, Tortilla Flat, and Cannery Row take place there and at Monterey. When I was in Salinas, I saw the National Steinbeck Center, which is a museum about John Steinbeck. The museum has the largest number of Steinbeck archives, as well as many exhibitions about him, his work, and his beliefs. The exhibitions are divided into three sections: literature, agriculture, and art & culture.

 Museum in Salinas, CA

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Chapter 11: Agricultural Core - Produce Statistics

Chapter 11 is about the Agricultural Core region, which Monterey County is not a part of. However, the following are some agricultural produce statistics about Monterey County.

Monterey County Produce

• Number of acres that produce crops: 176,992 acres in current production. In fact, for every 1 acre of buildings and pavement, there are 4 acres of strawberries, lettuce, grapes, or other crops.
• Number of crops grown: Farmers grow more than 150 crops.
• Top 10 crops produced: Strawberries, Leaf Lettuce, Head Lettuce, Broccoli, Nursery stock, Celery, Grapes, Spring Mix, Misc. Vegetables, and Spinach.
• Total crop values: The 2010 Monterey County Crop Report calculated $4,033,718,000. Strawberries were the top crop at $751.1 million, leaf lettuce was second at $724.6 million, and head lettuce was third at $511.9 million.
• Number of pounds exported from Salinas Valley: 562,853,022 pounds of fruits and vegetables are exported to other countries.
• Largest international trading partners: Canada, Taiwan, Mexico, and Japan.
• Number of jobs: 2 in 5 households receive an agriculture-related income, which equals about 45,000 jobs.

Picked Strawberries

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Chapter 10: Southern Coastlands - Pacific Coastline

Chapter 10 is about the Southern Coastlands region, which Monterey County is not a part of. Because of the location of the region, I am going to talk a bit about the coastline of Monterey County.

Monterey County has 99 miles of Pacific Coastline, which is more than any other California County and part of what makes Monterey County one of the most breathtaking places in the country. Monterey Bay is 19 miles of coastline across at its entrance and about 300-350 feet deep on average. To preserve the coastline, there are laws to protect it. For example, the Pacific Grove coastline is protected as a marine garden fish refuge, and Point Lobos and Carmel Bay are protected as ecological reserves that have strict regulations about fishing or the taking of marine life.

Pacific Coastline from Highway 1

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Chapter 9: Changing South - Poverty

Chapter 9 is about the Changing South, which Monterey County is not a part of. The chapter does talk about persistent poverty being a problem for the South, however, so I am going to talk a bit about Monterey County's poverty.

Food Line at Food Bank

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, in 2009 the percentage of persons living below poverty in Monterey County was 17.2%, which was higher than the California poverty level of 14.2%. Childhood poverty also rose from 17% to 27%, meaning more than 1 of 4 children are living in poverty (in California and the rest of the country it's 1 in 5). The increase in poverty is due to the current recession and lack of jobs. Employment is actually decreasing and that means there has been "an increase in the number of people served by social services: families who need CalWorks, the state welfare program, and CalFresh, the state food and nutrition program."

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Chapter 8: Appalachia - Regional Programs

Chapter 8 is about the Appalachia region, which Monterey County is not a part of. The chapter does talk about regional development programs of that region, so I am going to talk a little about some regional programs of Monterey County.

The Monterey County Department of Public Works has several programs designed to "promote the economic vitality and enhance the quality of life for the people of Monterey County by providing for safe and efficient, high quality, environmentally sensitive public road and bridge systems, environmental systems, public facilities, and public services." Examples of these programs include the following divisions:

Tynan Village in Salinas (Built as Part of Affordable Housing)

• Redevelopment and Housing: handles redevelopment projects and affordable housing programs.
• Human Resources: provides employment opportunities.
• Facilities Divisions: maintains safe and efficient operation of County buildings and grounds.
• Architectural Services: handles new facilities and major renovations.
• Road and Bridge Design, Construction, Maintenance: deals with the designing, construction management, operation, and maintenance of public roads and bridges. 
• Transportation Planning: issues various transportation permits for the road system.

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Chapter 7: Bypassed East - Fishing

Chapter 7 is about the Bypassed East region, which Monterey County is not a part of. The chapter does talk about fishing being an important part of that region's economy and since it is also an important part of Monterey County's economy, I am going to talk a bit about that.

Moss Landing (One Fishing Port)

The commercial fishing industry gives large revenues and important services to Seaside, Sand City, Monterey, Moss Landing, and the surrounding Monterey County areas. Moss Landing has about 300 commercial fishing boats (more during specific seasons) and Monterey has about 130 commercial fishing boats. The fishing boats catch a lot of fish like Salmon, Sablefish, Swordfish, Squid, Sardines, Granadiers, Anchovies, Mackerel, and different rock fish. Processing plants are located in Monterey, Salinas, Seaside, and Watsonville.

Squid Catch

Still, like in the Bypassed East, there has been a decline in catch, which has made many Monterey County fishermen seek additional sources of income.

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Chapter 5: Manufacturing Core - Economics

Chapter 5 is about the Manufacturing Core region, which Monterey County is not a part of. The chapter does talk about the economics of that region, so I am going to talk about the economics of Monterey County.

Agriculture and tourism make up most of the Monterey County economy. The agriculture sector is worth $2.8 billion and the tourism sector is worth $1.76 billion (the farm, food manufacturing, and leisure/hospitality industries make up almost 40% of all jobs in Monterey County). The wine industry, commercial fishing, and movie production sectors also make up the economy.

Monterey County Golf Course (A Popular Tourist Attraction)

• agriculture: More than $2.81 billion products grown. Vegetable crops are largest component, accounting for $2.1 billion or 75%. Farming accounts for 21% of jobs. Food processing accounts for 54% of manufacturing jobs.
• tourism: Direct travel and tourism spending amounting to $1.76 billion. Travel spending, employment, payroll, and Transient Occupancy Tax (TOT) collections are the four indicators for measuring the impact of the hospitality industry. 
• wine industry: $384 million in direct sales and employs 1,100 full time and 641 part time/seasonal workers.
• commercial fishing: Worth $17-25 million annually in Moss Landing and employs over 300 people full time and 800 part time/seasonally.
• movie production: Contributes $2.5 million during an average year of filming on location.

Monterey County Winery

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Chapter 4: Megalopolis - Urbanization

Chapter 4 is about the Megalopolis region, which Monterey County is not a part of. The chapter does talk about the urbanization of that region, so I am going to talk a bit about the recent urbanization rate of Monterey County.

Urbanization has slowed in Monterey County compared to the late 1990s. Most farmland categories saw increases (mostly due to vineyards and row crops).

That said, agricultural land will face development pressure as the population increases. After all, the California Department of Finance predicts that the county’s population will increase from about 408,700 in 2000 to more than 590,000 by 2020. Plus, more than 1,000 acres have already been set aside for future non-agricultural use.

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Chapter 3: Human Activity - Settlement

BRIEF SETTLEMENT HISTORY
Monterey County was founded in 1850, the same year California was, making it one of California's original colonies.

Mission San Carlos de Borromeo

The county's name comes from Monterey Bay, which was discovered and named by Spanish merchant Sebastian Vizcaino in 1602, when he was searching for a port along the California coast. The Portola expedition of June 3, 1770 took possession of Monterey and dedicated the Presidio de Monterey and the Mission San Carlos de Borromeo. In fact, 4 of the 21 California Missions were located in Old Monterey County. Indians were taught skills in the Missions by priests, though more often than not they were also mistreated. Many of the traded goods needed for commerce in early California were made in Missions as well. The Spanish rule ended in April 1822 as the Mission military and priests pledged allegiance to Mexico. In 1836, during the Mexican rule, Monterey became the capital of California.

Monterey County During Mexican Rule

The Mexican rule became weak quickly because of turmoil, political rivalries, and landowner squabbles. Still, a few American merchants and traders were able to thrive in the Mexican economy. In 1845, President James Polk assigned Thomas Oliver Larkin to bring peaceful annexation in order to stop British control of California. In March 1846, John Charles Fremont headed a party that took position in Salinas Valley. In July 1846, Commodore John D. Sloat went to Monterey Bay and took possession of the capital of California, declaring that "henceforward California will be a portion of the United States."

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Chapter 2: Physical Environment - Elevation & Climate

ELEVATION
The elevation of Monterey County ranges from 0 to 5,844 feet above sea level. Junipero Serra Peak is the highest point and is located 12 miles inland in the Big Sur area.

Junipero Serra Peak

CLIMATE
Monterey County has a Mediterranean type climate with cool summers and moderate winters. There is a lot of fog in the summer, while the spring and fall have clearer days.

Average Annual Temperature: 57 degrees F
Average Summer High: 68 degrees F
Average Winter Low: 61 degrees F

The ocean temperature along the shore averages 55 degrees in the colder summer and 58 degrees in the warmer fall and winter.

Average Annual Rainfall: 17 inches (mostly between November and April)

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Chapter 1: Regions - Area & Population

Monterey County is a county in the California region that is about 125 miles south of San Francisco and 345 miles north of Los Angeles. It goes along the Pacific Coast and an average of 30 miles inland from the coast.

AREA
Total = 3,771.07 square miles
Land = 3,321.95 square miles (or 88.09%)
Water = 449.12 square miles (or 11.91%)

POPULATION
Total = 415,057
Density = 110.1/square mile

Cities/Towns of Monterey County

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