Monterey Self-Guided Walking Path of History - Monterey History Fest and Archives Crawl 2018 - Part One Lower Presidio Historic Park to Colton Hall
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Sloat Monument Lower Presidio Historic Park
Heritage Harbor Parking Garage overlooking Monterey Bay and Seabourn Cruise Line
On with my tour. I started early and parked in Heritage Harbor Parking Garage. I got there before anyone was able to hand out time tickets so on the honor system. From the upper level of the parking garage I spy Seabourn Cruises anchored in Monterey Bay.
Many of the wooden structures you find here on the Lower Presidio Hill were constructed between 1902 and 1906 by the 15th Infantry under Army Captain E. H. Plummer. The Presidio Museum of Monterey was originally sheathed in corrugated iron and stored the post's munitions.
In 1967 the U.S. Army renovated the building
to serve as a museum until 1992 when it was closed. Five years later the City of Monterey
signed an agreement with the U.S. Army to lease 26 acres of the lower Presidio for 50 years, with the understanding that the City of Monterey would develop this site into a historic park. You may read the Master Plan if you want to learn more about this future park. The first step
in this renovation was the reopening of this building as a museum.
It was never known who did this, but six months later, the head was discovered floating in a tide pool at Breakwater Cove. The estimate to repair and reattach Father Serra's head was $8,000. Most of the money ($7,500) was raised and donated by the Native Sons of the Golden West. The head was reattached in February 2017.
About one hundred yards southeast of the Sloat Monument is a large boulder called the Rain Rock Monument. It is a reminder that for thousands of years before the first Europeans arrived in Monterey, generations of native peoples called this their home.
One of those was the Rumsien people who settled on this hill. The Spanish explorers called them the Costenos or Coastal People. This rock monument is indented with 43 holes. There have been different theories on what these holes represent. Some believe that the rock was associated with rituals to influence the weather, thus the name Rain Rock.
After exploring the park, I return via Artillery Street and the walking path to Van Buren to visit Mayo Hayes O’Donnell Library.
Leaving the garage I am headed to my first stop The Lower Presidio Historic Park - right on Scott Street, right on Van Buren, at the end of the street enter a 1 block walking path to Artillery Street. Take a left here and right on Corporal Ewing Road and enter the park.
Munition building with original corrugated iron siding
Inside the museum you will find exhibits from the indigenous period
through the Spanish, Mexican, and American periods as well as the various
stages of military development that existed on this land.
Outside there are a number of places to view with their new interpretive panels! See the map above and/or call the cell phone number listed to get more information at each of the locations.
Bouchard Monument (right) Serra Monument (left)
I have had the pleasure over the years to be lead on this hike by Dennis Copeland (Museums, Cultural Arts & Archives Manager, City of Monterey) and various docents and historians from the Defense Language Institute Foreign Language Center. I was at this site pretty early Saturday so the museum was not open. I did however walk the new ADA path to the majority of the sites I have described below. Many of the following pictures are from past tours (Monterey History Fest 2014 - 2018).
First up is the Serra Monument. Leland and Jane Stanford commissioned John Combs to create this monument in 1891. This commemorates the landing by boat of Saint Junipero Serra in Monterey. Serra came ashore just below this park. It was here that he joined Gaspar de Portola - Father Serra had come by sea, and Portola by land. On Sunday June 3, 1770 the two celebrated Mass of Thanksgiving under the branches of an oak tree and formally took possession of the port of Monetary as well as all of Alta California for Spain. 168 years earlier, Sebastian Vizciano had celebrated Mass at the very same spot when his expedition had first claimed the land for Spain in 1602. In 1776 (the same year as the signing of the Declaration of Independence), Spain named Monterey the capital of Baja and Alta California.
In October 2015, a few weeks after Father Serra was declared a Saint in the Roman Catholic Church, Monterey police found Father Serra decapitated in the Lower Presidio Historic Park.
Near the Serra Monument is the site of Hipólito de Bouchard’s attack on November
20, 1818. Bouchard was a French born privateer commander for the new republic of Argentina. He made it his goal to inspire provinces to rebel against the tyranny of Spain, and declare their independence. In command of a multi-national force of Argentine, Peruvian, English, Irish, and Hawaiian sailors Bouchard entered Monterey Bay with two ships flying the flag of Argentina.
After failing to convince the Spanish governor, Don Pablo Vicente de Sola to renounce Spanish rule and join the revolution, Bouchard burned the Presidio of Monterey,
wrecked the battery at El Castillo, and after six days of occupation sailed
away. It was the first and only land to
sea battle on the Pacific Coast that would later become the United States of America. Argentina placed this monument here in celebration of Bouchard's 200th birthday in 1980.
Pathway that leads up to Sloat Monument
Though the flag of Spain was once again flying over El Castillo, it would not be long before a new flag would fly in Monterey. In 1821, Mexico gained its independence from Spain and in November of 1822, the first California legislature, with de Sola still acting as governor, met in Monterey under Mexican rule. The Mexican period lasted from 1822 to 1846.
In 1846, war broke out between the United States and Mexico. Commodore John Drake Sloat arrived with his U.S. Pacific Squadron on July 7th of that year and seized Monterey (and all of California) for the United States. You can read all about Sloat's amphibious assault on Monterey at my blog post here.
The Sloat Monument used to be a bit of a hike up the hill behind the museum. Now there is a walkway that is wheelchair accessible. The monument base was begun in 1896 through the efforts of Major E. A. Sherman. The total cost of the monument of $10,000 was provided by the federal government. Sculptor Melvin Cummings sculpted the relief portrait and Arthur Putnam the eagle.
The original sculpture Putnam had planned for the top of the monument was Sloat pointing to the American flag raised at the Custom House, but this was destroyed in his San Francisco studio during the 1906 earthquake. Short of time and money, an eagle from the artist's surviving statuary was selected to represent Sloat. Above is a picture of the original sculpture by Putnam.
Dennis Copeland leading a tour of the Lower Presidio Hill - History Fest 2016
About one hundred yards southeast of the Sloat Monument is a large boulder called the Rain Rock Monument. It is a reminder that for thousands of years before the first Europeans arrived in Monterey, generations of native peoples called this their home.
Our last site to visit is the location of Fort Mervine. This was the first American fort built on the
Pacific Coast by the US Army after the US took control of California at
Monterey. It was located above what had
earlier been the Spanish and Mexican fort, El Castillo.
It was named after Captain William Mervine, who was the man who directed the raising of the first American flag over Monterey in 1846. Construction began in 1846 under the direction of engineer Lt. Henry Halleck and the supervision of Lt. Edward O. C. Ord. The fort was completed in 1847. A contemporary drawing depicting Fort Mervine as it would have been in 1847 is shown below.
Mr. Cameron Binkley Deputy Command Historian Defense Language Institute
The Mayo Hayes O’Donnell Library (155 Van Buren Street) was originally home to the first Protestant church in Monterey.
Built in 1876, St. James Episcopal Church was located at 330 Pacific Street.
By the mid-1950s the congregation had outgrown their building and with no room
for expansion, they moved to property at 381 High Street. The little church on Pacific subsequently became
home to other businesses and church denominations. In 1969 an urban renewal redevelopment project in Monterey requested the building
be destroyed.
The City of Monterey offered it to any group that would preserve it, and the Monterey History and Art Association stepped up and purchased the property for $1 and moved it to a space on the Doud property. The Mayo Hayes O’Donnell collection that Monterey History and Art had been storing at Casa Serrano was moved into this little church. This non-lending library is only open a few hours four days a week, but they have some research that can be accessed online here.
The City of Monterey offered it to any group that would preserve it, and the Monterey History and Art Association stepped up and purchased the property for $1 and moved it to a space on the Doud property. The Mayo Hayes O’Donnell collection that Monterey History and Art had been storing at Casa Serrano was moved into this little church. This non-lending library is only open a few hours four days a week, but they have some research that can be accessed online here.
I am a big fan of the 100 Story Project directed by M. D. Baer for Museum of Monterey, so I am going to let Faye Messinger give a bit more background on Mayo Hayes O'Donnell Library.
According to information from the Online Archives of California
(Francis DoudPapers C058832) Francis Doud, a veteran of the Mexican War (1846 – 1848),
arrived in California in July of 1849.
He served as an orderly and messenger during the California State Constitutional
Convention in Monterey that same year.
He and his wife Ann Kenna settled permanently in Monterey the 1850s, and began building a wooden house in the late 1860s. The house has been recognized as a historic structure since 1917. It was acquired by Monterey History & Art Association in 1969 and is currently leased to private tenants.
Though the sign out front states that Manuel Perry was a whaling captain, there was no evidence at the Monterey History Library to back this up.
What I did find however was that Boston carpenter and cabinet maker Manuel Perry and his wife Mary De Mello Silva Perry came to Monterey in 1860. In the late 1870’s they built Perry House, originally a Colonial style with steep pointed roof, as shown in the black and white picture above.
Perry House c. 1897
Directly across the street from Doud House is Perry House (201 Van Buren Street).
Though the sign out front states that Manuel Perry was a whaling captain, there was no evidence at the Monterey History Library to back this up.
Perry House 2018
In 1906 a kitchen was added to the rear of
the home. In 1910 the house was raised
up and a new ground floor level and foundation inserted underneath.
Plumbing, porches, and five bay windows were added at this time making the home a great example of a Queen Anne Victorian.
The house fell into disrepair during the 1930s and 40s and in 1964 it was purchased from the estate of Emma Perry by Monterey Redevelopment Agency. This agency, into urban renewal, was tearing down many of Monterey’s older buildings and replacing with apartments. Perry House was marked for demolition.
Enter historic preservationist Maggie Downer who had restored six old landmarks in Massachusetts, Virginia, Washington D.C., San Francisco, and Carmel. She presented these credentials to the Monterey Redevelopment Agency and they approved of her vision for restoration and sold the property to Maggie and her husband Webster.
"Captain's Room" main level Perry House 2018
The Downer's spent two years renovating the property. The garage was remodeled back into a carriage house with Maggie adding a stained glass ceiling she found in San Jose.
In the late 1990’s the Downer’s sold this to the Monterey History & Art Association who used the property to display their Historic Costume Collection. By 2010 the Perry House was again in need of restoration. It was sold to Events by Classic Group who renovated the home and turned the entire property into the awesome special events venue it is today.
Perry House "Harbor View Lounge" and deck on 2nd floor - 2018
From Perry House, walk down Scott Street toward the water, pass the Heritage Harbor Parking Garage to California's First Theatre corner of Scott and Pacific.
California's First Theatre (Library of Congress)
The building that today is the home of the first
paid public dramatic entertainment in California, was built between 1846 -1847 by
Jack Swan, a sailor of Scottish decent.
Swan arrived in Monterey in 1843 as a crew member on the Soledad, a Mexican ship that traded
between Mexico and Alta California. Swan
liked the city but could not find work and was forced to take a job as a cook on
the Mexican ship California.
California's First Theatre 1934 (Library of Congress)
In 1844 Swan, back in Monterey, decides to open a shop baking pies. With money from this endeavor, he purchased the land on the southwest corner of Pacific and Scott. In 1846 he used lumber salvaged from a shipwreck to build his home and an attached tavern. The place was known as “The House that Jack Built.” He added the adobe lodging house around 1847.
That same year, the First New York Volunteer Regiment, under the command of Colonel Jonathan Drake Stevenson was assigned to Monterey. With the Mexican American War basically over the soldiers knew that they would soon be discharged and dreamed up the idea of making money by entertaining the people of Monterey. They approached Swan and convinced him to build a small stage on his property to put on these theatrical performances. They charged and exorbitant $5 per person.
It is not known exactly what the first play performed in Swan’s theater was, but eventually melodramas became the prevailing work of the theater. 1849 brought gold fever to Monterey and Swan as well as the actors left for the hills. For the next 35 years Swan leased his building. It served as a whaling station, drug dispensary, and at one time a tea room. In 1885 Swan, penniless, was back in the house that he built in Monterey. He died in 1896 and the house sat abandoned until 1906 when the Hearst Foundation purchased the property and donated it to the State of California.
Inside California's First Theatre - 2018
By 1920, the house had been completely restored and was opened to the public as a museum. In 1937 the property was leased to Carmel impresario duo, Denny-Watrous Management. That same year, Denny and Watrous brought in the Troupers of the Gold Coast who staged the first melodramas in the theater since the 1850s.
Hazel Watrous at bar (First California Theatre c. 1950)
The Troupers of the Gold Coast performed these melodramas for over 60 years with their last show on New Year’s Eve 2000. In 2013, Spectra Co. of Pomona stabilized the structures main fireplace and currently stabilization of the walls is being done. The hope is that this building will someday be safe to occupy once again. Besides peeking in the windows, the gardens are the only area open to the public.
First Theatre Garden (Solandra maxima - Cup of Gold Vine)
At the end of the block at the corner of Del Monte Avenue is Casa Soberanes (336 Pacific Street), also known as "The House with the Blue Gate". This was built by Rafael Estrada, a Custom House official, during Mexican rule in 1842.
In 1922 the home was sold to Reuban and Jean Serranos who renovated and restored the property to how it is seen today.
Built c. 1830, this two story adobe features a second floor balcony with colonial style pillars. There were added around 1850 and makes this architecturally
significant as one of the only examples of Greek Revival adobe
building from the Mexican period.
In 1852 the then
owner defaulted on the mortgage, Juana Castro Merritt (1820-1889), daughter
of Monterey’s alcadle, Simeon Castro, purchased the property. Juana was married to Josiah Merritt, the
first county judge of Monterey County. Josiah
served as a judge from 1851-1854.
Arthur Murray Studios School of Dance Advertisement - Game and Gossip November 1950
The
building was documented by the Historic American Buildings Survey in 1936 and listed
on the National Register of Historic Places in 1977. Having been used for various businesses, a dance studio, and professional offices over the years, it became a hotel in 1979 and is currently the Merritt House Inn hotel
complex.
In 1845 he married Rita de la Torre and began expanding the house he had purchased from Larkin for their growing family. In 1846, Serrano became the headmaster of the first American school in California and taught students in one of the adobe’s parlors.
After the death of Florencio and Rita, one of their six children, son Rafael brought his family up in Casa Serrano. In 1933 Rafael leased the house to the Cademartori family who turned it into Cademartori's, an Italian restaurant.
Town Gossips - oil on canvas 1920 - by E. Chariton Fortune (main room Casa Serrano)
Sculpture and etching by Jo Mora
During my tour of Casa Serrano, I must have caught them off guard, no one could answer any of my questions regarding the paintings and furniture.
Bonafacio Adobe by Evelyn McCormick
Anita Doud descendant of Francis Doud - painting by Linford Donovan
During the History Fest two archives were set up for viewing at Casa Serrano. Monterey County Free Libraries brought some sweet pictures of 1st graders at Castroville Grammar School from 1925. Reminded me of what my parents would have looked like at that time.
The second archive collection was from the CSUMB Library Archives. They brought a special collection documenting the United Farm Workers Movement from the 1960s and 1970s.
Interesting choice of materials and political cartoon displayed. On with the tour.... On Pacific Street right next to Casa Serrano there are stairs that lead to a parking area and Pierce Parking and Pierce Street. Turn left on Pierce to Lara-Sota Adobe (460 Pierce), currently part of Middlebury Institute if International Studies at Monterey.
I found sources stating the adobe was first built in the 1830s and 1840s, so the jury is still out on that one. But legal records on this lot, shows that the first deed granted for this property was to Dona Feliciana Lara on September 18, 1849. It would be one of the few lots granted directly to a woman in Monterey.
Felicidad Soto and Manuel Soto 1890s (picture on wall in Lara-Soto Adobe)
Manuel Soto and his wife Felicidad occupied the house from the 1860s to 1890s. It is possible, due to the similarity in names, that Feliciana Lara and Felicidad Soto were the same woman. I can't say for sure, but we do know that the property was registered to Dona Lara until 1905.
Lara-Soto Adobe 1890 (picture on wall in Lara-Soto Adobe)
Occupancy of the property is a bit sketchy. Dona Lara remained on title until 1905, but for years the house was occupied by squatters Antonio and Romana Dutra. In 1919 the property was sold to Josephine Blanch, an artist and curator of the Del Monte Hotel Art Gallery. Blanch restored the home and used it as her residence.
Lara-Soto Adobe - undated photo Library of Congress
In October of 1944, Blanch sold the home to John Steinbeck and his second wife Gwyn. It was a property that Steinbeck had been enamored with since his youth and he was pleased to move in with his young family. The Steinbeck's lived in the house for one year, during which time he wrote The Pearl and his novel Cannery Row was published.
The next owner was Dr. Harry Lusignan who converted the two rooms of the small house into a waiting room, examining room, and office for his physicians practice.
Mrs. C. Mark Thomas purchased the Adobe in 1976 and deeded it to the Monterey Institute of International Studies a fully accredited graduate school offering comprehensive multidisciplinary programs designed to prepare students for careers in the international sector. The Lara-Soto Adobe serves as the Admissions Office for this school.
Fort Ord Basic Training Year Books and Sweet Heart Pillow Case Covers
The Art & History Commission out of Seaside set up an archive filled with newspapers and clippings that illustrated Seaside's cultural diversity. Seaside grew as a city alongside Fort Ord and it became a welcome place for the soldiers of all ethnicities. In the 1990s, Seaside was 53% Black, Latino and Asian. In 2000 that percentage had increased to 64%.
Continue down Pierce half of a block to the corner of Jefferson and Pierce to Casa de la Torre (502 Pierce Street). This adobe was built c. 1851 or 1852 by the original holder of the land grant, Francisco Pinto, on land assessed at $7.50 in 1850.
Originally the home consisted of three rooms off an entrance hall, wooden lean to sheds were added to the back of the home later. In 1923 Katherine Osbourne (Robert Louis Stevenson's daughter-in-law) purchased the home, selling it a year later to local artist Myron A. Oliver. Oliver added the large arched window for his artist studio. This can be seen in the picture above. Other notable owners of this adobe were Mr. and Mrs. John Boit Morse and Mr. and Mrs. Will Shaw. Currently the property is privately owned. The following video, which shows the interior, was made the last time this home changed hands.
In the 1830s Guadalupe Cantua de Vasquez bought the single
story adobe from Luis Pacencia. In 1835,
Guadalupe gave birth to Tiburcio Vasquez
who would go on to be a California bandit from 1854 to 1874. Tiburcio is said to have learned the criminal
trade from friend Anastacio Garcia. As
the story goes, Tiburcio and Garcia attended a fandango where a fight broke out
between Garcia and an American seaman.
In an attempt to break up the fight, Monterey lawman, William Hardmount
was killed. Garcia and Tiburcio escaped
the scene, but Garcia was caught within the year and placed in the Monterey
Jail. Tiburcio managed to spend the next
20 years as a wanted man $6,000 dead or $8,000 alive. Today Vasquez Adobe is the property of the City of Monterey and houses city offices not open to the public.
After California achieved statehood in 1850, Monterey became the county seat and it was necessary to have a jail next to the county courthouse at Colton Hall.
The Old Monterey Jail was constructed out of solid granite in 1854. Each of the cells had a very narrow window that was covered with perforated iron plates which provided the bare minimum of light and air into the cell.
In 1935 the Old Jail was modernized with the addition of a heating and ventilation system. The last jail entry made July 31, 1959. The following year it was opened to the public as part of the Colton Hall Museum.
The following video made by the County of Monterey gives a little more background on this historic structure and pictures of the inside.
For interactive maps and guided walking tours covering many of our tours please be sure to download the GPSmyCity App from the iTunes store. Or visit this site.
- Black and white photo of Presidio Museum with original iron siding taken from a photo on the wall inside the Presidio Museum.
- Advertisement for Arthur Murray in Merritt House - Game and Gossip November 1950 - Harrison Memorial Library Local History Room.
- Casa Serrano 1936 Cademartori's Restaurant (Library of Congress).
- Lara-Soto Adobe - undated photo (Library of Congress).
- Casa Alvarado 1912 (Library of Congress).
- Gordon House - undated (Library of Congress).
- Online Archive of California - Guide to the First Theatre
- Historic Landmarks of Monterey 1917
- Art in the Adobe Programs
- Historic Landmarks of Monterey 1917
- Art in the Adobe Programs
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