Most of these historical sites are located not far from the marina and
bay area. Many of these sites have to do with the government's influence in Monterey.
Monterey used to be the capital of Alta California. An excellent history
resource regarding Monterey is:
www.montereyhistory.org
Colton Hall is located on Pacific Street. This is where the first
constitution of California was written way back in 1849. If you visit
this site today you will see a museum which contains exhibits about the
history of Monterey. The old jail next door is well worth a peak. It is
very very small and if you have a flash on your camera, provides a good
picture of the tight and cramped quarters. This jail was built in 1854.
Allow at least 30 minutes for Colton Hall and the jail. Open daily from
10am to noon and then again from 1 to 5pm. Admission is FREE. PHONE
NUMBER 646-5640.
The Monterey State Historic Park is well worth a visit. It is
located at 20 Custom House Plaza and contains 7 acres which display the
history of old town Monterey. One interesting note is that this park
lies not very far from where Sebastian Vizcaino and Junipero Serra
landed. Guided walking tours are available. The tours are offered at
10:15am, 12:30pm, and 2:30pm. The park is open daily from 10 to 5. I
have been told its best to call ahead using PHONE NUMBER 649-7118
because the hours are subject to change without notice.
Some of the more interesting sites in the Monterey State Historic Park
are the following. The Custom House is a must see just because of its
historical significance. It is the oldest government building in the
state of California. Part of this building was constructed in 1827. In
1846 the American Flag was first raised over this building and as a
result many acres of land became part of the United States.
The Stevenson House is located at 530 Houston Street. This home gets its
name because Robert Louis Stevenson lived here in 1879 and wrote several
books. This house can only be seen on the inside through the guided
tours which are offered Tuesday through Sunday at 1, 2, 3, and 4pm.
The Pacific House is located at Calle Principal and Scott Street. It was
built in 1847 and is now a museum of Indian artifacts and California
history. PHONE NUMBER 649-7118.
Website:
www.parks.ca.gov/default.asp?page_id=575
The Maritime Museum is located at 5 Custom House Plaza. It
contains many many artifacts of the sea. There are navigational
instruments, ship models, photos, and charts of the ocean. For the
sailor in you, this is a great place to be. A short film is presented
every 20 minutes or so. This place is also good for doing research as
they have over 4000 volumes. Admission is $5. For more information call
PHONE NUMBER 373-2469.
www.montereyhistory.org/maritime_museum.htm
