175 YEARS The County of Monterey A BRIEF LOOK AT OUR HISTORY California’s Second County 175 YEARS Chartered 1850 MONTEREY County of
As Chair of the County of Monterey Board of Supervisors, I join you in celebrating 175 years of this extraordinary county we call home. This milestone is more than a reflection of time passed; it’s a testament to the incredible spirit of resilience, diversity and unity that has shaped our communities for generations. Our story is built on the contributions of all who have lived and worked here—from the Native peoples, the first stewards of this land, to the pioneers and visionaries who have cultivated its growth. In every field of the Salinas Valley, every fishing boat on Monterey Bay and every street in our towns, we see the dedication and pride of generations who made Monterey County what it is today. What sets us apart—what makes Monterey County truly unique—is our diversity. We are a rich tapestry of cultures, histories and experiences, woven together to create a community like no other. This diversity isn’t just our strength; it is our greatest asset. Diversity is what has fueled our success in the face of challenges and allowed us to embrace opportunity with open hearts and minds. Whether in agriculture, sustainability, tourism or innovation, we stand as a beacon of what can be achieved when people from different walks of life come together with a shared vision. As we look ahead, the future of Monterey County continues to be shaped by all of us. The challenges we face today—whether they are economic, environmental or social—are also opportunities. They are opportunities to come together, to learn from each other and to build a future that is just as rich and inclusive as our past. I have no doubt that by embracing the strength of our diversity and working hand in hand, we will continue to create a county where every individual, every community, can thrive. It is an honor to serve as your Chair during such a pivotal moment in our county’s history. I am deeply inspired by the resilience, creativity and passion that exists within our community. Together, we will build a future that honors our past, celebrates the present and looks forward with hope, pride and promise. With deepest respect and appreciation, Chris Lopez Chair, County of Monterey Board of Supervisors District 3 The County of Monterey was established in 1850. In 2025, as part of our county’s 175th anniversary and in partnership with the Monterey County Historical Society, we are raising awareness and appreciation of our history. Highlights will include recognition and understanding of the Indigenous people who were the first residents of what is now The County of Monterey, as well as the Spaniards and rancheros who preceded American settlers and others, who laid out the communities that we live, visit and work in today. In celebrating the 175th anniversary of the County of Monterey, we will honor our rich history filled with stories of resilience, innovation and a deep commitment to community. Our county has always drawn diverse people who have overcome challenges and created opportunities. Lessons learned have not only shaped the character of our region but laid the foundation for the progress we see today. The strength of our public services, the dedication of our residents and employees, and an unwavering spirit defines the County of Monterey. We are committed to building a future that honors, and further unearths, our past while embracing innovation and inclusivity. As a county, when we work together, we overcome challenges and embrace opportunities for a brighter, more equitable future for all who call Monterey County home. Thank you for your presence and contribution to our community and for the legacy we will build together for those who will follow us—people serving people with dignity, compassion and care. Very truly yours, Sonia M. De La Rosa County Administrative Officer A message from the Chair of the County of Monterey Board of Supervisors and the County Administrative Officer
AS ONE OF THE ORIGINAL 27 COUNTIES, its nearly 4,000 square miles tell a dynamic, foundational story of California filled with a diverse cast of fascinating characters and innovations that changed the world. When California joined the United States in 1850, the County of Monterey was also born. A sketch depicting the capture of Monterey and the raising of the U.S. flag on July 7, 1846. University of Southern California Libraries; California Historical Society
Courtesy of the Monterey County Free Libraries, Marina, CA Constitution images credit: The California State Archives 1850s 1859 David Jacks purchases 30,000 acres of modern-day Monterey area; residents respond with legal battle to reclaim land 1855 Point Pinos Lighthouse is lit in Pacific Grove 1849 March 8: Colton Hall opens 1850 February 18: County of Monterey is incorporated as an original California county Sheriff’s Office founded and remains one of the oldest law enforcement agencies in California 1850 California becomes 31st state in the Union
1860s 1869 Transcontinental Railroad finishes construction and disperses 10,000 Chinese immigrant laborers to Monterey Bay, where Chinese fishing industry forms 1860s Cattle ranching dominates the Salinas Valley Castroville was founded by Juan Bautista Castro, a Californio rancher EVEN BEFORE THE COUNTY WAS FORMALLY ESTABLISHED, Colton Hall opened March 8, 1849. Only a few months later, California’s first Constitution would be written within its walls and the state’s impressive United States history would officially begin. While the original Indigenous residents of Monterey County understood the abundant and varied natural resources of the land and sea, the final decades of the 19th century brought waves of new settlers who would experience what the fertile Salinas Valley and biodiverse Monterey Bay could provide. Opposite: California's constitution, written in both English and Spanish. Above: The Southern Pacific Railroad Depot at San Miguel (date unknown). Courtesy of the Monterey County Free Libraries, Marina, CA
Below: Chinese fishermen with boats at Cabrillo Point—now the site of Hopkins Marine Station—circa 1875. Opposite: Jung San Choy’s family (above) and two Chinese fishing village girls (below), circa 1895. Courtesy of the Monterey County Free Libraries, Marina, CA 1870s 1874 Southern Pacific Railroad next expands down the Salinas Valley, South County communities pop up from Soledad (1874) to San Miguel (1885) 1872 Southern Pacific Railroad reaches Salinas, access to new agricultural markets grows 1873 Colton Hall closes as official building, lives on as a continuously run public building (becoming a public school, hospital, courthouse and museum) 1877 Salinas Valley farmers conduct first experiments with irrigation
1880s 1886 Natividad Medical Center opens as first public hospital in California Winemakers and distillers of California list 13 official winegrowers in the county WHEN THE TRANSCONTINENTAL RAILROAD, A PROJECT connecting eastern railways to the Pacific coast for the first time, was completed in 1869, the laborers for the railroad were immediately left without a job or a home. Many of these workers eventually joined with the established Point Alones Chinese fishing village in present-day Pacific Grove. These families were the first to understand the untapped potential for commercial fishing on Monterey Bay and had been shipping the bay’s abundant abalone to San Francisco for export to China years before the railway was completed. The Chinese endured many, sometimes suspicious, fires to their fishing village and after a particularly devastating blaze in 1906, the fishing village was prohibited from being rebuilt, ending the Chinese fishing tradition on Monterey Bay after 50 years. Courtesy of the Monterey County Historical Society; Pat Hathaway Collection Courtesy of the Monterey County Historical Society; Pat Hathaway Collection 1880 Hotel Del Monte opens—considered by many to be the beginning of Monterey County’s tourism future 1884 Dr. May Gydison’s female-focused medical practice begins in Salinas 1889 August 1: Point Sur Lighthouse first lit
“ Her library stands as a silent monument to this woman who dedicated her every moment to its formation.” —Dorothy H. Vera, September 28, 1963 BEFORE THE BOOKMOBILES OF TODAY, THE residents of Monterey County received their literature via donkey power. Anne Hadden, the first director of the Monterey County Free Library system, advocated for widespread access to library services. From 1913 to 1929, Hadden established 126 branches of the library system— located inside schools and even private homes. Hadden led by example, restocking books and maps for far-flung libraries on foot or from the back of a donkey. In its first six months of operation, Monterey County Free Libraries supported 219 “borrowers” at five branches in Greenfield, Spreckels, Salinas, Corral de Tierra and Lincoln School with a catalog of 1,009 books. Anne Hadden FIRST DIRECTOR OF THE MONTEREY COUNTY FREE LIBRARY SYSTEM HISTORIC PROFILE Left: Anne Hadden in Esther Ross's garden on library grounds. She is writing a work paper for the American Library Association (1925). Right: Anne Hadden on a library trip to the coast with staff members (left to right: Mrs. Brunetti, Anne Hadden, Mrs. Bulger, Miss Wadland, June 1920). Photos courtesy of the Monterey County Free Libraries, Marina, CA
AS SETTLERS WAITED FOR THE SIX-YEAR Transcontinental Railroad project to be completed, the fertile agricultural lands of the Salinas Valley were being explored by hardy, post–Gold Rush homesteaders. The terrain initially was used exclusively for cattle ranching, as the land was deemed too dry for crops. Above: Workers at the John Foletta Dairy near Gonzales, circa 1903. Left: Milk being processed at a facility near Soledad, circa 1920. Courtesy of the Monterey County Agricultural & Rural Life Museum Courtesy of the Monterey County Agricultural & Rural Life Museum 1890s 1898 Japanese immigrants arrive to work in sugar beet fields 1890s Claus Spreckels promotes sugar beet processing; Spreckels Sugar Factory complete in 1899 1897 Del Monte Golf Course opens
BY THE 1880S, EXPERIMENTS WITH IRRIGATION, WHEAT and sugar beets began to transform the agricultural future of the Salinas Valley. Claus Spreckels built a five-story sugar beet processing factory in 1899, employing 500 people (including 200 Japanese immigrants) and processing 3,500 tons of beets daily. At the time, it was the largest sugar beet refinery in the world. Above: Workers thinning sugar beets with the Spreckels sugar refinery in the background. Left: A lithograph of the Salinas Mill from Harrison's Series of Pacific Coast Pamphlets No. 3: Monterey County, circa 1889 or 1890. Courtesy of the Monterey County Free Libraries, Marina, CA Library of Congress, Prints & Photographs Division, FSA/OWI Collection, [LC-DIG-fsa-8b33415] 1900s 1906 San Francisco earthquake levels Salinas’ Main Street, later rebuilt with steel-reinforced buildings, resembling today’s downtown 1908 February 14: Pacific Fish Company, the first major cannery on Cannery Row, opens
1910s 1915 Mexican farmworkers assist with wartime labor needs 1911 The first California Rodeo Salinas is held at the city’s racetrack LETTUCE REACHED THE Salinas Valley by 1921. The introduction of icecooled freight cars soon after in 1923 meant lettuce could be refrigerated and kept stable for a much longer journey. By 1940, farmers in Monterey County planted 48,097 acres of lettuce worth a total land value of more than $3.6 million—double the value of the county’s former superstar sugar beet crop. Lettuce being picked (left) and packed (below) in Salinas, circa 1936. Library of Congress, Prints & Photographs Division, FSA/OWI Collection, [LC-DIG-fsa-8b29756] Courtesy of the Monterey County Historical Society; Pat Hathaway Collection 1919 Pebble Beach Company founded 1913 Asilomar opens as a YWCA leadership camp for women
REMEMBER THE HUNDREDS OF JAPANESE immigrants Claus Spreckels employed at his sugar beet factory? These laborers invested their earnings into the county’s rich farmland and introduced crops like celery to the Salinas Valley—still a signature crop today. Many other immigrant groups, while originally only valued for their labor, contributed significantly to the agricultural history of the county. For example, Italians introduced artichokes and Filipinos planted the first sugar peas. Produce labels courtesy of the Monterey County Agricultural & Rural Life Museum 1920s 1920 Invention of evaporated milk makes Monterey County the leading dairy county in the state 1923 One part-time doctor, one part-time nurse and $5,000 establishes the county’s health department 1921 San Clemente Dam on the Carmel River is completed 1924 Salinas achieves highest per capita income of any US city 1922 Dr. Sarah Hatton’s El Adobe Hospital opens in Monterey
1930s 1939 John Steinbeck’s The Grapes of Wrath is published 1935 Annual Crop and Livestock Report values Monterey County agriculture at $22,824,312 1930s Iceberg lettuce becomes the number one Salinas Valley crop (continues into the 1950s) Ice-bunkered railroad cars means fresh produce can ship nationwide 1936 Monterey Airport opens 1932 Construction of Bixby Bridge completed 1937 Scenic Highway 1 opens SIX MONTHS AFTER INITIATING THE FORCIBLE RELOCATION of Japanese workers from California farms to internment camps during World War II, the Bracero program was launched to address this labor shortage. Created by President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s executive order in 1942, the Mexican Farm Labor Program placed nearly five million Mexican workers in seasonal agricultural and railroad jobs under the Bracero program. This influx of labor into Monterey County helped the ag industry increase annual production from $70 million to $160 million in 22 years, but also increased discrimination and dangerous working conditions. The Bracero program left behind a legacy of two decades of cheap labor, increased legal and illegal immigration. In 1964, it was abolished. Courtesy of the Monterey County Historical Society; Pat Hathaway Collection The County of Monterey recognizes the Bracero legacy with Bracero Workers History Recognition Week every September.
“ I was struck by his spirituality and his reserves of gentleness and tenderness and caring and love... the depth of caring was beyond belief.” —Ethel Kennedy, on meeting Cesar Chavez during his 1970 detainment CESAR CHAVEZ BEGAN COMMUNITY ORGANIZING AT only 25, but his early experiences living through the Great Depression as a migrant farmworker fueled his lifelong fight for civil rights. Chavez founded the first version of what became United Farm Workers with only 10 initial enrollees: himself and the members of his immediate family. This passionate, grassroots effort eventually became the first successful farmworkers union in American history, creating unprecedented bargaining power for the farmworkers of the Salinas Valley lettuce industry—a cash crop skyrocketing in value in the 1970s. The successful Salad Bowl Strike in 1970 eventually led to California’s landmark Agricultural Labor Relations Act of 1975, “guaranteeing farmworkers the right to organize, choose their own union representative and negotiate with their employers.” This law was the first, and is still the only, law of its kind in the United States. Cesar Chavez LABOR LEADER AND CIVIL RIGHTS ACTIVIST HISTORIC PROFILE Above: Cesar Chavez being interviewed in 1979. Library of Congress, Prints & Photographs Division, U.S. News & World Report Magazine Collection, [LC-DIG-ppmsca-40914]
AS THE POPULATION OF California boomed in the late 19th century, county medical infrastructure also began to take shape. Natividad Medical Center, Monterey County’s first public hospital, opened in 1886. This first 69bed hospital cost $4,000 to complete and sat on a 62-acre parcel—the same site of the current Natividad hospital. The growing needs of Monterey County prompted an overhaul of this first hospital within 50 years of its initial construction. In 1928, a replacement hospital was built, including specialized units for long-term care and tuberculosis patients. Additional developments to Natividad would continue for the rest of the century, meeting the evolving needs of Monterey County residents. The hospital would later add 113 more beds, a mental health unit and a 12-bed Level II nursery. 1940s 1942 3,500 Japanese residents of Monterey County are relocated to internment camps President Franklin D. Roosevelt establishes the Bracero program by executive order 1947 Monterey County Water Resources Agency forms Monterey Peninsula College’s first classes begin at Monterey High School 1940s Recruitment of Mexican farmworkers resumes for another wartime labor effort 250,000 tons harvested by canneries per season makes Monterey the “Sardine Capital of the World” 1946 Monterey County Disaster Council certified by the California State Disaster Council 1948 Hartnell College opens in Salinas Photos courtesy of the County of Monterey Health Department
AT THE SAME TIME THAT NATIVIDAD WAS constructing its second hospital in 50 years, one part-time doctor, one part-time nurse and $5,000 established the County of Monterey Health Department in 1923. Nurses drove the early work, reaching into every corner of the vast Monterey County to provide health care. These efforts were primarily focused on basic hygiene and controlling infectious diseases in crowded places like agricultural labor camps. The widespread adoption of vaccines in the mid-20th century meant officials could start focusing their attention elsewhere. Above: The County of Monterey Health Department building circa 1950. 1950s 1955 Monterey Institute of International Studies (now Middlebury Institute) opens in downtown Monterey 1951 Naval Postgraduate School moves from Annapolis to Monterey 1958 Monterey Jazz Festival debuts. It is the longest continuously running jazz festival in the world 1950 County of Monterey is a signatory of the California Civil Defense Master Mutual Aid Agreement Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance is founded 1950s Interstate highway system debuts, intensifying tourism industry and sparking movement to conserve historic adobes Courtesy of the County of Monterey Health Department
1960s1961 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. speaks at Monterey Peninsula College 1960 Carmel Mission designated a National Historic Landmark 1965 San Antonio Dam completed by Monterey County Water Authority 1962 Cesar Chavez and Dolores Huerta establish what becomes the United Farm Workers union Offices of County Tax Collector and Treasurer are combined Left: Hotel Del Monte, circa 1900–1905. C.W.J. Johnson, photographer. Below: Crosby National Pro-Am Golf Tournament, 1948. Ray Ruppel, photographer. ORIGINALLY OPENED IN 1880, the Hotel Del Monte featured lush gardens, a golf course, polo grounds and high-end retail. It attracted guests from around the world and was the precursor to the Pebble Beach Resorts. The Hotel Del Monte was rebuilt after a fire in 1928 but in 1942 it was requisitioned and then purchased by the U.S. Navy. It is now home to the Naval Postgraduate School. In 1947 the Oscar-winning actor and chart-topping crooner Bing Crosby launched the Crosby Clambake in Pebble Beach. A nexus of his passions, it brought Hollywood and golf together. For decades, the tournament (known more recently as the AT&T National Pro-Am) charmed fans with its unique location and golfer-celebrity pairings. Now, as a Signature Event of the PGA Tour, this once humble clambake has become an elite showcase of professional golfers and the Monterey Peninsula. Courtesy of California History Room and Archives, Monterey Public Library, Monterey, California Courtesy of California History Room and Archives, Monterey Public Library, Monterey, California
“ A writer of worldwide influence, [John Steinbeck] has helped America to understand herself by finding universal themes in the experience of men and women everywhere.” —Lyndon B. Johnson, Presidential Medal of Freedom ceremony JOHN STEINBECK’S 33 LITERARY CLASSICS CAPTURE the sweeping dynamics of life in early 20th-century America, the Salinas Valley and the Monterey Peninsula. Now nearly a century old, books like The Grapes of Wrath, East of Eden, Cannery Row, Of Mice and Men and The Pearl are still taught in classrooms today. The writer also meaningfully contributed to ocean science through his relationship with Cannery Row’s resident scientist and avid ocean specimen collector Ed Ricketts. The realistic characters and relatable challenges vividly described in Steinbeck’s books led to significant recognition near the end of his life. The Salinas native received the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1962 and the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 1964. John Steinbeck AWARD-WINNING WRITER HISTORIC PROFILE Left: John Steinbeck being awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1962, "for his realistic and imaginative writings, combining as they do sympathetic humour and keen social perception," wrote the Nobel Prize Committee at the time. Right: John Steinbeck at approximately five years old (back row, left). Photos courtesy of the National Steinbeck Center
1970s1971 Entire 525 acres of property for Jacks Peak Park is acquired by the County of Monterey, opens in 1977 1974 County Administrator charged with the authority of the Director of Civil Defense for the County of Monterey Late 1970s Ag industry expands crops to include romaine lettuce, cilantro and spinach and introduces bagged salads 1972 Earliest-known Monterey County Emergency Response plan approved to address nuclear fallout 1970 Cesar Chavez leads a lettuce boycott and is held in the Monterey County jail IN THE FIRST HALF OF THE 20TH CENTURY, MONTEREY’S Cannery Row was home to the world’s most productive sardine fishery, but by 1945 most of the canneries were shuttered. In the late 1960s, Ted Balestreri and Bert Cutino opened The Sardine Factory—a restaurant that would become an institution and which paved the way for the thriving Cannery Row tourism district Monterey County experiences today. In 1984, the Monterey Bay Aquarium opened at the former Hovden Cannery site. With more than two million visitors annually, the Monterey Bay Aquarium has earned an international reputation as a dazzling visitor experience. The Aquarium has also become a leading voice advocating for the protection of the oceans. These days, tourism is the second-largest industry in Monterey County—generating $3 billion annually and supporting 26,000 local jobs. Courtesy of Monterey County Weekly Courtesy of Monterey County Weekly
THE LIST OF INFLUENTIAL FIGURES INSPIRED BY the legendary beauty of the Monterey Peninsula is long and impressive. In 1987, Pope John Paul II performed Mass for over 70,000 people at the Laguna Seca racetrack. He began his remarks inviting the world to get to know California’s landscape, “against the background of an extraordinary beauty of land and sea, of snow-capped mountains and deep lakes, oak groves and forests of fir and pine and mighty redwoods, a land among the richest and most fruitful of the Earth.” This worship service became the largest spectator event in Monterey County history. 1980s1984 Monterey Bay Aquarium opens at site of former cannery 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake topples unreinforced buildings throughout Monterey County 1980 Annual Crop and Livestock Report values Monterey County agriculture at $745,497,225 1987 H-2A visa program established, Department of State issues 44 visas for foreign workers in Monterey County 1986 County of Monterey launches its Information Systems Department Big Sur International Marathon debuts Courtesy of The Roman Catholic Diocese of Monterey Archives Courtesy of The Roman Catholic Diocese of Monterey Archives
THE DEVASTATING October 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake instantly changed Monterey County, as residents recovered from the 6.9 magnitude quake. Loma Prieta caused more than $6 billion in damage statewide, including drastically changing the appearance of historic Old Town Salinas—a revitalization effort still visible today. In Moss Landing, the earthquake nearly collapsed Moss Landing Marine Labs due to liquefaction, the phenomenon where solid matter, like sand, acts like a liquid. The severe damage, including deep cracks in the floors as the lab’s foundation moved one meter toward the ocean, provided opportunities for researchers to understand liquefaction in severe geological events. Left: Partially collapsed unreinforced buildings in Old Town Salinas. Bottom: Structural failure of the twin bridges carrying Highway 1 across Struve Slough. U.S. Geological Survey/photo by John C. Tinsley U.S. Geological Survey/photo by John C. Tinsley 1990s 1992 September 18: Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary designated 1997 The Panetta Institute for Public Policy founded at CSUMB 1991 Base Realignment and Closure Commission recommends closing Fort Ord 1998 Anna Caballero elected Salinas’ first female and first Latina mayor 1994 California State University, Monterey Bay opens on the former Fort Ord site 1990 County of Monterey Civil Rights Office founded Rosa Parks speaks at Monterey Peninsula College June 5: County of Monterey Office of Emergency Services established
AS RAPID INVESTMENTS in the blossoming tech industry transformed Silicon Valley in the early 2000s, the Salinas Valley also expanded its bandwidth to manage a flow of new residents who desired the tech salary but not the cost of living. Between 1990 and 2001, Salinas added nearly 18,000 households. Northeast Salinas transformed in the early 2000s with the construction of major developments like Harden Ranch and Creekbridge and their networks of affiliated subdivisions. High demand from Bay Area commuters raised housing prices, further contributing to a prolonged affordable housing crisis still being felt in Monterey County. 2000s 2008 Wildfires cause the most destructive year in county’s recorded history—The Basin Complex Fire near Big Sur burned more than 162,000 acres 2000s Dot-com boom causes expansion of Silicon Valley bedroom communities into Monterey County Right: CSUMB faculty, staff and students, circa 1995. Below: The Tanimura & Antle Memorial Library is a focal point for CSUMB. Built in 2009, the LEED Silver designated building carries the names of two local farming families who together run one of Salinas Valley's largest agricultural operations. Courtesy of California State University, Monterey Bay Photo by Brent Dundore-Arias
A HOSPITAL RECEIVES THE DESIGNATION of a Level II Trauma Center after demonstrating the capacity to provide “definitive care for all injured patients.” Natividad Medical Center earned this designation in 2015, becoming Monterey County’s only Trauma Center. Since that time, Natividad has provided 24/7 lifesaving care to all patients, from residents in all corners of this sprawling county to our many visitors. In addition to its 10 Intensive Care beds and a medical-surgical unit, Natividad’s Level II Trauma Center maintains a high level of continuing education for its staff in its goal of delivering cutting-edge, compassionate care. Courtesy of Natividad Courtesy of Natividad 2010s 2018 Monterey County’s annual tourism economy surpasses $3 billion 2015 Natividad Medical Center designated as a Level II Trauma Center 2012 County of Monterey creates Human Resources department
“ Every decision [Panetta] has made has been with one goal in mind: taking care of our sons and our daughters in uniform and keeping America safe.” —President Barack Obama, 2013 LEON PANETTA, THE SON OF ITALIAN IMMIGRANTS who operated a Monterey restaurant, rose to the highest levels of public service and served as President Barack Obama’s Secretary of Defense and Director of the CIA, where he oversaw the military operation that killed Osama Bin Laden. Panetta also served as President Bill Clinton’s White House Chief of Staff and as a U.S. Representative from Monterey from 1977 to 1993. After decades of service, Panetta continues his dedication to supporting the next generation of political leaders with the Panetta Institute of Public Policy at California State University, Monterey Bay. Leon Panetta was inducted into the California Hall of Fame in 2024, recognizing the mark Secretary Panetta has made on history. Leon Panetta FORMER SECRETARY OF DEFENSE AND DIRECTOR OF THE CIA HISTORIC PROFILE Right: The 2011 oath of office ceremony swearing in Leon Panetta as the 23rd U.S. Secretary of Defense. Images: United States Department of Defense
AN INSPIRATIONAL STORY IN SUMMER 2020 SHARED HOW a parcel of nearly 1,200 acres of Big Sur wilderness, valued at $4.5 million, was returned to the Indigenous Esselen Tribe. Tom Little Bear Nason, chairman of the Esselen Tribe, described the deal: “We are so elated and so honored to be the recipients of our ancestral home. It couldn’t be a … more sacred spot than this land. The whole Origin Story started right there on this land, on the sacred mountain called Pico Blanco, also known as Pitchi in our language. And it is the basis of our whole lives— the center of our universe.” 2020s 2020s Autonomous farm machinery and artificial intelligence tools arrive in the Salinas Valley 2023 Annual Crop and Livestock Report values Monterey County agriculture at more than $4.35 billion The County of Monterey Office of Emergency Services transitions to the Department of Emergency Management 2020 213,000 H-2A visas issued for temporary foreign farmworkers in Monterey County Courtesy of the Esselen Tribe of Monterey County; Photographer: Matthew Pendergast Above: The Esselen Tribe of Monterey County held a ceremony on their ancestral land in 2020.
Agricultural Commissioner Regulates and promotes agriculture; protecting agricultural workers and the community by managing pesticides, monitoring for invasive pests and promoting marketplace fairness. Assessor-County Clerk-Recorder Determines property values, manages public records and provides essential services, including property tax assessments and vital documents to residents. Auditor-Controller Manages financial operations, conducts audits and ensures compliance with professional and legal standards, fostering financial accountability and transparency. Child Support Services Establishs and enforces child support orders, including payments, conducts genetic testing when required and assists in locating parents for support purposes. Civil Rights Office Works to uphold civil rights laws and ensure fair treatment for all residents, handling discrimination complaints and promoting diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives. Clerk of the Board Maintains and manages official records, meetings and agendas for the Board of Supervisors, ensuring transparency and access to government proceedings. Cooperative Extension A University of California partnership that offers research-based education and resources to improve agriculture and manage natural resources. County Administrative Office Provides professional leadership and support to the Board of Supervisors, manages the county’s budget, coordinates departmental activities and oversees intergovernmental affairs. County Counsel Serves as the primary legal advisor to the Board of Supervisors, County departments and affiliated agencies, providing expert legal guidance and representation. Department of Emergency Management Professionally coordinates emergency preparedness, response and recovery initiatives, ensuring public safety during emergencies and disasters. District Attorney Prosecutes criminal cases on behalf of the State, advocates for victims and upholds justice within the community while maintaining the integrity of the legal system. Elections Office Ensures the integrity and fairness of elections by managing voter registration, conducting elections and providing information and resources to voters, candidates and the public. Emergency Communications (911) The primary public safety answering point operating 24/7, and dispatch response provider for over 25 public safety agencies in the county. Health Department Ensures public health through preventive services, regulation enforcement, emergency response and clinic provision, and prioritizing resident well-being. Housing & Community Development Addresses housing needs and fosters community development through programs focused on affordability, homelessness prevention and neighborhood revitalization. Human Resources Manages recruitment, training, benefits and employee relations for the County, ensuring compliance with all laws and fostering a positive work environment. Information Technology Manages the county’s technology infrastructure, providing comprehensive support for computer networks, software applications and cybersecurity. Military & Veterans Affairs Provide support and benefits assistance, outreach programs and community resource information to military personnel, veterans and their families. Monterey County Free Library Provides residents with access to information, educational resources and culture via multiple branches while promoting literacy, lifelong learning and community. Natividad Medical Center The County public hospital and Level II Trauma Center providing compassionate, high-quality health care for all, regardless of ability to pay or immigration status. Probation Supervises probationers and implements rehabilitation programs to enhance public safety and reduce recidivism through community partnerships. Public Defender Provides legal representation to indigent individuals in criminal and limited civil cases, incorporating a holistic approach ensuring justice for all. Public Works, Facilities, & Parks Oversees the planning, construction and maintenance of public infrastructure, including roads, buildings, parks and recreational areas. Sheriff-Coroner’s Office Ensures the enforcement of laws, investigates crimes and offers support during emergencies, fostering a secure environment for residents. Social Services Offers a wide range of support services including financial aid, health care and housing assistance to vulnerable populations within the community. Treasurer-Tax Collector Manages the billing and collection of local taxes and court-ordered debt while also issuing business licenses and performing banking and investment services for the County. Water Resources Agency Manages water resources sustainably while minimizing impacts from flooding for present and future generations. County of Monterey Departments In 2025, over 6,000 dedicated employees across 27 departments serve the needs of the county’s 430,000 residents. Scan for contact info
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