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Monterey State Historic Park is a collection of significant historic houses and buildings interspersed throughout Old Monterey. The inside of the Stevenson House, Larkin House, Cooper-Molera Adobe, and Casa Soberanes can ONLY be viewed with a State Park Guide. These four guided house tours, the Guided Walking Tour of Old Monterey, the Pacific House Museum and Custom House are all FREE. Guided Walking Tours begin at the Pacific House Museum in Custom House Plaza - a great way to start your discovery of Monterey.
Step into the past on the "Monterey Walking Path of History" and view the site where Spanish explorers first landed in Monterey in 1602. See one of the nation's last remaining whalebone sidewalks. Walk the same streets that famed author Robert Louis Stevenson walked in 1879. Explore this two-mile path and discover some of California's most historic homes, buildings and beautiful gardens along the way.
Monterey served as California's capital under Spanish, Mexican and U.S. military rule. The U.S. flag was first officially raised in California here on July 7, 1846, bringing 600,000 square miles of land to the United States.
Monterey's Path of History can be entered at any point. Just follow the yellow-tiled markers and discover Monterey State Historic Park, an area that preserves and interprets places and objects of statewide historic significance. Twelve buildings, including the Custom House, the oldest government building in California, and several residences (now house museums with guided tours), are all part of Monterey's 55 Path of History sites.
Getting There
The park is at 20 Custom House Plaza, in Monterey.
Monterey, CA Latitude/Longitude: 36.6001 / -121.8822
From North:
From San Francisco, San Jose, Gilroy, Marina and other cities from the north, take the Pacific Grove/Del Monte Avenue exit off of Highway 1.
There are two other Del Monte exits prior to this one that are incorrect. Follow Del Monte for approximately one and a half miles. Turn right into the Fisherman's Wharf, Historic Park parking lot. If you end up going through the tunnel, continue on until you can legally turn around. Then return to this parking lot turning left this time. Watch for the signs.
From South:
From Big Sur and Carmel, take the Munras Street exit off of Highway 1. Continue down Munras which eventually becomes Abrego Street. Continue on Abrego which eventually becomes Washington Street. Follow Washington Street until it ends at the Fisherman's Wharf parking lot. This entire journey is less than two miles in length.
From East:
From Los Angeles, San Luis Obispo, Salinas, Fresno, Sacramento, Los Banos, Hollister and other cities from the east, take Highway 68 to Highway 1. At this major intersection move into the left lane as this will take you toward Monterey. (You don't want to go to Seaside or Santa Cruz.) Take the Fremont Street exit and follow to the third signal. Turn right onto Abrego Street which shortly becomes Washington Street. Follow Washington Street until it ends in the Fisherman's Wharf parking lot. This entire journey is less than two miles in length.
The park is at 20 Custom House Plaza, in Monterey.
Monterey, CA Latitude/Longitude: 36.6001 / -121.8822
From North:
From San Francisco, San Jose, Gilroy, Marina and other cities from the north, take the Pacific Grove/Del Monte Avenue exit off of Highway 1.
There are two other Del Monte exits prior to this one that are incorrect. Follow Del Monte for approximately one and a half miles. Turn right into the Fisherman's Wharf, Historic Park parking lot. If you end up going through the tunnel, continue on until you can legally turn around. Then return to this parking lot turning left this time. Watch for the signs.
From South:
From Big Sur and Carmel, take the Munras Street exit off of Highway 1. Continue down Munras which eventually becomes Abrego Street. Continue on Abrego which eventually becomes Washington Street. Follow Washington Street until it ends at the Fisherman's Wharf parking lot. This entire journey is less than two miles in length.
From East:
From Los Angeles, San Luis Obispo, Salinas, Fresno, Sacramento, Los Banos, Hollister and other cities from the east, take Highway 68 to Highway 1. At this major intersection move into the left lane as this will take you toward Monterey. (You don't want to go to Seaside or Santa Cruz.) Take the Fremont Street exit and follow to the third signal. Turn right onto Abrego Street which shortly becomes Washington Street. Follow Washington Street until it ends in the Fisherman's Wharf parking lot. This entire journey is less than two miles in length.
Seasons/Climate
Known for its mild Mediterranean climate, the Monterey Peninsula has a year-round average temperature of 57 degrees. Coastal fog is common during the summer months, as is rain in the winter. Late fall offers the greatest number of sunny days.
Known for its mild Mediterranean climate, the Monterey Peninsula has a year-round average temperature of 57 degrees. Coastal fog is common during the summer months, as is rain in the winter. Late fall offers the greatest number of sunny days.
Operating Hours & Contact
The historic gardens are open to the public at no charge, and do not require reservations. Gardens are open daily:
May through September, 9am to 5pm
October through April, 10am to 4pm
For current information about Monterey State Historic Park's tour schedule, please visit the official web page for this park (see "Other Resources").
For more information call the Monterey State Historic Park office 831-649-7118, located at 20 Custom House Plaza.
The historic gardens are open to the public at no charge, and do not require reservations. Gardens are open daily:
May through September, 9am to 5pm
October through April, 10am to 4pm
For current information about Monterey State Historic Park's tour schedule, please visit the official web page for this park (see "Other Resources").
For more information call the Monterey State Historic Park office 831-649-7118, located at 20 Custom House Plaza.
History
Native People
Inhabited by the Rumsien Indians for thousands of years, the Monterey Peninsula’s rich animal and plant life supplied all of their needs. The Rumsien people moved their villages seasonally throughout their territory to fish, hunt and collect plants. Skilled artisans crafted twined baskets, often decorated with abalone pendants, quail plumes and woodpecker feathers. The arrival of Europeans in California drastically changed the native lifestyle. Traditional food sources were depleted by livestock, and the two cultures clashed over native traditions and beliefs. Diseases to which the Rumsien people had no resistance wiped out entire villages, decimating the population.
Spanish Settlement
In 1542 Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo, the first European explorer to chart the California coast, sailed past the fog-shrouded entrance to Monterey Bay. This protected harbor on California’s central coast remained hidden for another 60 years. On December 16, 1602, Sebastian Vizcaíno entered the bay, searching for a safe harbor for richly-laden Spanish galleons returning from the Philippines. Vizcaíno named Monterey Bay after the Viceroy of New Spain and reclaimed Alta (Upper) California for Spain.
Spain finally began colonizing Alta California in 1769, 167 years after Vizcaíno’s landing. On June 3, 1770, Captain Gaspar de Portolá, with Franciscan Father Junípero Serra, arrived on the shores of Monterey Bay to establish the Presidio of Monterey and Mission de San Carlos Borromeo de Monterey, the second of the Spanish missions in Alta California. The mission was moved one year later to its present site in Carmel. In 1775 Monterey became the capital of California, a title it would hold under both Spanish and Mexican rule.
The Mexican Period
Mexico obtained independence from Spain in 1821; for nearly 25 years, the Mexican flag flew over Monterey. Under Mexican rule, trade restrictions were lifted. Coastal ports were opened to foreign trade, drawing British, American and South American traders. To collect custom duties - a principal revenue source for Alta California - from the burgeoning foreign shipping trade, the Mexican government built the Custom House, the oldest government building in California and California’s first State Historical Landmark.
The opening of Monterey’s port quickly drew seafaring men, such as American sea captain John Rogers Cooper. He arrived in California in 1823, built what is now the Cooper-Molera Adobe (a National Trust Historic Site), and became a merchant and a prominent landowner. In 1832 he convinced his half-brother Thomas O. Larkin to join him in business. Larkin soon became the most influential American in Monterey, serving as the first and only United States consul to Mexico in Monterey. Many foreigners, drawn by trade, settled in California, married into leading local families, and worked closely with the upper class of native-born Californios - men like Mariano Vallejo, Juan Bautista Alvarado and José Castro.
Monterey soon expanded beyond the old Spanish presidio walls. Pristine, whitewashed adobe buildings lined the streets and dotted the hillsides. Many leading citizens erected substantial residences using sun-dried adobe bricks, a traditional and abundant building material. The Larkin House, home of Thomas O. Larkin and his family, combined Spanish building methods with New England architectural features, creating a pattern for the popular “Monterey Colonial” style of architecture. In 1847 California’s First Brick House was built by Gallant Duncan Dickenson, who produced his own kiln-fired bricks and introduced American brick-building techniques to Monterey’s architectural mix.
American Period
On July 7, 1846, during the Mexican-American War, U.S. naval forces, under Commodore John Drake Sloat, landed in Monterey to take formal possession of Alta California for the United States. The American flag was soon flying from the Custom House flagpole, realizing the American government’s goal of creating a nation that stretched “from sea to shining sea.”
News of the discovery of gold on the western slopes of the Sierra Nevada on January 24, 1848, motivated California’s leading citizens to push for statehood. In 1849 a new state constitution was drafted at Colton Hall, and in 1850 California became the thirty-first state. San Jose was chosen as the first permanent seat of California state government, ending Monterey’s years as California’s capital.
As the center of commerce and politics moved north to San Francisco and Sacramento during the gold rush, Monterey became isolated socially and economically. The Old Monterey Whaling Company began shore whaling operations in 1855, using the Old Whaling Station as headquarters and whalers’ residence. Made of whale vertebrae, the front walkway reminds visitors of this unique economic activity in California’s history. In the early 1900s, Monterey became the center of a thriving fishing and canning industry.
Monterey has continued to appeal to those seeking a pastoral retreat. Over the years, Monterey’s beautiful coastal setting has inspired artists and writers like Scottish writer Robert Louis Stevenson. Staying in the French Hotel, now known as the Stevenson House, he wrote articles for the local Monterey newspaper that captured the essence of the “Old Pacific Capital.”
Today the historic buildings of Monterey State Historic Park retain their rich heritage, preserving an often forgotten part of California and American history. Explore the park’s interpretive center at the Pacific House Museum. Take a guided tour through sturdy adobe residences, such as Casa Soberanes and the Cooper-Molera Adobe (a National Trust Historic Site) for a taste of this rich history. Let the tantalizing fragrances of the many heritage gardens transport you back to early California as you experience the birthplace of California’s government.
Native People
Inhabited by the Rumsien Indians for thousands of years, the Monterey Peninsula’s rich animal and plant life supplied all of their needs. The Rumsien people moved their villages seasonally throughout their territory to fish, hunt and collect plants. Skilled artisans crafted twined baskets, often decorated with abalone pendants, quail plumes and woodpecker feathers. The arrival of Europeans in California drastically changed the native lifestyle. Traditional food sources were depleted by livestock, and the two cultures clashed over native traditions and beliefs. Diseases to which the Rumsien people had no resistance wiped out entire villages, decimating the population.
Spanish Settlement
In 1542 Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo, the first European explorer to chart the California coast, sailed past the fog-shrouded entrance to Monterey Bay. This protected harbor on California’s central coast remained hidden for another 60 years. On December 16, 1602, Sebastian Vizcaíno entered the bay, searching for a safe harbor for richly-laden Spanish galleons returning from the Philippines. Vizcaíno named Monterey Bay after the Viceroy of New Spain and reclaimed Alta (Upper) California for Spain.
Spain finally began colonizing Alta California in 1769, 167 years after Vizcaíno’s landing. On June 3, 1770, Captain Gaspar de Portolá, with Franciscan Father Junípero Serra, arrived on the shores of Monterey Bay to establish the Presidio of Monterey and Mission de San Carlos Borromeo de Monterey, the second of the Spanish missions in Alta California. The mission was moved one year later to its present site in Carmel. In 1775 Monterey became the capital of California, a title it would hold under both Spanish and Mexican rule.
The Mexican Period
Mexico obtained independence from Spain in 1821; for nearly 25 years, the Mexican flag flew over Monterey. Under Mexican rule, trade restrictions were lifted. Coastal ports were opened to foreign trade, drawing British, American and South American traders. To collect custom duties - a principal revenue source for Alta California - from the burgeoning foreign shipping trade, the Mexican government built the Custom House, the oldest government building in California and California’s first State Historical Landmark.
The opening of Monterey’s port quickly drew seafaring men, such as American sea captain John Rogers Cooper. He arrived in California in 1823, built what is now the Cooper-Molera Adobe (a National Trust Historic Site), and became a merchant and a prominent landowner. In 1832 he convinced his half-brother Thomas O. Larkin to join him in business. Larkin soon became the most influential American in Monterey, serving as the first and only United States consul to Mexico in Monterey. Many foreigners, drawn by trade, settled in California, married into leading local families, and worked closely with the upper class of native-born Californios - men like Mariano Vallejo, Juan Bautista Alvarado and José Castro.
Monterey soon expanded beyond the old Spanish presidio walls. Pristine, whitewashed adobe buildings lined the streets and dotted the hillsides. Many leading citizens erected substantial residences using sun-dried adobe bricks, a traditional and abundant building material. The Larkin House, home of Thomas O. Larkin and his family, combined Spanish building methods with New England architectural features, creating a pattern for the popular “Monterey Colonial” style of architecture. In 1847 California’s First Brick House was built by Gallant Duncan Dickenson, who produced his own kiln-fired bricks and introduced American brick-building techniques to Monterey’s architectural mix.
American Period
On July 7, 1846, during the Mexican-American War, U.S. naval forces, under Commodore John Drake Sloat, landed in Monterey to take formal possession of Alta California for the United States. The American flag was soon flying from the Custom House flagpole, realizing the American government’s goal of creating a nation that stretched “from sea to shining sea.”
News of the discovery of gold on the western slopes of the Sierra Nevada on January 24, 1848, motivated California’s leading citizens to push for statehood. In 1849 a new state constitution was drafted at Colton Hall, and in 1850 California became the thirty-first state. San Jose was chosen as the first permanent seat of California state government, ending Monterey’s years as California’s capital.
As the center of commerce and politics moved north to San Francisco and Sacramento during the gold rush, Monterey became isolated socially and economically. The Old Monterey Whaling Company began shore whaling operations in 1855, using the Old Whaling Station as headquarters and whalers’ residence. Made of whale vertebrae, the front walkway reminds visitors of this unique economic activity in California’s history. In the early 1900s, Monterey became the center of a thriving fishing and canning industry.
Monterey has continued to appeal to those seeking a pastoral retreat. Over the years, Monterey’s beautiful coastal setting has inspired artists and writers like Scottish writer Robert Louis Stevenson. Staying in the French Hotel, now known as the Stevenson House, he wrote articles for the local Monterey newspaper that captured the essence of the “Old Pacific Capital.”
Today the historic buildings of Monterey State Historic Park retain their rich heritage, preserving an often forgotten part of California and American history. Explore the park’s interpretive center at the Pacific House Museum. Take a guided tour through sturdy adobe residences, such as Casa Soberanes and the Cooper-Molera Adobe (a National Trust Historic Site) for a taste of this rich history. Let the tantalizing fragrances of the many heritage gardens transport you back to early California as you experience the birthplace of California’s government.
Accessible Features
Many historic structures and interpretive facilities fan out from the Fisherman’s Wharf area along Monterey’s Path of History. Guided and self-guided tours are available. Alternate format materials are available at the Pacific House and the Cooper Molera store. A number of park structures have been modified for accessibility, but the sites are spread out and the terrain of Monterey is hilly in some areas, so assistance- or an electric wheelchair- may be needed to get to some of them.
In the Central Plaza area, the Pacific House and Custom House are generally accessible and make good starting points for a visit. At the other end of downtown, much of the Cooper-Molera complex is generally accessible. A number of structures that may be usable, including the Stevenson, Larkin, Cooper, and Diaz Houses, are only open by guided tours at specific times. Call for more information, or follow the link below to the park website.
Restrooms: Accessible comfort stations are off the Central Plaza in the Casa del Oro Garden. Restrooms in the Cooper Molera courtyard are generally accessible.
Parking: No visitor parking is available for these sites. Various city or private lots are available and include accessible parking.
Be the first to add a trip in this destination!Many historic structures and interpretive facilities fan out from the Fisherman’s Wharf area along Monterey’s Path of History. Guided and self-guided tours are available. Alternate format materials are available at the Pacific House and the Cooper Molera store. A number of park structures have been modified for accessibility, but the sites are spread out and the terrain of Monterey is hilly in some areas, so assistance- or an electric wheelchair- may be needed to get to some of them.
In the Central Plaza area, the Pacific House and Custom House are generally accessible and make good starting points for a visit. At the other end of downtown, much of the Cooper-Molera complex is generally accessible. A number of structures that may be usable, including the Stevenson, Larkin, Cooper, and Diaz Houses, are only open by guided tours at specific times. Call for more information, or follow the link below to the park website.
Restrooms: Accessible comfort stations are off the Central Plaza in the Casa del Oro Garden. Restrooms in the Cooper Molera courtyard are generally accessible.
Parking: No visitor parking is available for these sites. Various city or private lots are available and include accessible parking.
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