Monterey, Capital of Alta California

The Custom House built 1822

San Carlos Cathedral

Lovely Bride and Groom

Beautiful Bride's Dress

Monterey is rich in history having been transformed from a remote Spanish outpost to a Province of Mexico, and then becoming the thirty-first state of the U.S. We visited the State Historic Park and Custom’s House in Monterey, the oldest government building in California. The Custom House was built in 1827 when Alta (upper) California was the northernmost province of Mexico. Monterey was both the capital city and primary port of entry for Alta California between 1822 through 1846. The American occupation began at the beginning of the Mexican-American War when Commodore John Sloat and his landing party raised the American flag over the Custom House on July 7, 1846. The earlier Spanish occupation of Alta California began with Spain’s typical three-part approach: a military establishment known as a presidio (fort); religious outposts known as misiones (missions); and pueblos (towns) which provided opportunities for civilian settlement. The presidio at Monterey was established in June 1770. By 1773 adobe houses, a jail, and a chapel had been built. Spanish settlement was late in coming considering Monterey Bay was discovered by the Spanish much earlier in 1602. It was the presence of Russians who came for sea otters in the North Pacific around 1768 which caused Spain to take action after more than 160 years of delay. Spanish ruler King Carlos III called for occupation of Alta California and established a colony at San Diego in 1769 and another at Monterey in 1770. In 1821, Mexico declared its independence from Spain and the appointed Regent and later emperor of Mexico, General Agustin Iturbide legalized foreign trade in the California ports to foster a profitable trade in cowhides. Mexico lacked the resources to support California financially so custom duties on foreign goods were collected. All vessels were required to stop at Monterey and pay duties on their cargoes at The Custom House before going on to other coastal towns. American traders resented the fees but still made a profit by importing inexpensive goods from New England and selling them at markups ranging from 200 to 300 percent. The Mexican revenue laws required that whole cargoes be taken ashore, examined, and then put back aboard the ship. Today, The Custom House Museum, part of Monterey State Historic Park, displays the type of cargo brought into Monterey by trading ships during the 1830’s. We also visited the Royal Presidio Chapel (San Carlos Cathedral) founded in 1770 by Franciscan friar Junipero Serra. When we arrived at the Chapel, a Spanish-style wedding was about to begin; the bride was wearing a gorgeous red dress, the maids wore light gold colored dresses, and the men had on black suits with gold vests, the groom was dressed in white. After our stop at this historic Chapel, we bicycled to Colton Hall where in 1849 the California Constitutional Convention met to establish California’s first constitution. Delegates from ten districts arrived in Monterey to debate and write California’s first constitution, which was sent to Congress in 1850. We also visited many of the adobe houses of historic figures from the past, including the Cooper-Molera Adobe, the Larkin House, and the French Hotel where Robert Louis Stevenson had stayed. The jail which we also visited was built in 1854 and was used for more than a 100 years, until 1956. No one ever escaped from its thick granite walls. We certainly aren’t going to make a quick escape from Monterey, there is so much here to see and do.