Salinas
City
Top: Monterey County Court House; downtown; middle: historic Monterey County Jail building; bottom: Taylor Farms headquarters; downtown.
Official seal of Salinas
Seal
Official logo of Salinas
Wordmark
Nickname: 
"The Salad Bowl of the World"[1]
Motto(s): 
"Rich in Land, Rich in Values."[2]
Location of Salinas, California
Location of Salinas, California
Salinas is located in California
Salinas
Salinas
Location in California
Salinas is located in the United States
Salinas
Salinas
Location in the United States
Coordinates: 36°40′40″N 121°39′20″W / 36.67778°N 121.65556°W / 36.67778; -121.65556
CountryUnited States
StateCalifornia
RegionNorthern California
CountyMonterey
IncorporatedMarch 4, 1874[3]
Government
 • TypeCouncil-Manager
 • MayorKimbley Craig[4]
 • State senatorShannon Grove (R)[5]
 • AssemblymemberDawn Addis (D)[5]
 • U. S. rep.Zoe Lofgren (D)[6]
Area
[7]
 • City23.45 sq mi (60.74 km2)
 • Land23.42 sq mi (60.66 km2)
 • Water0.03 sq mi (0.08 km2)  0.16%
Elevation
[8]
52 ft (16 m)
Population
 (2020)[9]
 • City163,542
 • Rank1st in Monterey County
33rd in California
164th in the United States
 • Density7,000/sq mi (2,700/km2)
Time zoneUTC−8 (Pacific)
 • Summer (DST)UTC−7 (PDT)
ZIP Codes
93901–93903, 93905–93908, 93912, and 93915
Area code831
FIPS code06-64224
GNIS feature IDs277589, 2411768
Websitewww.cityofsalinas.org

Salinas (/səˈliːnəs/; Spanish for "Salt Flats") is a city in the U.S. state of California and the county seat of Monterey County. With a population of 163,542 in the 2020 Census, Salinas is the most populous city in Monterey County.[10] Salinas is an urban area located along the eastern limits of the Monterey Bay Area, lying just south of the San Francisco Bay Area and 10 miles (16 km) southeast of the mouth of the Salinas River.[11] The city is located at the mouth of the Salinas Valley, about eight miles (13 km) from the Pacific Ocean, and it has a climate more influenced by the ocean than the interior.

Salinas serves as the main business, governmental, and industrial center of the region.[12] The marine climate is ideal for the floral industry, grape vineyards, and vegetable growers. Salinas is known as the "Salad Bowl of the World" for its large, vibrant agriculture industry.[13]

It was the hometown of writer and Nobel laureate John Steinbeck (1902–68), who set many of his stories in the Salinas Valley and Monterey.[14] Salinas has a high Hispanic proportion, which at 79.6%, is the highest proportion of Hispanic Americans out of any city in California, and 8th largest overall in the nation.[15] The city also has a sizable Asian-American population, with a large and historic Filipino population. The city once also had the 2nd biggest Chinatown in the nation behind only San Francisco.[16]

History

José Eusebio Boronda, a Californio ranchero, was granted Rancho Rincón del Sanjón in 1840, covering today's northwestern Salinas and Boronda.
First Mayor's House circa 1868

The land that Salinas sits on is thought to have been settled by Native Americans known as the Esselen prior to 200 AD.[17] Between 200 and 500 AD, they were displaced by the Rumsen group of Ohlone speaking people. The Rumsen-Ohlone remained as the inhabitants of the area for approximately another 1,200 years, and in the 1700s, were the group of native inhabitants contacted and recorded by the first Spanish explorers of the Salinas area.

Upon the arrival of the Spanish, large Spanish land grants were initially issued for the Catholic Missions and also as bonuses to soldiers. Later on after Mexican independence, smaller land grants continued to be issued for ranchos where mostly cattle were grazed. One of the many land grants was the Rancho Las Salinas land grant, part of which included the area of modern-day Salinas. As a result of the many new cattle ranches, a thriving trade eventually developed in cattle hide shipments, shipping primarily out of the Port of Monterey.[18]

In 1848 California officially became a part of the United States of America. This transition followed several years of battles in the Salinas area with John Fremont flying the American flag on the highest peak of the Gabilan Mountains and claiming California for the United States. Before the transition to American administration, Monterey had been the capital of California. For a short while after the transition, California was ruled by martial law.[18] On September 9, 1850, California was admitted to the Union and became a State, celebrated as California Admission Day.

In the 1850s a junction of two main stage coach routes was located 18 miles (29 km) east of Monterey and along the big bend of what is locally referred to as the Alisal Slough.[19] In 1854, six years after becoming a part of the United States, a group of American settlers living in the vicinity of this route-junction opened a post office at the junction, naming their town "Salinas," apparently a reference to the original "Rancho Las Salinas" name for the area,[11] which in turn was named in Spanish for the salt marshes of the area around the central Salinas slough, which was drained. Soon thereafter, in 1856, a traveler's inn called the Halfway House was opened at that junction in Salinas.[11] (The nearby Salinas River, was apparently only later named by an American cartographer, after the nearest town of Salinas in 1858. Previously that river had gone by the name: "Rio de Monterey."). The streets of Salinas were laid out in 1867, and the town was incorporated in 1874.[11]

The conversion of grazing land to crops and the coming of the rail road in 1868 to transport goods and people was a major turning point in the history and economic advancement of Salinas. Dry farming of wheat, barley, and other grains as well as potatoes and mustard seed was common in the 1800s. Chinese labor drained thousands of acres of swampland to become productive farmland, and as much early farm labor was done by Chinese immigrants, Salinas boasted the second largest Chinatown in the state, slightly smaller than San Francisco.[20] Irrigation changed farming in Salinas to mainly row crops of root vegetables, grapes and sugar beets. Many major vegetable producers placed their headquarters in Salinas.[13] Driven by the profitable agricultural industry, Salinas had the highest per capita income of any city in the United States in 1924.[21]

Barracks at Salinas Assembly Center
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Salinas Assembly Center.

During World War II, the Salinas Rodeo Grounds was one of the locations used as a temporary detention camp for citizens and immigrant residents of Japanese ancestry, before they were relocated to more permanent and remote facilities. One of seventeen such sites overseen by the Wartime Civilian Control Administration, the Salinas Assembly Center was built after President Roosevelt issued Executive Order 9066, authorizing the removal and confinement of Japanese Americans living on the West Coast. The camp opened on April 27, 1942, and held a total of 3,608 people before closing two months later on July 4. Of the 300 Japanese-American families in Salinas before the war, only 25 returned following internment.[22]

Sargent House, a historic Victorian home on Central Avenue

Following World War II major urban and suburban development converted much farmland to city. The city experienced two particularly strong growth spurts in the 1950s and 1960s, and again in the 1990s and early 2000s.[23] Aerial photographic interpretation indicate such major conversion of cropland to urban uses over the time period 1956 to 1968,[24][25] while the city annexed the adjacent communities of Alisal and Santa Rita during this time.[26] The Harden Ranch, Creekbridge and Williams Ranch neighborhoods constituting much of the city's North-East were built almost exclusively between 1990 and 2004.[23]

Salinas was also the birthplace of writer and Nobel Prize laureate John Steinbeck. The historic downtown, known as Oldtown Salinas, features much fine Victorian architecture, and is home to the National Steinbeck Center, the Steinbeck House and the John Steinbeck Library.

Major development took place in the 1990s, with the construction of Creekbridge, Williams Ranch, and Harden Ranch.[27]

[28]

Geography

Salinas and the Salinas Valley. Fremont Peak and the Gabilan Range are also shown.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 23.2 square miles (60 km2), 99.84% of it land and 0.16% of it water.

Prior to mass agricultural and urban development, much of the city consisted of rolling hills bisected by wooded creeks and interspersed with marsh land.[29] Today, the city is located mostly on leveled ground, with some rolling hills and wooded gulches with creeks remaining in the north-eastern Creekbridge and Williams Ranch neighborhoods, as well as the Laurel Heights section of East Salinas.[30] The natural ecosystems accompanying the area's topography and environment have been recreated in Natividad Creek Park and adjacent Upper Carr Lake.[31]

The city rests about 18 meters (59 feet) above sea level, and it is located roughly eight miles from the Pacific Ocean. The Gabilan and Santa Lucia mountain ranges border the Salinas Valley to the east and to the west, respectively. Both mountain ranges and the Salinas Valley run approximately 90 miles (145 km) south-east from Salinas towards King City.

The Salinas River runs the length of the Salinas Valley and empties into the Pacific Ocean at the center of the Monterey Bay. During the summer months the river flows partially underground and it is this extensive underground aquifer that allows for irrigation of cropland in an area without much annual rainfall.

Climate

Picture of Main Street in Salinas with a vintage car, holiday lights and trees.
Downtown Salinas in December 2018. Winter months are mild in Salinas.

Salinas has cool and moderate temperatures, due to the "natural air conditioner" that conveys ocean air and fog from the Monterey Bay to Salinas, while towns to the north and south of Salinas experience hotter summers, as mountains block the ocean air. Thus, Salinas weather is closer to that of the Central Coast of California, rather than that of inland valleys, and thus has a mild Mediterranean climate (Köppen Csb) with typical daily highs ranging from 62.4 °F (16.9 °C) in December to 74.7 °F (23.7 °C) in September. The record highest temperature was 107 °F (42 °C) on September 2, 2017.[32] The record lowest temperature was 22 °F (−6 °C) on January 12, 1963 and January 13, 2007. Annually, there are an average of 5.8 days with 90 °F (32 °C)+ highs, and an average of 7.1 days with lows reaching the freezing mark or lower.[32][33]

Between 1958 and 2018, the coldest measured daytime high in Salinas was 42 °F (6 °C) on December 21–22, 1990.[33] The warmest night during the station's operation was 67 °F (19 °C) on September 2, 2017.[33]

In 2015 Salinas was in the top ten American cities for cleanest air quality,[34] It is thought that the offshore marine layer generates winds that blow smog further inland.

Record-breaking snow covered nearby mountaintops in 2006

The difference between ocean and air temperature also tends to create heavy morning fog during the summer months, known as the marine layer, driven by an onshore wind created by the local high pressure sunny portions of the Salinas Valley, which extend north and south from Salinas and the Bay.

The average annual rainfall for the city is approximately 15.38 inches (390.7 mm). The wettest "rain year" since records at the present station began in 1959 was from July 1997 to June 1998 with 34.63 inches (879.6 mm) of precipitation, and the driest from July 1971 to June 1972 with 7.29 inches (185.2 mm). The most precipitation in one month was 11.10 inches (282 mm) in February 1998. The record maximum 24-hour precipitation was 2.96 inches (75 mm) on January 23, 2000.[32] Occasionally, there is snowfall on the peaks of the Gabilan and Santa Lucia mountain ranges, but snow in the city itself is extremely rare, occurring about once every 5 to 15 years on average. An inch of snow fell in Salinas on February 26, 2011.

Climate data for Salinas, California, 1991–2020 normals, extremes 1958–2018
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Record high °F (°C) 87
(31)		 86
(30)		 90
(32)		 100
(38)		 99
(37)		 99
(37)		 95
(35)		 102
(39)		 107
(42)		 105
(41)		 94
(34)		 92
(33)		 107
(42)
Mean maximum °F (°C) 76.3
(24.6)		 77.8
(25.4)		 80.9
(27.2)		 84.8
(29.3)		 84.9
(29.4)		 85.0
(29.4)		 82.0
(27.8)		 84.9
(29.4)		 91.9
(33.3)		 92.8
(33.8)		 84.0
(28.9)		 73.6
(23.1)		 96.7
(35.9)
Mean daily maximum °F (°C) 63.4
(17.4)		 64.1
(17.8)		 66.2
(19.0)		 67.3
(19.6)		 68.3
(20.2)		 70.2
(21.2)		 70.9
(21.6)		 72.5
(22.5)		 74.7
(23.7)		 74.2
(23.4)		 68.1
(20.1)		 62.4
(16.9)		 68.5
(20.3)
Daily mean °F (°C) 52.3
(11.3)		 53.2
(11.8)		 54.9
(12.7)		 56.2
(13.4)		 58.4
(14.7)		 60.7
(15.9)		 62.4
(16.9)		 63.4
(17.4)		 63.6
(17.6)		 61.5
(16.4)		 55.8
(13.2)		 51.3
(10.7)		 57.8
(14.3)
Mean daily minimum °F (°C) 41.2
(5.1)		 42.2
(5.7)		 43.7
(6.5)		 45.0
(7.2)		 48.6
(9.2)		 51.2
(10.7)		 53.9
(12.2)		 54.2
(12.3)		 52.5
(11.4)		 48.8
(9.3)		 43.4
(6.3)		 40.2
(4.6)		 47.1
(8.4)
Mean minimum °F (°C) 31.5
(−0.3)		 33.6
(0.9)		 35.3
(1.8)		 37.4
(3.0)		 41.6
(5.3)		 45.1
(7.3)		 48.3
(9.1)		 49.1
(9.5)		 45.9
(7.7)		 40.9
(4.9)		 34.3
(1.3)		 30.4
(−0.9)		 29.2
(−1.6)
Record low °F (°C) 22
(−6)		 25
(−4)		 25
(−4)		 30
(−1)		 35
(2)		 41
(5)		 43
(6)		 42
(6)		 37
(3)		 34
(1)		 27
(−3)		 24
(−4)		 22
(−6)
Average precipitation inches (mm) 3.26
(83)		 2.98
(76)		 2.45
(62)		 1.07
(27)		 0.49
(12)		 0.08
(2.0)		 0.01
(0.25)		 0.04
(1.0)		 0.06
(1.5)		 0.61
(15)		 1.58
(40)		 2.75
(70)		 15.38
(391)
Average precipitation days (≥ 0.01 in.) 9.4 9.8 8.2 5.7 3.0 1.0 0.5 1.0 0.9 2.9 6.1 9.5 58.0
Source 1: NOAA[33]
Source 2: National Weather Service[32]

Demographics

Historical population
CensusPop.Note%±
1870599—
18801,854209.5%
18902,33926.2%
19003,30441.3%
19103,73613.1%
19204,30815.3%
193010,263138.2%
194011,58612.9%
195013,91720.1%
196028,957108.1%
197058,896103.4%
198080,47936.6%
1990108,77735.2%
2000151,06038.9%
2010150,441−0.4%
2020163,5428.7%
2023 (est.)167,4722.4%
U.S. Decennial Census[35]

2020

The 2020 United States census[36] reported that Salinas had a population of 163,542. The racial makeup of Salinas was 32% white (12% for white alone, not Hispanic or Latino), 79% Hispanic or Latino, 1% African American, 6% Asian, 0.1% Native Hawaiian and other pacific Islander, 1% American Indian and Alaska native, 7% Two or more races. The median household income is $67,914, and the medium income per capita is $23,707. The poverty percentage is at 14%.

2010

The 2010 United States Census[37] reported that Salinas had a population of 150,441. The population density was 6,479.8 inhabitants per square mile (2,501.9/km2). The racial makeup of Salinas was 68,973 (45.8%) White, down from 90.3% in 1970,[38] 2,993 (2.0%) African American, 1,888 (1.3%) Native American, 9,438 (6.3%) Asian, 478 (0.3%) Pacific Islander, 59,041 (39.2%) from other races, and 7,630 (5.1%) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 112,799 persons (75.0%).[39]

The Census reported that 147,976 people (98.4% of the population) lived in households, 658 (0.4%) lived in non-institutionalized group quarters, and 1,807 (1.2%) were institutionalized.

There were 40,387 households, out of which 21,435 (53.1%) had children under the age of 18 living in them, 21,380 (52.9%) were opposite-sex married couples living together, 6,835 (16.9%) had a female householder with no husband present, 3,300 (8.2%) had a male householder with no wife present. There were 3,271 (8.1%) unmarried opposite-sex partnerships, and 271 (0.7%) same-sex married couples or partnerships. 6,895 households (17.1%) were made up of individuals, and 2,587 (6.4%) had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.66. There were 31,515 families (78.0% of all households); the average family size was 4.05.

The population was spread out, with 47,180 people (31.4%) under the age of 18, 18,049 people (12.0%) aged 18 to 24, 44,978 people (29.9%) aged 25 to 44, 28,976 people (19.3%) aged 45 to 64, and 11,258 people (7.5%) who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 28.8 years. For every 100 females, there were 102.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 100.8 males.

There were 42,651 housing units at an average density of 1,837.1 per square mile (709.3/km2), of which 18,198 (45.1%) were owner-occupied, and 22,189 (54.9%) were occupied by renters. The homeowner vacancy rate was 2.5%; the rental vacancy rate was 4.6%. 65,108 people (43.3% of the population) lived in owner-occupied housing units and 82,868 people (55.1%) lived in rental housing units. The majority of residents were living in single-unit detached homes, built between 1950 and 2000, while one third of the housing stock had three or more units per structure.[23]

2000

The 2000 United States Census reported that Salinas had a population of 151,060. The population density was 7,948.4 inhabitants per square mile (3,068.9/km2). There were 39,659 housing units at an average density of 2,086.8 per square mile (805.7/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 65.2% Hispanic or Latino of any race, 49.1% White, 6.2% Asian American, 3.3% African American, 1.3% Native American, 38.7% from other races, and 5.1% from two or more races. 49.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 57.6% were married couples living together, 14.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 21.6% were non-families. 17.1% of all households were made up of individuals, and 6.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.69 and the average family size was 4.08

Age distribution was 33.0% under the age of 19 or younger, 11.8% from 18 to 24, 33.7% from 25 to 44, 15.5% from 45 to 64, and 7.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 28 years. For every 100 females, there were 117.7 males. For every 102 females age 18 and over, there were 117.4 males.

The median household income was $43,728, and the median family income was $44,669. Males had a median income of $35,641 versus $27,013 for females. The per capita income for the city was $14,495. About 12.8% of families and 16.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 20.1% of those under age 18 and 9.4% of those age 65 or over.

Median household income in the city tended to be significantly higher alongside the city limits, especially in the northern Harden Ranch and Creekbridge neighborhoods. East Salinas and the downtown area suffered from a very low median household income as well as high crime rates. South and North Salinas featured roughly the same level of median households income with the latter being home to city's wealthiest newly constructed neighborhoods.[40]

Crime

Salinas has a significant, but declining problem with organized street gangs, such as Nortenos, Surenos, and Crips and the associated violent crime.[41][42] According to the U.S. Bureau of Justice Statistics, the city's overall violent crime and homicide rates are above those for California and the nation overall. However, the violent crime rate in Salinas has declined by almost 75 percent since 2015.[43][44][45] Gang activity and violent crime are focused in Central and East Salinas[46] and exacerbated by the city's comparatively low tax base and consequently limited policing resources.[41][47] A hypothesis to explain the city's particularly intense problem with gang related violent crime cites the city's proximity to Salinas Valley State Prison. The prison was an early launch pad for street operations of the notorious prison gang, Nuestra Familia. This in turn, is seen as having spawned a legacy of multi-generational gang membership among the poorer and less educated residents of East Salinas.[48]

Economy

Small businesses are seen at the intersection of Main and Gabilan Streetsin Downtown Salinas.
The headquarters of Taylor Farms in Downtown Salinas, was constructed in 2015.

Major employers in Salinas include Taylor Farms, Tanimura & Antle, Salinas Valley Memorial Hospital, Natividad Hospital, Mann Packing, Hilltown Packing, Newstar Fresh Foods, Matsui Nursery and Monterey County.[49]

Salinas is known for its AgTech industry, and is known as the emerging AgTech Capital of the nation and a global hub for agricultural technology.[50] Its close proximity to Silicon Valley and large number of agricultural employers give forth to an ideal location for developing high tech agricultural innovations.[51]

Forbes AgTech Summit

Since 2015, Forbes has hosted the yearly Forbes AgTech Summit in Salinas.[52] The event draws agricultural technology entrepreneurs from around the world and includes speakers, group discussions, tours, on site demonstrations.[53]

Sections and neighborhoods

North Salinas

  • Harden Ranch
  • Santa Rita
  • Northridge
  • Santa Lucia Village
  • Sherwood Gardens
  • Creekbridge

East Salinas

  • Sunset
  • Alisal
  • Monte Bella
  • Williams Ranch

South Salinas

  • Maple Park

West Salinas

  • Laurelwood
  • Boronda is an incorporated community in close proximity to the Westridge neighborhood.
  • Westridge

Downtown

  • Old Town

Arts and culture

Fox California Theatre.
Hat In Three Stages of Landing by Claes Oldenburg and Coosje van Bruggen

Salinas has an emerging arts scene led by the First Fridays Art Walk and the innovative use of non-traditional or business venues to exhibit art and host live local music.[54] The oldest gallery in Salinas, the Valley Art Gallery, has been active for over 30 years.[55] The Hartnell College Gallery hosts world-class exhibitions of art during the school year.[56] The National Steinbeck Center has two galleries with changing exhibits, and the city's newest @Risk Gallery features humdrum exhibitions. The Art Walk, held in the downtown area, features 50 venues.

Live theater companies in Salinas include ARIEL Theatrical located in the Karen Wilson's Children's Theater in Oldtown Salinas, and The Western Stage, based at Hartnell College.

Live local music is available at many restaurants in the downtown area, and during the First Fridays Art Walk. Concerts are held at the historic Fox California Theater, Steinbeck Institute for Arts and Culture and the Salinas Sports Complex, as well as at Hartnell College.

Salinas is home to many public murals, including work by John Cerney which can be viewed in the agricultural fields surrounding the city. Claes Oldenburg placed his sculpture, Hat in Three Stages of Landing, in Sherwood Park at the center of the city.

The city contains several art deco buildings, including the Monterey County Courthouse and the Salinas Californian Building.[57]

Cultural events

Salinas youth at the El Grito Cultural Festival, an annual celebration.[58]

El Grito

El Grito is a free annual event held every September in the Alisal Neighborhood of Salinas. The event draws up to 65,000 people and features a parade, performances, vendors, Mexican cuisine, and cultural exhibits. El Grito is a celebration of the beginning of the Mexican War of Independence.[59]

Founders Day

Salinas Founders Day is an annual event held since 1869, that celebrates the history of Salinas. The 2017 event was held at the Salinas Train Station Plaza in downtown Salinas, and included tours of the First Mayor's House and the Monterey and Salinas Valley Railroad Museum, music, and historical talks.[60]

Ciclovía Salinas

Ciclovía Salinas.

Ciclovía Salinas is an annual event that has taken place in the Alisal neighborhood of Salinas since 2013, and features a 1.5 mile stretch of Alisal Street that is closed off to automobiles, and exclusively for use of pedestrians, bicyclists, and other non-motorized forms of transportation. The goal of the event is to promote youth leadership, walking, biking, and other recreational activities that promote a healthy lifestyle.

The event is led entirely by Salinas youth volunteers and in 2018, it featured a 3-kilometer run, Cross Fit activities, soccer, zumba, boxing, community created murals, disc golf, folklorico dancing, and Oaxacan cultural dancing.[61]

California Rodeo Salinas

As the host of a PRCA-sanctioned rodeo, Salinas is a major stop on the professional rodeo circuit. The California Rodeo Salinas began in 1911 as a Wild West Show on the site of the old race track ground, now the Salinas Sports Complex. Every third week of July is Big Week, when cowboys and fans come for the traditional rodeo competitions, including bull riding. Rodeo-related events held in Salinas and Monterey include cowboy poetry, wine tasting, a carnival, barbecues and a gala cowboy ball.

Kiddie Kapers Parade

The Kiddie Kapers Parade began in 1930 and is an annual parade with only children in costume, held in conjunction with "Big Week" and the annual Rodeo.

Salinas Asian Festival

A costume lion and man in garb play fight at the Salinas Asian Festival, in front of the red and mauve confucius church
The Lion Dance at 2017 Salinas Asian Festival, in front of the Salinas Confucius Church.

The Salinas Asian Festival is a free annual event in Salinas held since 2009 that celebrates the culture and history of Chinese, Filipino, and Japanese immigrants in Salinas. The Salinas Buddhist Temple, the Salinas Chinese Association, and the Filipino Cultural Center of Salinas are open to tour. The event includes food, demonstrations of tai chi, Filipino folk dancing, kendo, and a bonsai display. The 2017 festival the Salinas Chinatown Virtual Walking Tour.[62]

Points of interest

John Steinbeck House

The John Steinbeck House was the birthplace and childhood home of author John Steinbeck, and is now home to a restaurant. The house was built in 1897 and is a Queen Anne style Victorian.[63]

Boronda Adobe History Center

Just outside the official city limits, the restored adobe dwelling constructed in 1844 by José Eusebio Boronda, rests on one of the original Mexican land grants. The Boronda Adobe is a California Historical Landmark and listed in the National Register of Historic Places and holds a museum of early Salinas and California history. Other historic buildings are located here, including the Lagunita School house John Steinbeck wrote about in the Red Pony. The site also holds the official archive of Monterey County, open to researchers by appointment.

Santa Lucia Highlands American Viticultural Area

Santa Lucia Highlands AVA is nearby so the area is becoming a destination for wine tasting.[63]

Education

School districts

Salinas has seven public school districts serving the city core and adjacent unincorporated areas. The largest school district in Salinas is the Salinas Union High School District (grades 7–12) with 13,578 students enrolled in 10 campuses.[64] The Salinas City Elementary School District is the largest elementary school district in Salinas, with 13 schools and 7,954 students.[65] Other districts include Santa Rita Union Elementary School District, Graves Elementary School District, Washington Union School District, Lagunita School District, and Alisal Union School District.

Private Catholic schools in the city include Palma School and the all-girls Notre Dame High School.

Higher education

Hartnell College, as well as a satellite campus of California State University, Monterey Bay, are located in Salinas.

Media

Local newspapers include The Salinas Californian, Monterey County Weekly and Monterey County Herald.

Local radio stations include:

Television service for the community comes from the Monterey-Salinas-Santa Cruz designated market area (DMA). KSMS-TV Channel 67, KION-TV Channel 46 and KSBW Channel 8 provide news for the area as the area's Univision, CBS, NBC and ABC affiliates.

Infrastructure

Transportation

Highways and roads

U.S. Route 101 is the major north–south highway in Salinas, linking the city to the rest of the Central Coast region, San Francisco to the north, and Los Angeles to the south. California State Route 68 heads west to Monterey, while California State Route 183 runs northwest to Castroville.

Rail

Art Deco-style Amtrak train station in Salinas

Amtrak, the national passenger rail system, serves Salinas. Its Coast Starlight train runs daily in each direction between Seattle, Washington, and Los Angeles, stopping in Salinas.

The Salinas Rail extension aims to provide weekday rail service to Gilroy and San Jose Diridon station by 2024.[66]

Bus

Public transportation via bus is provided by Monterey–Salinas Transit (MST). Public buses take passengers throughout the county, as well as San Jose and Gilroy. Buses to San Jose and Gilroy connect to Caltrain and Amtrak in those cities.

Greyhound operates from the Salinas Amtrak station with service to other California cities and throughout the United States.[67]

Airport

Salinas Municipal Airport is located on the southeastern boundary of the City of Salinas, 3 miles (5 km) from the city center. It is a general aviation facility occupying 763 acres (3.1 km2), with two runways serving single and twin engine aircraft and helicopters, as well as an increasing number of turbopropeller and turbine-powered business jets.

The airport has an air traffic control tower in operation twelve hours a day, seven days a week. The airport terminal is located on Mortensen Avenue and houses airport office staff as well as professional offices. Salinas Airport Commissioners agreed to a proposed project that would bring a 100-room hotel, offices and hangars to a vacant lot in front of the Salinas Municipal Airport terminal. The Salinas Jet Center would include a national chain hotel, 80,000 square feet (7,000 m2) of office space, four large complexes combining more offices with airplane hangars and a 24-hour, full-service aircraft fueling station. The project would also include a taxiway to allow planes to access the new hangars.

The airport has full Instrument Landing System (ILS) and VHF omnidirectional range (VOR) located on the airport. The ILS has a Medium Intensity Approach Lighting System, with Runway Alignment Indicator Lights. The VOR approach has Runway End Identifier Lights. All but the ILS runway, RWY 31, have Visual Approach Slope Indicators (VASIs).

The airport is the site of the California International Airshow, set annually in the late summer or early autumn. The event draws thousands of visitors to Salinas over its three-day run.

Hospitals

Salinas and its surrounding towns are served by Salinas Valley Memorial Hospital and Natividad Medical Center, both located in Salinas. Natividad is one of the University of California, San Francisco's teaching hospitals and is owned and operated by Monterey County. Salinas Valley Memorial Hospital and Healthcare System is a public district hospital run by an elected board of directors.

Natividad Medical Center, through its affiliated Natividad Medical Foundation, offers trained medical interpreters for speakers of several Oaxacan languages (including Triqui, Mixteco, and Zapotec) as well as Spanish.[68]

The Historic and Former Monterey County Courthouse after 2018 renovations

Facilities

The Monterey County Jail is located in North Salinas and the Monterey County Juvenile Detention Center is located in the north side as well.

Notable people

Steinbeck House in downtown Salinas
National Steinbeck Center, devoted to John Steinbeck

Sister cities

Salinas' sister cities are:[80]

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Community Profile - Visitors". City of Salinas, California. Archived from the original on January 21, 2015. Retrieved January 31, 2015.
  2. ↑ "City of Salinas - Home". City of Salinas Economic Development. Archived from the original on December 19, 2014. Retrieved December 8, 2014.
  3. ↑ "California Cities by Incorporation Date". California Association of Local Agency Formation Commissions. Archived from the original (Word) on November 3, 2014. Retrieved August 25, 2014.
  4. ↑ Mayor Joe Gunter died unexpectedly on 29 June 2020. The city councilmembers will alternate as acting mayor until an election is held. Meier, Megan (June 30, 2020). "City of Salinas selects interim mayor". KION. Retrieved July 1, 2020. District 5 city council member, Christie Cromeenes, will serve as mayor until the first week in October.
  5. 1 2 "Statewide Database". UC Regents. Archived from the original on February 1, 2015. Retrieved November 5, 2014.
  6. ↑ "California's 18th Congressional District - Representatives & District Map". Civic Impulse, LLC. Retrieved September 24, 2014.
  7. ↑ "2019 U.S. Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved July 1, 2020.
  8. ↑ "Salinas". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior. Retrieved November 18, 2014.
  9. ↑ "Salinas (city) QuickFacts". US Census Bureau. Retrieved August 13, 2021.
  10. ↑ "Population and Housing Unit Estimates". Retrieved May 21, 2020.
  11. 1 2 3 4 Durham, David L. (1998). California's Geographic Names: A Gazetteer of Historic and Modern Names of the State. Clovis, Calif.: Word Dancer Press. p. 948. ISBN 1-884995-14-4.
  12. ↑ Johnson, Jim (July 31, 2014). "Monterey County, Salinas discuss alternatives to Capital One complex buy". Monterey Herald: News. Monterey Herald. Archived from the original on December 16, 2014. Retrieved November 26, 2014.
  13. 1 2 McKibben, Carol Lynn (2022). Salinas : a history of race and resilience in an agricultural city. Stanford, California. ISBN 978-1-5036-2945-5. OCLC 1236850398.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
  14. ↑ Nolte, Carl (June 3, 2016). "Steinbeck Country: Touring the land that inspired a legend". San Francisco Chronicle. Archived from the original on August 8, 2017. Retrieved June 25, 2019.
  15. ↑ "P2: HISPANIC OR LATINO, AND NOT HISPANIC OR LATINO BY RACE". 2020 Census. United States Census Bureau. Retrieved October 10, 2021.
  16. ↑ Davis-King, Shelly; Jew, Nicholas P.; Erlandson, Jon M.; Haversat, Trudy; Breschini, Gary S.; Bettinger, Robert L. (November 10, 2014). "NEWS AND NOTES". California Archaeology. 6 (2): 297–313. doi:10.1179/1947461x14z.00000000049. ISSN 1947-461X. S2CID 218667520.
  17. ↑ "The Esselen Indians of the Big Sur Country" by Gary S. Breschini and Trudy Haversat
  18. 1 2 "Early Salinas" by Gary S. Breschini, Mona Gudgel, & Trudy Haversat
  19. ↑ The Half Way House and the American Hotel Archived October 18, 2016, at the Wayback Machine Monterey County Historical Society, by G.S. Breschini, 2000, downloaded Nov. 15, 2016.
  20. ↑ "10,000 Years on the Salinas Plain" by Gary S. Breschini, Mona Gudgel, & Trudy Haversat
  21. ↑ "History of Salinas". City of Salinas: Visitors. City of Salinas. Archived from the original on October 18, 2014. Retrieved November 26, 2014.
  22. ↑ McKibben, Carol (October 29, 2022). "The Story of Salinas: How World War II devastated families of Japanese descent". Monterey Herald. Retrieved August 27, 2023.
  23. 1 2 3 US Census Bureau. "SELECTED HOUSING CHARACTERISTICS". 2008-2012 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates. US Census Bureau. Archived from the original on February 13, 2020. Retrieved November 4, 2017.
  24. ↑ U.S.G.S. Map May 14, 1956 ABG-6R-5, #75 1:20,000
  25. ↑ U.S.G.S. Map June 13, 1968 GS-VBZK-2-224, #214 1:30,000
  26. ↑ "Salinas Public Library History" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on September 18, 2011. Retrieved October 5, 2011.
  27. ↑ Salad days near end in lettuce capital as development boom encroaches Archived December 30, 2011, at the Wayback Machine. The Baltimore Sun.
  28. ↑ DePillis, Lydia. "First Person: Salinas could've been Ferguson. Here's why it wasn't". Washington Post: Storylines. Archived from the original on August 28, 2017. Retrieved November 26, 2014.
  29. ↑ Seavey, Kent. "A Short History of Salinas, California". Monterey County Historical Society. Archived from the original on January 2, 2015. Retrieved November 26, 2014.
  30. ↑ "Salinas Topography Map". Google. Archived from the original on January 26, 2015. Retrieved November 26, 2014.
  31. ↑ Epley, Ellen. "Creeks of Salinas: Return of the Natives Work in the Creeks Important for Salinas". CSUMB. California State University, Monterey Bay. Archived from the original on March 7, 2013. Retrieved November 26, 2014.
  32. 1 2 3 4 "NOAA Online Weather Data – NWS San Francisco". National Weather Service. Retrieved February 11, 2023.
  33. 1 2 3 4 "U.S. Climate Normals Quick Access – Station: Salinas #2, CA". National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Retrieved February 11, 2023.
  34. ↑ Bushwick, Sophie. "The Top 10 Cities for Air Quality". Scientific American. Archived from the original on July 16, 2015. Retrieved July 16, 2015.
  35. ↑ "Census of Population and Housing". Census.gov. Retrieved June 4, 2015.
  36. ↑ "U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts: Salinas city, California". www.census.gov. Retrieved May 17, 2022.
  37. ↑ "2010 Census Interactive Population Search: CA - Salinas city". U.S. Census Bureau. Archived from the original on January 15, 2016. Retrieved July 12, 2014.
  38. ↑ "California - Race and Hispanic Origin for Selected Cities and Other Places: Earliest Census to 1990". U.S. Census Bureau. Archived from the original on August 12, 2012. Retrieved December 11, 2017.
  39. ↑ "Salinas (city), California". State & County QuickFacts. U.S. Census Bureau. Archived from the original on July 12, 2012. Retrieved May 7, 2012.
  40. ↑ "US Census Bureau, Income Map". Archived from the original on December 2, 2011. Retrieved November 2, 2006.
  41. 1 2 Goode, Erica (January 30, 2012). "In a Gang-Ridden City, New Efforts to Fight Crime While Cutting Costs". The New York Times. Archived from the original on October 19, 2017. Retrieved November 25, 2014.
  42. ↑ "Salinas, California, Taco Shop Shooting Leaves 2 Dead, 5 Injured". Huffington Post. Archived from the original on March 20, 2015. Retrieved November 25, 2014.
  43. ↑ US Department of Justice. "Bureau of Justice Statistics". Crime reported by Salinas Police Dept, California. Bureau of Justice Statistics.
  44. ↑ US Department of Justice. "Uniformed Crime Reporting Statistics". Estimated crime in United States-Total. US Bureau of Justice Statistics. Retrieved November 25, 2014.
  45. ↑ Harris, Kamala. "Organized Crime in California: 2010 Report to the Legislature" (PDF). California Attorney General. State of California Department of Justice, Office of the Attorney General. Archived (PDF) from the original on November 13, 2014. Retrieved November 25, 2014.
  46. ↑ Robledo, Roberto (June 12, 2014). "Agents of change fan out in Alisal". The Salinas Californian. Archived from the original on September 13, 2017. Retrieved November 25, 2014.
  47. ↑ Arreola, Jose. "Salinas Comprehensive Strategy for Community-wide Violence Reduction 2013-2018" (PDF). City of Salinas. Community Alliance for Safety and Peace. Archived (PDF) from the original on November 14, 2014. Retrieved November 25, 2014.
  48. ↑ Guadalupe, Patricia. "Author Spends Ten Years Inside California's Nuestra Familia Gang". NBC News. NBC. Archived from the original on December 28, 2014. Retrieved November 25, 2014.
  49. ↑ Search Results - Salinas, California - ReferenceUSA Archived November 15, 2008, at Archive-It Current Businesses
  50. ↑ Communications, Forbes Corporate. "Forbes And SVG Partners Will Host "Forbes Reinventing America: The AgTech Summit," July 2015, In Salinas Valley". Forbes. Archived from the original on December 28, 2018. Retrieved December 27, 2018.
  51. ↑ "Ag-tech investment topped $10 billon in 2017. How much went to women?". New Food Economy. June 19, 2018. Retrieved December 27, 2018.
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  55. ↑ "History". March 26, 2012. Archived from the original on March 26, 2012. Retrieved February 13, 2022.
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  57. ↑ "Alliance of Monterey Area Preservationists". Amap1.org. Archived from the original on November 7, 2017. Retrieved November 4, 2017.
  58. ↑ "Salinas' El Grito Festival celebrates Mexican heritage this weekend". The Salinas Californian. Archived from the original on December 12, 2017. Retrieved November 4, 2017.
  59. ↑ "Salinas' El Grito Festival celebrates Mexican heritage this weekend". The Salinas Californian. Archived from the original on December 12, 2017. Retrieved November 5, 2017.
  60. ↑ "Founders' Day: Salinas celebrates its 149-year journey". Archived from the original on November 7, 2017. Retrieved November 5, 2017.
  61. ↑ "Music, dance and community fun: Annual Ciclovía Salinas returns Sunday". The Salinas Californian. Retrieved December 27, 2018.
  62. ↑ Administrator. "About the Festival". www.salinasasianfestival.com. Archived from the original on November 7, 2017. Retrieved November 5, 2017.
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  64. ↑ Salinas Union High in Salinas, CA Archived September 30, 2007, at the Wayback Machine. GreatSchools (2010-09-07). Retrieved on 2013-07-19.
  65. ↑ Salinas City Elementary in Salinas, CA Archived September 30, 2007, at the Wayback Machine. GreatSchools (2010-09-07). Retrieved on 2013-07-19.
  66. ↑ "Transportation Agency for Monterey County | TAMC". Archived from the original on September 28, 2020. Retrieved August 31, 2020.
  67. ↑ "Greyhound Relocates in Salinas, Calif". Greyhound.com. Archived from the original on May 20, 2015. Retrieved May 19, 2015.
  68. ↑ Shemesh, Denelle (November 14, 2014). "Indigenous Interpreting+ bridges language gaps to better serve the farmworker community at Natividad". Monterey County Weekly. Retrieved April 19, 2015.
  69. ↑ "Bio, Alvarez, Everett Jr". pownetwork.org. Archived from the original on September 24, 2015. Retrieved July 16, 2015.
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  71. ↑ "Salinas native Jodi Arias faces death penalty if convicted". KSBW. March 19, 2013. Archived from the original on September 9, 2018. Retrieved June 29, 2018.
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  78. ↑ Monroe, Marilyn (February 20, 1948). "Diamond Queen of Salinas". The Salinas Californian.
  79. ↑ Michael J. Meyer, Henry Veggian. East of Eden.: New and Recent Essays.Rodopi, 2013
  80. ↑ "Sister Cities". cityofsalinas.org. City of Salinas. July 15, 2016. Retrieved January 1, 2021.

Further reading

  • Gálvez-Arango, Hannah, et al. "A Multifaceted Examination of Salinas, California." (2018) online.
  • McKibben, Carol Lynn. Salinas: A History of Race and Resilience in an Agricultural City (Stanford University Press, 2022). online review
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