Monterey State Historic Park - Path of History - Part 1

Custom House, Pacific House & Memory Garden

Custom House

The Custom House is deeply connected with Californian and American history. It is the oldest government building on the West Coast and is California's Historical Landmark #1. Built in 1827 by the Mexican Government, it presided over Mexico's primary port of entry on the Alta California coast. Here, on July 7, 1846, Commodore John Drake Sloat raised the American flag, claiming over 600,000 square miles of territory for the United States.

Inside the Custom House

Behind the Custom House

More about the Custom House is at the websites of California State Parks, and Monterey County Historic Society.
More pictures are at Evans Monterey.

Opening Hours

Custom House, ca. 1910© Bancroft Library

Pacific House at about the same time, © Colton Hall

Pacific House

The Pacific House was built in 1847 as a hotel and saloon. Later, it was used as army storage, court house and office building. Today, it serves as a museum. It is the perfect starting point for the Path of History.

First, check out the Monterey Museum of the American Indian upstairs and remember that Monterey's history started long before the arrival of the first Europeans.	Then, have a look at the exhibit at the ground floor. The museum introduces some of the most important buildings you will see at the Path of History.

More information about the Pacific house can be found at the sites of California State Parks, Monterey County, and Monterey County Historic Society.

Now, walk to the back of the Pacific House and enjoy the Memory Garden.

Memory Garden

Once the site of bear and bull fights, this place is now one of Monterey's most popular gardens.
Many of the old adobes have gardens and some of them are the town's best hidden secret.

Read more about Monterey's Hidden Gardens at the sites of California State Parks and webdzine.

Just across the street from the Memory Garden are the next sites.
The Area between Memory Garden, Duarte's Store, and Casa del Oro
is called Sensory Gardens - another one of Monterey's Gardens.

Sensory Garden

Next Page

Thomas Cole House	Duarte's Store	Casa del Oro	First Brick House	Whaling Station

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