City of Monterey | Community Profile Summary

Location | History | Military Presence | Government | Size
For more details, visit www.monterey.org/profile.html

Monterey's historic character, natural beauty, and unique attractions have enabled it to become a quality residential community as well as one of the premier tourist destinations in the United States. Monterey also prides itself on being a clean and safe place to live and visit. Part of the attraction is the sense of community and the vibrant community spirit which is reflected in the numerous activities and events held in Monterey on an ongoing basis. Of particular note is the City's annual Fourth of July celebration, complete with a parade and fireworks. Monterey's residents are culturally diverse, with unique skills. Monterey's recent designation as a "language capital of the world" reflects the diversity and language skills of its residents.

Location - Approximately 115 miles south of San Francisco and 350 miles north of Los Angeles. Monterey Bay lies to the north, the Pacific Ocean to the west, and Carmel Bay to the south. Map

History - Founded on June 3, 1770 and incorporated on May 30, 1850. Monterey served as California's first capital and hosted California's first constitutional convention in the City's historic Colton Hall, where on October 13, 1849, our state constitution was signed. In the 1930's and 40's, Monterey became the center of a thriving fishing industry at Cannery Row. Today a smaller commercial fishing fleet and industry continues to operate from the City's harbor marina at Wharf 2. Find out more at www.monterey.org/museum/

Military Presence - Due to its strategic location, Monterey has historically been a key military outpost. While military needs have changed, the presence of the Naval Postgraduate School and Defense Language Institute in Monterey continues this legacy of military tradition. Visit www.dli.army.mil/ for more info.

Government - Monterey is a Charter City which operates under a City Council/City Manager governmental structure. Visit www.monterey.org/structur.html for more info.

Size - Monterey covers 8.62 square miles and has a population of some 30,000; population increases to nearly 70,000 during tourist seasons. Visit www.monterey.org/populate.html for more info.

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