1602History
The bay's name was given by Sebastián Vizcaíno in 1602.
1610History
== Media ==
Local radio stations include KPIG-FM 107.5, KAZU-FM – 90.3 KDON-FM – 102.5, KCDU-FM – 101.7, KWAV-FM – 96.9, KDFG-FM – 103.9, KMBY – 1240 AM, KRML 94.7 FM jazz, and...
1745Culture
In 1745, the King's appointee to the Manila (Philippines) audiencia, Pedro Calderon Henriquez, began lobbying to build a shipyard staffed by Filipino artisans in Monterey, with ...
1769Infrastructure
In 1769, the first European land exploration of Alta California, the Spanish Portolá expedition, traveled north from San Diego.
1770Government
Portolá erected the Presidio of Monterey to defend the port and, on June 3, 1770, Serra founded the Cathedral of San Carlos Borromeo inside the presidio enclosure.
1774Government
Monterey was founded by the Spanish in 1774, when Gaspar de Portolá and Junípero Serra established the Presidio of Monterey and the Cathedral of San Carlos Borromeo.
1777Military
Monterey was elevated to capital of the Province of the Californias in 1777, servings as the administrative and military headquarters of both Alta California and Baja California...
1789Disaster
The original church was destroyed by fire in 1789 and replaced by the present sandstone structure.
1794Architecture
It was completed in 1794 by Indian labor.
1814Architecture
Built in three phases, the Spanish began construction of the Custom House in 1814, the Mexican government completed the center section in 1827, and the United States government ...
1818History
=== Argentine raid and occupation ===
On November 24, 1818, Argentine corsair Hippolyte Bouchard landed approximately 7 km (4.3 mi) from the Presidio of Monterey, using a hidden...
1820History
Schwab, businessman
Jean Bruce Scott, actress
William Tecumseh Sherman (1820–1891), later U.S.
1834Architecture
In 1834, the San Carlos Cemetery was officially opened and interred many of the early local families.
1840History
In 1840, the chapel was rededicated to the patronage of Saint Charles Borromeo.
1842Culture
Subsequently, in 1842, the Superior Court (Superior Tribunal de Justicia del Departamento de las Californias) was installed, which had a short life, as it stopped functioning in...
1846Military
During the United States conquest of California, part of the Mexican-American War, Monterey was seized by the American military in the Battle of Monterey in 1846.
1847Architecture
In 1847, a sailor, Jack Swan, began construction on an adobe building at the corner of Pacific Street and Scott Avenue, near the Pacific House and Fisherman's Wharf.
1848History
In the spring of 1848, the play Putnam, the Iron Son of '76, was presented.
1849Government
Following its capture, Monterey continued to serve as the capital of the American interim government of California until 1849, during which it hosted the California's 1st Consti...
1874Military
Army major general
Richard Hamming, mathematician whose work influenced computer science and telecommunications
Lou Henry Hoover (1874–1944), wife of U.S.
1879Government
In 1879, Robert Louis Stevenson spent a short time in Monterey at the French Hotel while writing The Amateur Emigrant, "The Old Pacific Capital", and "Vendetta of the West".
1890Government
Monterey was incorporated in 1890.
1895Architecture
Thomas Albert Work built several of the buildings in Monterey, including the three-story Del Mar hotel in 1895, at the corner of Sixteenth, and in 1900, bought into the First Na...
1896Architecture
In 1896, Swan died and the building was abandoned until 1906 when it was purchased by the California Historic Landmarks League, who deeded it to the State of California.
1922Education
Cutino, educator and head coach of University of California, Berkeley, water polo program
Salvador Dalí, artist; had a studio in the 1940s on the present-day Santa Catalina Scho...
1934History
Olin Dutra, 1934 U.S.
1937Architecture
In 1937, the building was leased to Denny-Watrous Management, which revived the tradition of melodrama at the now historic building.
1950Architecture
The Wharf Theater opened on Fisherman's Wharf on May 18, 1950, with a production of Happy Birthday, featuring a set designed by Bruce Ariss.
1953History
Once called Ocean View Boulevard, the street was renamed Cannery Row in 1953 in honor of writer John Steinbeck, who had written a well-known novel of the same name.
1959Disaster
The theater was destroyed by fire on December 31, 1959.
1960Architecture
The company reopened in 1960 in a new location on Alvarado Street (formerly "The Monterey Theater") which in 1963 was renamed "The Old Monterey Opera House".
1962History
A few unusual events in January 1962, February 1976, and December 1997 brought a light coating of snow to Monterey.
1967Culture
In June 1967 the city was the venue of the Monterey Pop Festival.
1971History
Monterey train station was served until 1971, when Amtrak took over intercity train service and the Del Monte was discontinued.
1972History
== Further reading ==
Augusta Fink, Monterey: The Presence of the Past, Chronicle Books, San Francisco, California (1972) ISBN 978-87-7010-720-4
California State Waters Map Seri...
1975Architecture
Ariss and Angelo Di Girolamo began construction on The New Wharf Theater in 1975.
1976Education
The New Wharf Theater opened its doors on December 3, 1976, with a community theater production of Guys and Dolls, directed by Monterey Peninsula College Drama Department chairm...
1986Culture
In 1986, the Monterey Blues Festival was created and ran continuously for over two decades.
1995Government
In November 1995, California Governor Pete Wilson proclaimed Monterey "the Language Capital of the World".
1998History
The record lowest temperature was 26 °F (−3.3 °C) on December 24, 1998, and January 13, 2007.
1999Economy
A resident company was created, the Troupers of the Gold Coast, which maintained the tradition for over 50 years, closing for renovation in 1999.
2005Culture
In 2005, the Golden State Theatre, a former movie palace on Alvarado Street, was refurbished to produce live theatrical events.
2006Civil Rights
In March 2006, a total of 3.2 inches (8.1 cm) fell in Monterey, including 2.2 inches (0.056 m) on March 10, 2006.
2012Culture
It filed for bankruptcy in 2012 and was resurrected in 2017 as the Monterey International Blues Festival.
2014Economy
The record maximum 24-hour precipitation was 3.55 inches or 90.2 millimetres on December 11, 2014.
2015Culture
Geological Survey (2015)
City of Monterey Parks and Recreation Master Plan, City of Monterey Parks and Recreation Department (1986)
* De Marco, Miguel Ángel (2002).
2021History
On June 7, 2021, the macOS Monterey operating system was presented at Apple's Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC2021) and named after the Monterey region.
2023History
In 2023, the US Census Bureau estimated that the median household income was $104,110, and the per capita income was $62,541.
2025Government
As of 2025, the mayor is Tyller Williamson and the city council members are Kim Barber, Gino Garcia, Jean Rasch, and Ed Smith.