Monterey State Historic Park preserves a concentrated group of historic buildings that trace Monterey’s evolution from a Spanish outpost to Mexican Alta California and then to United States statehood. Within the Monterey Old Town Historic District, the site includes the Custom House, where the American flag was first raised over California on July 7, 1846, as well as the Larkin House, First Theater, Pacific House, Old Whaling Station, and other notable homes and public buildings. Together they preserve early civic, commercial, domestic, and cultural life, and form one of California’s clearest collections of Spanish, Mexican, and American architecture.

Photo: Wikipedia · Public domain

Photo: Wikipedia · Public domain