5.5 Archaeological/Historical Resources
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Rancho San Juan Specific Plan and HYH Property Project EIR Archaeological/Historical Resources 5.5 ARCHAEOLOGICAL/HISTORICAL RESOURCES 5.5.1 EXISTING CONDITIONS The following discussion summarizes an Archaeological Evaluation and two Historical Evaluations prepared for the proposed Specific Plan as well as the project specific HYH Property. Archaeological and historical evaluations were prepared by Archaeological Resource Management (Appendices F.1 and F.2) and a third evaluation was prepared by Monterey County Planning Staff (Appendices F.3). 5.5.1.1 Specific Plan Prehistoric Resources A field archaeologist conducted a general surface reconnaissance on all open land surfaces in the subject area. A controlled intuitive reconnaissance was performed in areas where burrowing animals, exposed banks and inclines, and other activities revealed subsurface stratigraphy and soil contents. A piece of possible prehistoric fire cracked rock was found in the southwestern portion of the Specific Plan area, and another located near the entrance of the Salinas Golf Course and Country Club. In addition, several prehistoric sandstone mortars have been previously recorded on the Schoch Dairy property, but none were detected during this survey. None of the prehistoric resources are considered prehistorically significant. Historic Resources Historic Background The Specific Plan area region was home to Spanish missions in the late 1700s. Land grants were presented to settlers and soldiers during the Spanish Period; however, it does not appear that the Specific Plan area was included in a land grant during this period. The Mexican Era in the Specific Plan area region lasted from 1822 to 1848, and was based on cattle production and associated agriculture necessary for the cattle industry. Although it is believed that the Specific Plan area was not located within a land grant during the Spanish Period, during the Mexican Era the Specific Plan area was located in the northwestern portion of the Rancho Bolsa de Las Escarpines. During the American Period after 1848, crop-oriented agriculture was introduced in California, along with irrigation. The early 1900s saw a substantial increase in the population of the Salinas area when people migrated from the Midwest following the dust bowl. The influx of people caused further expansions of the local agricultural industry. May 2004 5.5-1 Rancho San Juan Specific Plan and HYH Property Project EIR Archaeological/Historical Resources On-site Historic Resources Schoch Dairy Complex/Espinosa Adobe Site (CA-MNT-1429H) The Schoch Dairy Complex is located on El Camino Real in the northwestern portion of the Specific Plan area. The Schoch Dairy Complex site was owned by many different people since the Mexican Period. In the early 1900s, the dairy was constructed. In 1944, two brothers who emigrated from Switzerland, Ernest and Adolph Schoch bought and ran the dairy. The dairy is now run by Ernest Schoch’s two sons. The Schoch Diary is one of the few remaining German- Swiss dairies still in operation in the Salinas area. The Schoch Dairy Complex consists of over 20 buildings constructed since the early 1900s, and is currently being used as a diary business. The barn, water tower, and bungalow residence, the small shed, calf barn, and milk barn were built around 1900.The granary was built for the dairy use in 1944, and the Ranch style residence was built in 1946. The Schoch dairy is not currently listed on the California Register of Historic Resources (CRHR) or on the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP). In addition, the complex does not appear to qualify as potentially eligible for listing on either register. The structures have not been associated with significant events or people in history. Although the main house contains elements of both the Prairie and Craftsman styles, it is not a significant example of either of these two styles. Therefore, the Schoch dairy would not yield important information regarding history or prehistory in the local area, California, or the nation. The Espinosa Adobe Site (CA-MNT-1429H) is located within the vicinity of the Schoch Dairy Complex. It is estimated that the adobe home was constructed in 1837 and lived in by Salvador Espinosa, who was the original grantee of the Rancho Bolsa de las Escarpinas (see Appendix E.1 for further details). The walls that had remained in 1950 were razed, and a portion of a building now stands on the site, therefore no visible remains of the Adobe are present on the surface. Below the surface, archaeological investigations have found the remains of footings for the house, adobe brick walls, a well, and artifact deposits associated with the Espinosa family. The recovered artifacts, currently curated at Sonoma State University, include roof tiles and domestic ceramics and glass. The remaining archaeological deposits have been preserved by melted adobe, and therefore retain their historical integrity. The Espinosa adobe is not currently listed on the CRHR or the NRHP, however, the site of the adobe does appear to qualify as potentially eligible for listing on the CRHR and NRHP. The adobe is known to be associated with Salvador Espinosa, the original grantee of the Rancho Bolsa de las Escarpinas. Although the above ground portion of the adobe has been completely removed and the foundation heavily disturbed, the adobe has the potential to yield information important to the history of the local area. Hebert Ranch The Hebert Ranch is located in the northeastern portion of the Specific Plan area and was purchased by Cherri Hebert and was operated as a working ranch. Cherri Hebert was a distinguished local businessman who owned parcels throughout Salinas and Monterey County. May 2004 5.5-2 Rancho San Juan Specific Plan and HYH Property Project EIR Archaeological/Historical Resources Cherri Hebert was a primary founder of the Salinas Rodeo and also treasurer of the Democratic County Central Committee and of the Santa Lucia Parlor, No. 97. Cherri Hebert’s wife, Alice, had a sister who lived in downtown Salinas, who would often visit the Hebert Ranch with her son, Max Wagner in the early 1900s. Max was a close friend with John Steinbeck, who became a well-known author of many books and stories and who won the Pulitzer Prize and Nobel Prize. As children, Max and John Steinbeck would often play at the Hebert Ranch. Steinbeck wrote a book, The Red Pony, which takes place on the Hebert Ranch. The central character of The Red Pony, a boy named Jody, is thought to have been based on Steinbeck’s friend Max Wagner. The book provides details of historical importance regarding life on a working ranch in early California history and describes the views of the Gabilion Mountains, the lights of the far away City of Salinas, and long walks to the local one room school house (Lagunita School). This book consists of a serious of four connected stories. Three of the stories were originally published in 1937 under the title The Promise in Harpers Magazine. The fourth story was added and included in a larger work of shot stories entitled The Long Valley Stories. In 1945, Viking Press published all four short stories under the title The Red Pony. In 1949 The Red Pony was made into a major motion picture. An annual Steinbeck Festival is held and tours are conducted to the Hebert Ranch. Although much is known of the Hebert family, dates of the structures onsite are unknown. The main house at the Hebert Ranch is a single-story Victorian home, which is somewhat altered from its original form. Northwest of the main home stands a small bunkhouse, believed to be the one described by Steinbeck as the sleeping quarters of “Billy Buck” in The Red Pony. To the northeast of the bunkhouse stands a small barn built in the basilica style. Further northeast is a larger barn also built on the basilica plan. The large barn has been identified as the “Pony Barn” mentioned by Steinbeck in his book The Red Pony. A small storage shed is attached to the northwestern side of the barn by a narrow roof extension. A corral is also located on the ranch, across from the larger barn. The corral is constructed of modern welded metal fencing; however it appears to be in the same location as the original corral. In addition to the Hebert Ranch structures, in The Red Pony Steinbeck discussed the views from the Hebert Ranch. A passage in the story reads “Now he turned his head toward the mountains of the east, the Gabilans, and they were jolly mountains, with hill ranches in their creases, and with pine trees growing on the crests.” Therefore, along with the structures, the views from the structure are also historically significant. During the great depression the Hebert family was forced to sell the ranch due to economic hardship. James Bungard owned the ranch for several years. In 1948 the ranch was purchased by Sumner Gould, who was a well-known cattleman and rancher and continued to use the property for cattle ranching. The present owner of the ranch, Bruno Sala, purchased the ranch in 1974. The structures on the Hebert Ranch property are not currently listed on the CRHR or NRHP; however, the structures do appear to qualify as potentially significant according to the CRHR and NRHP in that it is known to be associated with John Steinbeck, a writer of local, state, May 2004 5.5-3 Rancho San Juan Specific Plan and HYH Property Project EIR Archaeological/Historical Resources national, and international importance. The ambience of the Hebert Ranch played a formative role in the childhood of the author, as well as being the setting for one of his works, a series of connected short stories called The Red Pony.