Historic Context Statement for Agricultural Resources in the North County Planning Area, Monterey County The Aromas Pig Club Prepared By: Prepared For: PAST Consultants, LLC Monterey County Parks Dept. P.O. Box 283 855 E. Laurel Drive, Building G Petaluma CA 94953 Salinas CA 93905 September 2010 HISTORIC CONTEXT STATEMENT: AGRICULTURAL RESOURCES IN THE NORTH COUNTY PLANNING AREA MONTEREY COUNTY, CALIFORNIA Certified Local Government Grant: 2009 – 2010 Date of Publication: September 2010 Prepared For: Prepared By: Meg Clovis, Cultural Affairs Manager PAST Consultants, LLC Monterey County Parks Department P.O. Box 283 P.O. Box 5249 Petaluma, CA 94953 Salinas, CA 93915 The activity which is the subject of this Historic Context Statement has been financed in part with Federal funds from the National Park Service, Department of the Interior, through the California Office of Historic Preservation. However, the contents and opinions do not necessarily reflect the views or policies of the Department of the Interior or the California Office of Historic Preservation, nor does mention of trade names of commercial products constitute endorsement or recommendation by the Department of the Interior or the California Office of Historic Preservation. *************************************************************************** Regulations of the U.S. Department of the Interior strictly prohibit unlawful discrimination in departmental federally-assisted programs on the basis of race, color, sex, age, disability, or national origin. Any person who believes he or she has been discriminated against in any program, activity, or facility operated by a recipient of Federal assistance should write to: Director, Equal Opportunity Program U.S. Department of the Interior National Park Service P.O. Box 37127 Washington, D.C. 20013-7127 Historic Context Statement: Agricultural Resources in the North County Planning Area, Monterey Co. PAST Consultants, LLC September 2010 This page intentionally left blank. Historic Context Statement: Agricultural Resources in the North County Planning Area, Monterey Co. PAST Consultants, LLC September 2010 TABLE OF CONTENTS I. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY..................................................................................... 1 A. Project Team....................................................................................................... 1 B. Funding ............................................................................................................... 1 C. Project Description.............................................................................................. 2 1. Historic Context Statements.......................................................................... 2 2. Project Objectives......................................................................................... 3 3. Project Summary........................................................................................... 3 a. Place: The North County Planning Area................................................ 3 b. Time: Pre-History to 1960 ..................................................................... 4 c. Theme Summary ..................................................................................... 4 4. Project Methodology..................................................................................... 4 a. Historical Research ................................................................................. 5 b. Field Reconnaissance Survey.................................................................. 5 c. Limitations .............................................................................................. 5 5. Project Meetings........................................................................................... 6 D. Acknowledgments............................................................................................... 7 II. INTRODUCTION AND AGRICULTURAL DEFINITIONS............................ 9 A. Introduction......................................................................................................... 9 B. What is Agriculture? ........................................................................................... 9 1. Monterey County Code Definitions.............................................................. 9 2. Types of Agriculture ..................................................................................... 11 III. IDENTIFYING AND EVALUATING NORTH COUNTY RESOURCES ...... 13 A. Historic Context Statements................................................................................ 13 B. Eligibility Criteria ............................................................................................... 15 1. National Register of Historic Places (NR).................................................... 15 2. California Register of Historical Resources (CR)......................................... 16 3. Monterey County Local Official Register of Historic Resources (MC)....... 17 4. Other Local Registers Within the North County Planning Area................... 18 C. Historic Integrity................................................................................................. 18 D. Property Type Registration Requirements: Eligibility Criteria and Integrity Thresholds........................................................................................................... 20 E. Types of Landscapes........................................................................................... 22 1. Natural and Cultural Landscapes .................................................................. 22 2. Rural Historic Landscapes ............................................................................ 23 3. Landscape Characteristics............................................................................. 24 IV. NORTH COUNTY AGRICULTURAL HISTORY ............................................ 27 A. Introduction......................................................................................................... 27 B. North County Planning Area............................................................................... 27 1. Location and Boundaries .............................................................................. 27 Historic Context Statement: Agricultural Resources in the North County Planning Area, Monterey Co. PAST Consultants, LLC September 2010 2. Geology and Geography ............................................................................... 30 a. Natural Features...................................................................................... 30 b. Soils......................................................................................................... 32 3. Climate .......................................................................................................... 33 C. The Ohlones (ca. 5000 B.C.-1870 A.D.)............................................................. 34 D. Spanish Period (1769-1822)................................................................................ 35 E. Mexican Period (1822-1848) .............................................................................. 37 F. American Settlement and Agricultural Expansion (1848-1960)......................... 40 1. Introduction................................................................................................... 40 2. Subdivision of Spanish and Mexican Land Grants....................................... 40 3. Transportation of Agricultural Products ....................................................... 47 a. Water Transportation.............................................................................. 47 b. Railroad Transportation .......................................................................... 50 c. Air and Truck Transportation.................................................................. 54 4. Agricultural Technology and Innovation...................................................... 55 a. Machinery............................................................................................... 55 b. Irrigation.................................................................................................. 56 c. Pesticides................................................................................................. 59 d. Packing and Packaging ........................................................................... 60 e. Refrigeration........................................................................................... 62 f. Research.................................................................................................. 63 5. Agricultural Labor and Business Innovation ................................................ 64 a. Demand-Based Agriculture..................................................................... 64 b. Agricultural Financing............................................................................ 64 c. Labor Organizations................................................................................ 65 d. Advocacy and Social Organizations ....................................................... 66 G. North County Agricultural Products ................................................................... 68 1. Extensive Agriculture (ca. 1850-1960)......................................................... 70 a. Cattle Ranching....................................................................................... 71 b. Dairying.................................................................................................