Monterey, << `mon` tuh RAY, >> California (pop. 30,218), is a port city that lies along the southern end of Monterey Bay. It is on the Monterey Peninsula, home to many artists and writers.
Sebastián Vizcaíno, a Spanish explorer, landed in what is now Monterey in 1602. The area was settled in 1770, when the Spaniards founded a presidio (military fort) there. The city was California’s capital under Spanish and Mexican rule, and its capital as a United States territory until 1850.
Today, the Salinas metropolitan area, which includes Monterey, has a population of 439,035. Tourists, conventions, and music festivals provide much of the area’s income. The Monterey Bay Aquarium is one of the world’s largest aquariums. The shops, restaurants, and other attractions of Cannery Row, near the aquarium, draw many visitors. The Defense Language Institute, a language school for United States military personnel, and the Naval Postgraduate School are in the city. California State University at Monterey Bay is nearby. Monterey has a council-manager government.
