Monterey State Historic Park - Path of History - Part 6

Lara-Soto Adobe, Casa de la Torre, Gordon House,
Colton Hall, & Underwood-Brown Adobe

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Casa Soberanes	Merritt House	Capitular Hall	Casa Serrano

After walking up the stairs next to Casa Serrano, cross the parking lot and you will face the Lara-Soto Adaobe.

Lara-Soto Adobe

This adobe was built by Francisco Soberanes circa 1851. According to legend, the cypress in the front yard was planted as a seedling over the grave of Dona Feliciana Lara's first child. The house changed owners a couple of times, for a while in 1945 it belonged to John Steinbeck. Today, it serves as admission office for the Monterey Institute of International Studies.		Felicidad and Manuel Soto, © Colton Hall Museum More about the adobe at the sites of Monterey County, and Monterey County Historical Society Markeroni has a picture.

Now, continue on Pierce Street to Casa de la Torre, Gordon House and Colton Hall.

Built in 1842 by Francisco Pinto and named after Jose de la Torre, son of Jose Joaquin de la Torre, who came to California in 1801 and served as a secretary to the governor.

Built in the early 1850's of lumber brought from Australia. One of the early 'milled lumber' houses in California.

Markeroni has pictires of Casa De La Torre and Gordon House.

Colton Hall

This is the place where 48 delegates from all over California debated over California's State Constitution.

When the Constitution was adopted in October 1849, it contained such important decisions as the boundaries of the state, a vote against slavery (breaking the tie of formerly 15 free states and 15 slave states in the Union) and a statement that all laws and regulations shall be published in English and Spanish, making California the first bi-lingual state in the Union. See the California State Archives for the full text and images of the original constitution of 1849.

Historical Picture of Colton Hall © books-about-california.com

Colton Hall was built in the 1840s by Monterey's first alcalde, Reverend Walter Colton. Over the years, it has been used as public school, court house, sheriff's office and police department. Today, it is home to the restored Colton Hall Museum. Colton Hall Museum is open daily from 10 AM to 4 PM (it is closed between 12 and 1 PM on Saturday and Sunday) See more at the websites of Monterey County Historical Society and Monterey County. Markeroni has a picture.

City Hall and Underwood-Brown Adobe

The new city hall was built in 1934. In addition to a couple of new buildings adjacent to Colton Hall, the Underwood-Brown Adobe was incorporated in the complex. The adobe was built in 1843 by Santiago Stokes. It changed hands quite often, but finally was named was named after Charles Underwood and his daughter, Margaret Brown, who lived there for the longest time. In 1923, following Underwoods' wish, it was sold to the city which made it part of the Few Memorial Complex in 1934.

Read a detailed story of the Underwood-Brown Adobe at History Buffs.
More at Monterey County Website.
Markeroni has a picture.

Monterey's Old Jail and two more adobes are at the back site of Colton Hall

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Old Monterey Jail	Vasquez Adobe	Alvarado Adobe

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