Presidio of Monterey (1)

Presidio of Monterey (1) (1770-1866, 1902-Present) - A Spanish Presidio established in 1770 by Spanish Governor Gaspar de Portola in present day Monterey, Monterey County, California. Became a Mexican fortification after the Mexican War of Independence and U.S. fortification at the beginning of the Mexican War. Active U.S. military installation.

The Spanish Period (1770-1821)

Four Spanish Presidios (Forts) were built by the Spanish Governors of California in what was known as Alta California (Upper California). The four Presidios were the Presidio of San Diego, the Presidio of Santa Barbara, the Presidio of Monterey and the Presidio of San Francisco. Each of the California Presidios was the headquarters of a military district:

Presidio of San Diego - Military District # 1
Presidio of Santa Barbara - Military District # 2
Presidio of Monterey - Military District # 3
Presidio of San Francisco - Military District # 4

Each of the Presidios had a number of missions associated with it in the surrounding military district. The Presidio was responsible for the military protection of the missions and converts but normally had only a small number of troops actually posted at each mission. The majority of the garrison remained in reserve at each presidio.

The Presidio of Monterey was established 3 Jun 1770 by Fray Junípero Serra. The Presidio was associated with the nearby Mission San Carlos Borromeo de Carmelo that was later moved to present day Carmel-by-the-Sea.

The Mexican Period (1822-1846)

The Mexican War of Independence ended the Spanish rule over California and changed the mission system to a more secular system with decreasing reliance on the church and the mission to provide for the native population. The Spanish Presidios of California were abandoned along with the Missions by the Mexican government starting in 1831 and allowed to deteriorate. The Mexican Government established the Presidio of Sonoma in 1836 as the military headquarters of upper California. The mission property was eventually given away.

On 20 Oct 1842 a U.S. warship, under the mistaken impression that a state of war had been declared between the United States and Mexico, landed at Monterey and claimed the Presidio for the United States. The post was renamed Fort Gatesby but only for a day. The mistake was recognized and apologies were given and the American ship sailed away. The incident was referred to as the great mistake.

At the end of the Mexican Period the Presidio of Monterey had no military value.

The American Period (1846-Present)

The Mexican War was declared by the U.S. Congress on 11 May 1846 in response to a Mexican attack on U.S. troops in Texas. The declaration of war opened the door for American occupation of California. The American period began when American naval ships entered Monterey Bay and Captain William Mervine landed and had the American flag raise over the Customs House. Fort Mervine was built on Presidio Hill as the first U.S. fortification. The fort evolved over the years and carried several different names. In 1904, General Order No. 142 dated 30 Aug 1904, specified that the name of the reservation would return to the original name, the Presidio of Monterey.

(1846-1847) Fort Mervine established July 1846; Fort Savannah; Fort Stockton (2), named 15 Jul 1846
(1847-1865) Fort Halleck (3), named 1847; Post at Monterey
(1852-1856) Monterey Ordnance Depot
(1865-1865) Monterey Barracks, Ord Barracks Established 18 Oct 1865, deactivated 18 Oct 1865
(1902-1904) Ord Barracks, established 9 Sep 1902, named 13 Jul 1903
(1904-Present) Presidio of Monterey, named 30 Aug 1904

Current Status

Active military reservation, Presidio of Monterey, Monterey County, California

USGS Geographic Names Information System (GNIS) Database Entry: 2512439

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Location: Presidio of Monterey, Monterey County, California.

Maps & Images

Lat: 36.6048141 Long: -121.9114208

Multi Maps from ACME
Maps from Bing
Maps from Google
Elevation: 122'

Sources:

Roberts, Robert B., Encyclopedia of Historic Forts: The Military, Pioneer, and Trading Posts of the United States, Macmillan, New York, 1988, 10th printing, ISBN 0-02-926880-X, page 78-80
Hart, Herbert M., Tour Guide to Old Western Forts, Pruett Publishing Co., Boulder CO, 1980, ISBN 0-87108-568-2,page 29

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