Chualar, California is an unincorporated community
located ten miles south of Salinas in Monterey County. Located off
Highway 101, Chualar is nestled between two mountain ranges, Gabilan and
Santa Lucia, and bordered by Chualar Canyon to the East. This rural
community consists mainly of an Hispanic population working in
agricultural-related occupations. Located
in the Salinas Valley farm belt, nearby
regions include Carmel Valley, Cienega Valley, Bradley, Gonzales,
Greenfield, Prunedale, Del Rey Oaks and Monterey.
A
drive through current day Chualar is a trip through time. While some
things have changed, many aspects of the community remain as they did
over 100 years ago. The town is known for its fields and farms that
yield vegetable crops that include Head and Romaine lettuce shipped to
cities throughout California and the nation from what's sometimes
referred to as the "Salad Bowl." Tractors and trucks, irrigation
supplies and the tools of the farm trade are visible along the road on
Highway 101 that passes through town.
Not currently a tourism destination featuring luxury hotels and
restaurants, Chualar is significant and representative of the many
regions of California that commercially produce food crops.
Valley of the World tribute to Salinas Valley agriculture
at the National Steinbeck Center is a $5.2 million
agriculture museum
featuring information about the Salinas Valley farm region that includes
Chualar.
Chualar is a term
from an American Indian language meaning "pigweed". This small,
unincorporated community is home to Chualar Union Elementary School
District and
Chualar School, which was established in the 1800s.
Chualar
was founded on the ranch of David Jacks, an Irish émigré and shrewd
and exploitive land investor. This controversial figure was involved in
the transfer of rancho holdings to Americans during the 1860s and was
considered the wealthiest individual in the county by 1880.
The landowner held a vast expanse of the Central Coast’s richest
properties that included the present day cities of Pacific Grove, Del
Rey Oaks, Seaside, the Del Monte Forest, Fort Ord, 17 Mile Drive and
Pebble Beach. Jack owned many of the historic Spanish and Mexican adobes
of Monterey as well as properties extending far into the inland valleys
behind the Monterey coast. The highest point of the Monterey peninsula
stood on his land known as Jack's Peak that overlooks the Monterey
Peninsula and is located about two miles from scenic Highway 68.
Chualar was one of
Jack’s many holdings. It became a town and virtually sprang to life in
one short year from 1874 to 1875. In 1875, Chualar City boasted 51
persons, a hotel, stores, restaurants, shoe shop, blacksmith and freight
depot. Indicative of Jack’s style of doing business, he previously
borrowed against his ranchos, Chualar and Zanjones in 1874 to help
create the Monterey and Salinas Valley Railroad, a narrow gauge line
built between the two towns.
The investor and entrepreneur was a partner with Spanish and Portuguese
dairymen who dominated North Californian dairy farming. They produced
cheese from surplus milk and marketed it as Jacks Cheese or Monterey
Jack. Jack also instigated an idea of leasing land on shares, a scheme
that helped his farm tenants survive through periods of drought and
famine.
Current land issues—An interesting segment from a County of Monterey
document discusses land usage in this region: In the segment of River
Road from Highway 68 to one mile north of Chualar Road, uses shall be
limited to no more than five small-scale artisan wineries and/or small
scale tasting rooms uses due to the physical constraints and relatively
high scenic and biological sensitivity along this segment. Proposed uses
(winery and winery-related structures) shall be precluded in the segment
of River Road one miles north of Chualar Road to Limekiln Road, due to
the high visual sensitivity, proximity of Salinas River, and importance
of wildlife mobility in this area. -Monterey County Environmental Impact
Report, March 2002
Monterey
County Agriculture is estimated at just under $3 billion compared $2
billion for tourism.
Mail Service:
Chualar: 25561 Jackson St.
