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Del Rey Oaks is a very small city
with a population of under 2,000 residents who enjoy living in the lush hills
east of the City of Monterey and west of Salinas. Located along a popular route
between the two cities, Del Rey Oaks includes a Stone Creek shopping center, a nature trail in the Frog Pond Preserve and Del Rey
Oaks Golf Club.
Del Rey Oaks was established as a city in 1953. Del Rey
Oaks and its surrounding Monterey County region hold a rich history as one
of the oldest settlements in the State of California. Near Del Rey
Oaks is a restaurant that not only offers a beautiful setting but is of
historical interest. Tarpy’s Roadhouse is popular for its cuisine and catered events. It was named for the lynching of Matt Tarpy on March 17, 1873 for the murder of his neighbor, Mrs. Sarah Nicholson.
The stone building that houses Tarpy's Roadhouse was originally the Ryan
Ranch family homestead that dated to the early 1900's. The house took almost 10
years to build. Tarpy's Roadhouse, 2999 Monterey Salinas Highway, Phone: (831)
647-1444.
Matt Tarpy immigrated
from Ireland to California in 1851. Living in south Santa Cruz county with a
wife and three daughters, he became known as a fiery supporter of the Democratic
party and a force behind the Pajaro Property Protective Society. Lawlessness
such as thefts of land in Pajaro Valley were a source of violent disputes,
including one that brought the demise of this well-meaning vigilante. Tarpy was
hanged from a tree in this region.
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