San Benancio | |
|---|---|
  San Benancio Location in California | |
| Coordinates: 36°34′10″N121°42′31″W / 36.569439°N 121.708529°W Coordinates: 36°34′10″N121°42′31″W / 36.569439°N 121.708529°W | |
| Country | United States |
| State | California |
| County | Monterey County |
| Elevation | 226 ft (69 m) |
San Benancio is an unincorporated community in Monterey County, California. It is located in the San Benancio Canyon.
The region was named for San Benancio Gulch which is the small canyon that forms the majority of the region. A map dated 1834 lists the region as "Canada de San Benancio". The Spanish name most likely refers to one of four saints venerated with the name Venantius.
San Benancio was the inspiration for "Las Pasturas del Cielo," the fictional setting in John Steinbeck’s Pastures of Heaven . A Salinas native, Steinbeck spent time in his youth within San Benancio, specifically Castle Rock near the base of the Canyon, and accurately described the region in Pastures of Heaven:
... he saw a long valley floored with green pasturage on which a herd of deer browsed. Perfect live oaks in the meadow of the lovely place, and the hills hugged it jealously against the fog and wind.
While it has no official boundaries, and addresses bear Salinas as the city, the colloquial place-name “San Benancio” refers to homes and businesses residing on or directly reached by San Benancio Road. This includes the Ambler Park and Harper Canyon regions found along the road.
The road itself is located along the Monterey-Salinas highway (California State Route 68) approximately 5 miles from Salinas and 15 miles from Monterey. The land falls under the jurisdiction of the Corral de Tierra Oaks Subdivision of Monterey County.
The walls of San Benancio Canyon have an elevation of 400 ft and run adjacent to Toro Creek, a small tributary to the Salinas River which is located 4 miles south. The canyon is home to a number of California Live Oak Trees and various types of wild sage brush and grass.
San Benancio enjoys the relatively warm climate of Salinas Valley most of the year, but can experience very low temperatures (for the area) during the winter. Its location within a small canyon engenders the area to late sunrises and early sunsets, but the high hills around the area shelter the homes from winds and San Benancio can often be found at a much higher temperature than urban Salinas on warm days.
The canyon is home to a wide array of wildlife as well including deer, hawks, condors, wild pigs, California quail and a large population of wild turkeys, which, at their own peril, traverse San Benancio Road in the early mornings.
At the county level, San Benancio is represented on the Monterey County Board of Supervisors by Supervisor Dave Potter. [1]
In the California State Senate, San Benancio is in the 17th Senate District , represented by Democrat Bill Monning. In the California State Assembly, it is split between the 29th Assembly District , represented by Democrat Mark Stone, and the 30th Assembly District , represented by Democrat Robert Rivas. [2]
In the United States House of Representatives, San Benancio is in California's 20th congressional district , represented by Democrat Jimmy Panetta [3]
San Benancio is served by the Washington Union School District. San Benancio Middle School which serves a little over 300 students in the 6th, 7th, and 8th grade, is located in San Benancio. The school was rated 9 out of 10 by the “Great Schools” website in 2007.
The region is also served by Titus Park, a private Swim and Tennis club located along San Benancio Road. The pool remains open daily from June to September and hours are dictated by weather.
Monterey is a city located in Monterey County on the southern edge of Monterey Bay on California's Central Coast. Founded on June 3, 1770, it was the capital of Alta California under both Spain and Mexico. During this period, Monterey hosted California's first theater, public building, public library, publicly funded school, printing press, and newspaper. It was originally the only port of entry for all taxable goods in California. In 1846 during the Mexican–American War, the United States flag was raised over the Customs House. After California was ceded to the U.S. after the war, Monterey hosted California's first constitutional convention in 1849.
Monterey County, officially the County of Monterey, is a county located on the Pacific coast of the U.S. state of California. As of the 2010 census, the population was 415,057. The county seat and largest city is Salinas.
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Salinas is a city in Monterey County, California, United States. With a population of 155,564, Salinas is the most populous city in Monterey County, as well as its county seat. Salinas is an urban area located just outside the southern portion of the Greater Bay Area and 10 miles (16 km) southeast of the mouth of the Salinas River. The city is located at the mouth of the Salinas Valley, roughly eight miles from the Pacific Ocean, and it has a climate more influenced by the ocean than the interior.
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Ambler Park is an unincorporated community in Monterey County, California. It lies at an elevation of 285 feet. It is located off San Benancio Road.
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The Monterey County Board of Supervisors is the central governing body for Monterey County, California. The Board is made up of five elected officials, each of whom represent a distinct geographical district within the County.
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