Spanish Influence in Monterey by Ewingjr98
Besides the Presidio of Monterey, there are other sites that recognize the local Spanish heritage in the Monterey area. I recently visited the Spanish Cross on the beach in Seaside. There, a 20-foot tall cross stands in commemoration of a similar cross erected by Spanish missionaries in 1769. A plaque at the site reads: "In the winter of 1769, the Spanish expedition in search of Monterey Bay, under the command of Don Caspar de Portola and Father Juan Crespi erected a cross on or near this site and left this message: The land expedition is returning to San Diego for lack of provisions today, December 9, 1769."
The Vizcaino-Serra Landing Site marks the location where Sebastian Vizcanino landed in 1602, claiming this land for Spain. On June 3, 1770, Fray Junipero Serra landed on this spot and helped establish the city of Monterey.
Additionally, the area has the Presidio, the Cathedral of San Carlos Borromeo, Carmel Mission, the El Camino Real, and more.