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General Information of Interest to Visitors to San Benito County, California
: City of San Juan Bautista : Incorporated in 1869, the general law City of San Juan Bautista is nestled in the heart of the noted San Juan Valley between the Gabilan Mountains and Flint Hills. Rich with culture and history, San Juan Bautista offers her residents and visitors a refreshing small town atmosphere filled with the charm and character of the past.
: San Juan Bautista State Historic Park : This park is the site of one of California's 21 Franciscan missions. The location was once the largest town in central California and the hub of travel between northern and central California. The mission is owned and operated by the Catholic Church and has been in continuous use since July 1, 1812.
: Mission San Juan Bautista : This mission is one 21 missions established by Spanish missionaries in California in 1797.
: Pinnacles
National Monument (National Park Service): Rising out of the
chaparral-covered Gabilan Mountains, east of central California's Salinas
Valley, are the spectacular remains of an ancient volcano. Massive monoliths,
spires, sheer-walled canyons and talus passages define millions of years of
erosion, faulting and tectonic plate movement. Within the monument's
boundaries lie 24,000 acres of diverse wildlands. The monument is renowned for
the beauty and variety of its spring wildflowers. A rich diversity of wildlife
can be observed throughout the year.
: Hollister
Hills State Vehicular Recreation Area : Six miles south of
Hollister. This area is a motorcycle, four-wheel drive,
all-terrain vehicle, and dune buggy use area. Four-wheel drive and dune buggy
visitors should call ahead as this area can be closed for special events.
: Fremont Peak State
Park : This park features expansive views of Monterey Bay, from its hiking
trails in the grasslands of the higher peaks of the Gavilan Range. Other views
include the San Benito Valley, Salinas Valley, and the Santa Lucia Mountains
east of Big Sur. Pine and oak woodlands in the park are home to many birds and
mammals. There are camping and picnic facilities in the park. The park also
features an astronomical observatory with a 30-inch telescope, which is open
for public programs on selected evenings.
: Bureau of Land Management :
Publicly-owned land in southern San Benito County managed by the BLM.
Activities include hunting, hiking, camping, OHV, fishing, equestrian, etc.
: Panoche Hills, BLM Area, South County: The views here on a smog- free day are dazzling. You can see most of the Sierra and many valley cities clearly.
: San Benito County History : "The Land of St. Benedict" takes its name from the meandering San Benito River, seen for the first time by Father Juan Crespi in 1772. San Benito County was formed in 1874 from a portion of Monterey County. Thirteen years later, the state legislature expanded the county at the expense of Fresno and Merced counties. Territorially, it has remained unchanged since 1887.
: Bitterwater, San Benito County : Small settlement in the central Inner Coast Ranges of California. Small valley formed by the San Andreas Rift Zone.
: San Benito County Historical Society : Our mission:
To collect and preserve materials pertaining to the history of San Benito County.
To promote an interest in and appreciation of the County's
past,
through programs presented at meetings.
To bring together for exchange of ideas those interested in history, especially that of San Benito County.
: California State Historical Landmarks - A list of the officially designated historical places in San Benito County.
: A Look at San Benito County : San Benito County is known for its natural beauty, temperate climate, and relaxing environment. Hollister and the surrounding area abound with recreational opportunities.
: El Centro Campesino - San Juan Bautista : El Centro Campesino Cultural in San Juan Bautista, San Benito County, is the home of the internationally acclaimed Teatro Campesino. Its director, Luis Valdez, is one of the nation's foremost contemporary playwrights.
: History of Tres Pinos, San Benito County : In the last three decades of the nineteenth century, Tres Pinos was a prosperous shipping center, with a distinctive flavor of the old west. The town was outfitted with wooden sidewalks, store buildings with false fronts, hitching posts, and wooden watering troughs for horses. Among the businesses in downtown Tres Pinos were seven enormous grain warehouses, a scale house, six saloons (one that was illegal), bullfighting arena, and large hotel (as well as rumored bordellos).
: San Benito County Wineries : Quality-focused wineries with a world-wide reputation are found in San Benito County in the Cienega Valley, Lime Kiln Valley, Mt. Harlan, and Paicines areas. "The San Juan Valley is like Carneros, Hollister like Yountville, Paicines like Calistoga," according to Agricultural Commissioner Mark Tognazzini, comparing San Benito with Napa County.
: New Idria, San Benito County : High up the Diablo mountains, southwest of the Panoche Hills, on the slope beneath San Carlos peak, lies the remains of North America's second most productive mercury mines (its sister mines in New Almaden to the north were number one). Before its discovery by Spanish missionaries, the site was well known to the local Indians who created red pigment from the mercury-laced earth. The Spanish began to mine here in the 1850's once assays determined the ore to be cinnabar.
: Benitoite - The State Gem : Only found in California, Benitoite holds the prestige of California's State Gem and a secret unveiling in 1907. The gem, first discovered near the headwaters of the San Benito River, gained notoriety through UC Berkeley's Dr. George D. Louderback's clear description.
: California Genealogy Web - San Benito County : A great site for finding genealogical information about local families.
: Sanchez Murder : The Probate Proceedings on the drowning of José Maria Sánchez at the Pájaro River, Christmas Eve, 1852 and the Conspiracy to plunder the estate of his widow Encarnación Ortega