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Monterey’s Monumental Mosaic Mural Memorializes Marauding Mariners & More
Dramatic events that shaped the history of California are portrayed by novel and interesting new displays in downtown Monterey.
With more Mexican-era adobe buildings preserved and restored in Monterey State Historic Park than anywhere else in the state, the city is proud of its heritage as the early capital of California. In late 2018, I visited two recently renovated public projects that present this history in memorable ways.
A popular mosaic mural portraying scenes from the city’s past with a strong dash of humor has returned to the rear of the rebuilt Monterey Conference Center. A short distance away, in a little-known and long-neglected public park with spectacular views of the bay, a new walkway links a series of monuments and interpretive signs that bring to life the stories of Monterey’s first people, the Spanish landings, and a seaborne invasion that briefly raised the flag of Argentina over California.
A mosaic-tile panorama of history
From the main entrance of the Monterey Conference Center at 1 Portola Plaza, I walked a short distance up the hill to the corner of Pacific Street. Here, just a few yards off the Path of History, facing historic Casa Soberanes (aka The House of the Blue Gate), “The Monterey Mural” offers a colorful and…
