Soledad is a city in
Monterey CountyMonterey County is a county located on the Pacific coast of the U.S. state of California, its northwestern section forming the southern half of Monterey Bay. The northern half of the bay is in Santa Cruz County. As of 2000, the population was 401,762. The county seat is Salinas...
,
CaliforniaCalifornia is the most populous state in the United States, and the third largest by area. California is the second most populous sub-national entity in the Americas, behind only São Paulo, Brazil...
,
United StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. Soledad is located southeast of
SalinasSalinas is the county seat and the largest municipality of Monterey County, California. Salinas is located east-southeast of the mouth of the Salinas River, at an elevation of about 52 feet above sea level. The most current estimate from the California Department of Finance sets the 2006...
, at an elevation of 190 feet (58 m). The population was 28,075 at the 2006 census.
The town is located near the original Spanish mission,
Mission Nuestra Señora de la SoledadMission Nuestra Señora de la Soledad was founded on October 9, 1791 to minister and take in the Indians of the Salinas Valley. It was the thirteenth of the Spanish missions founded in California by members of the Franciscan Order.-Precontact:...
, founded October 9, 1791 by
Fermín Francisco de LasuénFather Padre Fermínde Francisco Lasuén de Arasqueta was a Spanish missionary to the Americas.He was born at Vitoria in Álava, Spain and joined the Franciscan order, becoming ordained in 1752. In 1758 he volunteered to work in America. He arrived in Mexico in 1761 and was sent to Baja California in...
, the 13th of 21 missions in the
California missionThe Spanish missions in California comprise a series of religious outposts established by Spanish Catholics of the Franciscan Order between 1769 and 1823 to spread the Christian faith among the local Native Americans. The missions represented the first major effort by Europeans to colonize the...
chain.
Soledad is located in one of the premiere wine grape growing regions of California with over twenty vineyards and wineries within a thirty mile radius, several of which have tasting rooms and offer a wide selection of wines for sale. Some of the Vineyards and Wineries located nearby are Chalone, Scheid, Paraiso Vineyards, Pisoni Vineyards, Hahn Estates Smith & Hook, San Saba, J.Lohr, Kendall-Jackson, Ventana, Hess Select, Estancia, The Michaud Vineyard, and Graff Family Vineyards.
Also located near Soledad is the
Salinas Valley State PrisonSalinas Valley State Prison is a state prison located five miles north of Soledad, California in Monterey County, California. It is made up of four yards A, B, C, and D of the four yards C is the most violent. The surrounding housing units hold level 4 and level 3 inmates the two highest...
, a maximum security penal institution which includes a 64 bed inpatient psychiatric program primarily servicing high security inmates who have a major mental disorder that has diminished their ability to function within the prison environment. Adjacent to it is the medium security
Correctional Training FacilityCorrectional Training Facility is a state prison located on U.S. Highway 101, north of Soledad, California. Ben Curry is the current Warden of the prison.-Facilities:...
.
History
The original community of Soledad was founded as a
Spanish missionThe Spanish missions in California comprise a series of religious outposts established by Spanish Catholics of the Franciscan Order between 1769 and 1823 to spread the Christian faith among the local Native Americans. The missions represented the first major effort by Europeans to colonize the...
October 9, 1791 by
Fermín LasuénFather Padre Fermínde Francisco Lasuén de Arasqueta was a Spanish missionary to the Americas.He was born at Vitoria in Álava, Spain and joined the Franciscan order, becoming ordained in 1752. In 1758 he volunteered to work in America. He arrived in Mexico in 1761 and was sent to Baja California in...
, and founded under the rule of the Viceroyalty of New Spain (
Virreinato de Nueva España) 1535 to 1821.
The Soledad post office opened in 1869. The current community of Soledad in 1874 had a few buildings and shops. The two main streets were named Front and Main. In 1886, land was subdivided into lots and sold by its owners, the Munras family. In the late 1880s the Southern Pacific Railroad laid rails and began serving the area.
In 1898 Fort Romie was founded a few miles north of the mission and west of the city. San Vicente School was built in 1913 forming the Soledad School District. The City, a general law city, incorporated in March 1921 with a City Council/City Manager form of government. The city's name comes from the mission
Mission Nuestra Señora de la SoledadMission Nuestra Señora de la Soledad was founded on October 9, 1791 to minister and take in the Indians of the Salinas Valley. It was the thirteenth of the Spanish missions founded in California by members of the Franciscan Order.-Precontact:...
.
Soledad is used as a backdrop in
John SteinbeckJohn Ernst Steinbeck, Jr. was an American writer. He wrote the Pulitzer Prize-winning novel The Grapes of Wrath and the novella Of Mice and Men . He wrote a total of twenty-seven books, including sixteen novels, six non-fiction books and five collections of short stories...
's novella
Of Mice and MenOf Mice and Men is a novella written by Nobel Prize-winning author John Steinbeck. Published in 1937, it tells the tragic story of George Milton and Lennie Small, two displaced migrant ranch workers during the Great Depression in California....
1937, an emotional novel about two close financially failing friends of opposite personalities who must farm others land to make what meager living they can, always dreaming for their own personal property. One of the most important themes of the novel is loneliness, which is likely one of the reason why Soledad was chosen as the setting, as Soledad is Spanish for solitude.
Soledad has been rocked by the great
1906 San Francisco earthquakeThe San Francisco earthquake of 1906 was a major earthquake that struck San Francisco, CA and the coast of Northern California at 5:12 A.M. on Wednesday, April 18, 1906. The most widely accepted estimate for the magnitude of the earthquake is a moment magnitude of 7.8; however, other values have...
and the
Loma Prieta earthquakeThe Loma Prieta earthquake, also known as the Quake of '89 and the World Series Earthquake, was a major earthquake that struck the San Francisco Bay Area of California on October 17, 1989, at 5:04 p.m. local time...
in 1989.
The
Soledad PrisonCorrectional Training Facility is a state prison located on U.S. Highway 101, north of Soledad, California. Ben Curry is the current Warden of the prison.-Facilities:...
was three miles north of the city until annexed in 1992. It was built in 1946 and currently has an operating budget of $245 million.
The infamous "
NortenosThe Norteños , also Norte, are affiliated with Nuestra Familia , are a coalition of traditionally Latino gangs in Northern California. A member of these gangs is a Norteño or Norteña ; based on Spanish usage...
" gang was founded in 1968 along with
Nuestra FamiliaNuestra Familia is a criminal organization of Mexican American prison gangs with origins in Northern California. While members of the Norteños gang are considered to be affiliated with Nuestra Familia, being a member of Nuestra Familia itself does not signify association as a Norteño...
crime syndicate in the Soledad Prison.
In May 1996 the
Salinas Valley State prisonSalinas Valley State Prison is a state prison located five miles north of Soledad, California in Monterey County, California. It is made up of four yards A, B, C, and D of the four yards C is the most violent. The surrounding housing units hold level 4 and level 3 inmates the two highest...
was opened at a cost of $236 million, with an annual operating budget of $60 million. Currently as of 2007 the annual operating budget has risen to $177 million yearly.
On April 28, 2009, a tour bus transporting 34 French tourists flipped over at an overpass on Soledad's north entrance. At least five passengers were killed, one of which, fell over the bridge onto the railroad tracks beneath it.
Geography
Soledad is located at .
According to the
United States Census BureauThe United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data. As part of the United States Department of Commerce, the Census Bureau serves as the leading source of quality data about...
, the city has a total area of 10.9 km² (4.2
mi²The square mile is an imperial and US unit of measure for an area equal to the area of a square of one statute mile.
), all land.
Soledad is about six miles southeast of
Pinnacles National MonumentPinnacles National Monument is a protected mountainous area located east of central California's Salinas Valley. The Monument's namesakes are the eroded leftovers of half of an extinct volcano....
, nestled among the nearby Gabilan Mountains.
Demographics
As of the
censusA "census" is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population.In other words every 10 years...next one would be in 2010 The term is used mostly in connection with...
of 2006, there were 28,075 people, 2,472 households, and 2,242 families residing in the city. The
population densityPopulation density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans. It is a key term used in geography....
was 1,035.4/km² (2,680.0/mi²). There were 2,534 housing units at an average density of 232.9/km² (603.0/mi²). The racial makeup of the city was 31.90% White, 1.15% African American, 1.73% Native American, 2.35% Asian, 0.08% Pacific Islander, 58.56% from
other racesRace and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the United States Census Bureau and the Federal Office of Management and Budget , are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 4.23% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 86.82% of the population.
There were 2,472 households out of which 60.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 69.9% were
married couplesMarriage is a social union or legal contract between individuals that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged by a variety of ways, depending on the culture or demographic...
living together, 13.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 9.3% were non-families. 7.2% of all households were made up of individuals and 3.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 4.54 and the average family size was 4.58.
In the city the population was spread out with 36.7% under the age of 18, 12.9% from 18 to 24, 31.4% from 25 to 44, 13.1% from 45 to 64, and 5.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 25 years. For every 100 females there were 108.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 106.6 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $42,602, and the median income for a family was $41,188. Males had a median income of $31,566 versus $23,964 for females. The
per capita incomePer capita income means how much each individual receives, in monetary terms, of the yearly income generated in the country. This is what each citizen is to receive if the yearly national income is divided equally among everyone. Per capita income is usually reported in units of currency per year...
for the city was $11,442. About 16.3% of families and 18.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 25.1% of those under age 18 and 9.2% of those age 65 or over.
Economy
Although Soledad is known for its Agriculture it was once the home of timber production. Soledad was home to the Sequoia Forest Industries sawmill. It was closed in 1991 and approximately 91 jobs were lost due to the closure of the mill. The warehouse is still in the city as a reminder of past industrial opportunities the small town had to offer.
Agriculture
Land for agriculture is Soledad's most abundant
natural resourceNatural resources occur naturally within environments that exist relatively undisturbed by mankind, in a natural form. A natural resource is often characterized by amounts of biodiversity existent in various ecosystems.Natural resources are derived from the environment...
.
Soledad's farmland is considered "Prime Farmland", meaning the soils around and near the city have some of the best physical and chemical characteristics for farming. Due to this fact great efforts in conserving farmland is a very high priority for the city. Prime farmland is the backbone of the Soledad economy. Future planning will consider the effect of urban sprawl amongst the farmlands. Class I, II, and III soils are the most valuable to farming. The climate also allows for year round crops.
Although Soledad has great soil for salad green crops, it also has a large presence of vineyards and wineries in the valley and foothills. Some famous wineries include Chalone Vineyards, Paraiso Springs Vineyards, Zabala Vineyards, Hahn Estates, Richard Boyer Wines, Smith and Hook Winery, and Ventana Vineyards. It was once the home of the
Paul MassonPaul Masson was an early pioneer of California viticulture and the most successful popularizer of Californian sparkling wine.-Biography:...
Winery which is now closed.
Dole Food CompanyDole Food Company, Inc. is an American-based agricultural multinational corporation headquartered in Westlake Village, California and is the leading grower and packer of such food items as bananas, pineapples , grapes, strawberries, and other fresh and frozen fruits. It is a leader in...
maintains a plant in Soledad. Opened in 1994, it is touted as being the "world's largest pre-cut salad plant."
As of 2007, Soledad features a weekly certified
Farmers' MarketFarmers
' markets, sometimes called greenmarkets, are markets, usually held out-of-doors, in public spaces, where farmers can sell produce to the public.-History:...
on Soledad St.
Energy
Soledad is home to the Soledad Energy Partnership, operators of a wood-waste burning electric power plant. This 13.5 megawatt facility was restarted in July 2001 after a six year shut-down due to termination of a PG&E purchase agreement. The plant was recommissioned during the
California electricity crisisThe California electricity crisis of 2000 and 2001 was a situation where California had a shortage of electricity....
.
As of mid-2006, the plant was again closed.
Controversy surrounding the plant.
Several violations at the plant have been issued by the California Integrated Water Quality System Project. The plant was issued violations from 2002 to 2006 for various reporting and pollution allegations.
Transportation
Soledad is located on
U.S. Route 101U.S. Route 101, or U.S. Highway 101, is a north-south U.S. highway that runs through the states of California, Oregon, and Washington, on the West Coast of the United States. It is also known as El Camino Real where its route along the southern and central California coast approximates the old...
and is accessible via northbound and southbound exit ramps on Front Street, at the north and south ends of town.
Soledad is serviced by the Monterey-Salinas Transit line 23 (Salinas - King City). As of September 5, 2009, the bus stops in Soledad are located at the correctional facility, Front & San Vicente and Monterey & East. http://www.mst.org/
Clubs, groups, and organizations
- Soledad Rotary Club
- Boy Scouts of America
The Boy Scouts of America is one of the largest youth organizations in the United States, with over four million youth members in its age-related divisions...
- Future Farmers of America FFA
- Soledad Lions Club
- 4-H
4-H in the United States is a youth organization administered by the Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service of the United States Department of Agriculture, with the mission of "engaging youth to reach their fullest potential while advancing the field of youth development." ...
- The Freemasons
- Girl Scouts of the USA
The Girl Scouts of the United States of America is a youth organization for girls in the United States and American girls living abroad...
Education
Soledad Unified School District serves approximately 3,900 students in grades K-12. There are 5 elementary schools, 1 middle school, 1 comprehensive high school and 1 community education center which houses a variety of alternative programs. These programs include adult education, regional occupational program (ROP), independent study, and a continuation high school.
- San Vicente Elementary Founded 1913
- Frank Ledesma Elementary
- Jack Franscioni Elementary,
- Gabilan Elementary Founded 1980
- Rose Ferrero Elementary, 2001
- Main St. Middle school, Home of the Trojans Founded 1908
- Soledad High School, Home of the Aztecs Founded 1999
- Chalone Alternative School
- Pinnacles Continuation High School
- Soledad Adult School
- Mission Trails Regional Occupation Program
Media
- See also: Media in Monterey County
Media in Monterey County is a designated market area or media market that includes print media and broadcast media in Monterey County, California....
Television service for the community comes from the Monterey-Salinas-Santa Cruz designated market area (DMA). Radio stations Monterey-Salinas-Santa Cruz area of dominant influence (ADI) or continuous measurement market (CMM). Local newspapers include the
Monterey County Herald,
Salinas Californian and
Soledad Bee.
Soledad in popular culture
Soledad is located in the heart of the
Salinas ValleyThe Salinas Valley is the Central Coast region of California, USA that lies along the Salinas River between the Gabilan Range and the Santa Lucia Range. It encompasses parts of Monterey County...
also known as the "World's Salad Bowl".
- The movie American Me
American Me is a 1992 film directed by Edward James Olmos, his first film as director, and written by Floyd Mutrux and Desmond Nakano. Olmos also stars as the movie's main character. The executive producer was Lou Adler, a record producer...
references the Soledad prisonCorrectional Training Facility is a state prison located on U.S. Highway 101, north of Soledad, California. Ben Curry is the current Warden of the prison.-Facilities:...
(correctional training facility).
- Gangsta rappers Da Lench Mob
Da Lench Mob was a West Coast hip hop group associated with Ice Cube. The group consisted of rappers J-Dee, Shorty, T-Bone and Maulkie.-History:The group made its debut on Ice Cube's first solo album, AmeriKKKa's Most Wanted Produced...
, on their album Guerillas in the Mist, make reference to the Soledad Prison.
- Actor Rafael H. Robledo was raised in Soledad.
- Olympic Weight Lifter Mario Martinez
Mario Martinez may refer to:*Mario Martinez *Mario Aburto Martínez, Mexican assassin*Mario Martinez *Mario Martinez , Bolivian tennis player*Mario Roberto Martínez , Honduran football midfielder...
(Silver Medal Heavyweight Class, 1984 Los Angeles Olympics) was raised in the Metz area near Soledad & attended Main Street School.
- The book Soledad Brother The Prison Letters of George Jackson was written by George Jackson
George Jackson may refer to:People:* George Jackson , U.S. Black Panther* George Jackson , Canadian mill operator, MP from Ontario...
while serving time in Soledad CTF along with the other Soledad BrothersThe Soledad Brothers were an American blues rock trio from Maumee, Ohio, consisting of Benjamin Swank on drums, Johnny Walker on guitar and vocals, and Oliver Henry on sax and guitar...
.
- Ricardo Soto's film A la brava (With Courage) p.1974 describes the conditions of Chicano convicts at Soledad prison.
- The book The Melancholy History of Soledad Prison p.1973 by MS Yee in which a Utopian scheme turns to bedlam is based on the Soledad prison.
- The book Of Mice and Men
Of Mice and Men is a novella written by Nobel Prize-winning author John Steinbeck. Published in 1937, it tells the tragic story of George Milton and Lennie Small, two displaced migrant ranch workers during the Great Depression in California....
takes place in the Salinas Valley with Soledad as the backdrop.
- Travelers passing through Soledad on Highway 101 drive past a large billboard that reads, "It's Happening in Soledad." The sign references the Soledad Mission
Mission Nuestra Señora de la Soledad was founded on October 9, 1791 to minister and take in the Indians of the Salinas Valley. It was the thirteenth of the Spanish missions founded in California by members of the Franciscan Order.-Precontact:...
and the Pinnacles National MonumentPinnacles National Monument is a protected mountainous area located east of central California's Salinas Valley. The Monument's namesakes are the eroded leftovers of half of an extinct volcano....
.
- Minnie, the title character in Giacomo Puccini
Giacomo Antonio Domenico Michele Secondo Maria Puccini was an Italian composer whose operas, including La bohème, Tosca, Madama Butterfly and Turandot, are among the most frequently performed in the standard repertoire...
's opera La Fanciulla del WestLa fanciulla del West is an opera in three acts by Giacomo Puccini to an Italian libretto by Guelfo Civinini and Carlo Zangarini, based on the play The Girl of the Golden West by David Belasco...
(The Girl of the Golden West), sings an aria about her younger years living in Soledad.
- National Geographic aired an episode of its television series Lockdown
Lockdown is a television series appearing on the National Geographic Channel. The series is an educational look into prisons, presented in a documentary format...
titled "Gang War" at the Salinas Valley State Prison.
Prisons
The city has three separate correctional facilities in the northernmost part of the city. The first and oldest prison is Soledad CTF (
Correctional Training FacilityCorrectional Training Facility is a state prison located on U.S. Highway 101, north of Soledad, California. Ben Curry is the current Warden of the prison.-Facilities:...
) built in 1946. It was also one of the first 12 prisons of the
California Department of Corrections and RehabilitationThe California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation is responsible for the operation of the California state corrections, rehabilitation, probation and parole systems. CDCR is also responsible for enforcement and investigations of parolees and prison inmates as well as supervision and...
. The other two are, the Gabilan Fire camp, and the Salinas Valley State Correctional Facility which opened in 1996.
Recreation
- See also: Monterey county attractions
Monterey County is a county on the Pacific coast of the U.S. state of California, its northwestern section forming the southern half of Monterey Bay. As of 2000, the population was 401,762. The coastline includes Big Sur, State Route 1, and the 17 Mile Drive on the Monterey Peninsula. The city of...
- Pinnacles National Monument
Pinnacles National Monument is a protected mountainous area located east of central California's Salinas Valley. The Monument's namesakes are the eroded leftovers of half of an extinct volcano....
. Hiking and rock climbing
- The Pinnacles Wine Festival
- Arroyo Seco (Monterey)
The Arroyo Seco AVA is an American Viticultural Area in Monterey County, California, southeast of Monterey Bay. The appellation encompasses in the valley adjacent to the Arroyo Seco Creek. Because of its proximity to the Pacific Ocean, the area has a cool climate, and is best suited for those...
County
- The Salinas River
The Salinas River is the largest river of the central coast of California, draining nearly 4,200 square miles. It flows north-northwest and drains the Salinas Valley that slices through the Coast Range south from Monterey Bay...
- Soledad YMCA
The Young Men's Christian Association is a worldwide movement of more than 45 million members from 124 national federations affiliated through the World Alliance of YMCAs....
- Soledad Mission. Mission Nuestra Señora de la Soledad
Mission Nuestra Señora de la Soledad was founded on October 9, 1791 to minister and take in the Indians of the Salinas Valley. It was the thirteenth of the Spanish missions founded in California by members of the Franciscan Order.-Precontact:...
- Vosti Park
- Soledad Swimming Pool. Home of the Soledad Sharks swimming team.
- Little League Field
- Front Street Park
- Peverini Park
See also
- Coastal California
Coastal California refers to the coastal regions of the US state of California. The term is not primarily geographical as it also describes an area distinguished by sociological, economical and political attributes. The coastal regions of California tend to be more politically liberal, affluent and...
- List of school districts in Monterey County, California
- Monterey county attractions
Monterey County is a county on the Pacific coast of the U.S. state of California, its northwestern section forming the southern half of Monterey Bay. As of 2000, the population was 401,762. The coastline includes Big Sur, State Route 1, and the 17 Mile Drive on the Monterey Peninsula. The city of...
External links