Downtown Monterey

Though I am always drivng by Pacific Street where there are some historical parks and buidlings,

I hardly stop and park my car to walk around my downtown neighborhood.

Finally on one rare beautiful sunny day, we walked to downtown area and

strolled here and there.

California's First Theater

This building is currently closed for renovation.

The following info is from California State Parks website.

Located in Monterey State Historic Park, this adobe theater was built by Jack Swan in 1846-47 as a lodging house and tavern for sailors. It was used as a theatre in 1850 when U.S. Army officers from Colonel Stevenson's 1st New York Volunteers produced plays as a money-making venture. Swan built a small stage and provided benches, whale-oil lamps, candles for footlights, and curtains made of red and blue blankets. Tickets sold for $5 each. First night receipts totaled $500.

In later years, the First Theatre was used as a lodging house for whalers but fell into disrepair after Swan's death in 1896. It was purchased in 1906 by California Historic Landmarks League and donated to the State of California. 

In 1937 and until recently, the Troupers of the Gold Coast staged the first melodramas since the 1850s.

MOM(Museum of Monterey) Back View

Casa del Oro

House of Gold is built in 1845 by Thomas Larkin.

Several years later, this adobe building was leased by Joseph Boston as one of the first general merchandise stores in the area. Silverware, pans, coffee mills, tubs, brooms, walnuts, tea, hams and soap ere sold here. Boston literally offered everything from garden seeds to grinding stones!

The first safe in Monterey was installed in Boston's Store. The story goes that miners returning from the gold fields often stored their assets there. This led to the designation "Casa del Oro" or House of Gold. Today, one can still find the original safe and Boston's office desk on display.
(from http://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=953)