Custom House
Posted by: 
Touchstone
N 36° 36.216 W 121° 53.618
10S E 598950 N 4051469
If you find yourself at the Monterey State Historic Park, you won't want to miss the Custom House. This is the spot where Commodore John Drake Sloat raised the American flag on July 7, 1846 to signal the passing of California from Mexican to American rule. Restored through the efforts of the Native Sons of the Golden West with the assistance of the people of California. This is also California Historical Landmark #1.
N 0.2 km from your present location
Waymark Code: WM7AQ
Location: California, United States
Date Posted: 02/07/2006
Views: 50
At one time, the Custom House presided over Mexico's primary
port of entry on the Alta California coast. It was here that Commodore John
Drake Sloat raised the American flag in July of 1846, claiming over 600,000
square miles of territory for the United States. This territory later was
included in all or portions of the states of Utah, Colorado, Arizona, California
and New Mexico.
The inside of the Custom House is a museum. A wonderful display on the
ground floor shows what types of things would have been available for buying or
barter back in the days of Spanish rule. The rest of the museum is
dedicated to the history of the area and an extensive collection of Native
American artifacts.