Monterey, California (United States)

Last modified: 2000-01-14 by rick wyatt
Keywords: monterey | california | united states | anchor | wheat | chain |
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by Michael Smuda, 10 April 1999
Daily Use Flag

by Michael Smuda, 10 April 1999
Ceremonial Flag

• Description

See also:

• State of California
• City of Monterey, California, homepage

The City of Monterey, California, USA, is located about 115 miles (184 km) south of San Francisco. Noted as a major California tourist location, it has also enjoyed an important part of early California history.

The city is on the shores of Monterey Bay, named by Sebastián Vizcaíno in 1602 in honor of Gaspar de Zuņiga y Acevedo, the fifth Conde de Monterrey, the Viceroy of New Spain. There are several different stories for why the name is spelled with a single "r" with the derivative from "Monte Rey" (mountain of the king) being one.

Monterey was the original seat of the Spanish and Mexican governors in Alta California and was the original headquarters of the California mission chain. American occupation of California began when Commodore Sloat arrived with his flagship in 1846.

Chaplain Walter Colton was appointed to serve as the first American Alcalde of the city. He designed Colton Hall which served as a school and town meeting hall. The convention that decided California statehood and the signing of the first California constitution took place in Colton Hall. Now owned by the city, Colton Hall houses a museum.

The following excerpt is from the pamphlet "The Flag of the City of Monterey" provided by the Colton Hall Museum.

"The Monterey flag was officially adopted by the Monterey City Council on January 18, 1977, with the special encouragement of Mayor Peter J. Coniglio. The flag was first displayed and flown on April 19, 1977 at the opening day ceremony for the Monterey Conference Center. It was designed by Mr. Paul Mills, Director of the Santa Barbara Museum of Art.

The Monterey flag is derived from two armorial bearings connected with the City's history, one Spanish and one American, which have been combined according to heraldic principles. The first, represented in the first and fourth quarters of the flag, is the shield of the Count of Monterrey for whom the city was named in 1602. The second, represented in the second and third quarters of the flag, is based on the City Seal designed by Lieutenant Alfred Sully in 1850.

The Monterey flag has been designed in two versions. One is the ceremonial version, to be carried before the Mayor and the City Council on formal occasions and displayed in their Chamber. The other is the daily use version to be used on most other occasions and flown from out-door flagpoles. The Monterey daily use flag, which should be envisioned as flying atop a flag pole, has bold, geometric shapes. The ceremonial flag, which will be viewed more closely indoors, has embroidered upon it the several charges and the gold chain of the Zuņigas, and the sheaf of wheat and the anchor of the American seal."