Water Towers and Standpipes of the United States of America. Sponsored by "Understanding Your Home" by building inspector Mark Visser Tower Information Tower signage: Growers Ice Co. Location: 1060 Growers Street Built: Height: Capacity: Missing tower data: Please contact us if you have more information. Please take some pictures of "your" local tower and send them to us, uncropped and in .jpg format. Click here to send us an image Salinas - California Monterey County. Photo © Mark Visser Area Information Salinas, Monterey County, California, is an urban area located just outside the southern portion of the Greater Bay Area and 10 miles (16 km) east-southeast of the mouth of the Salinas River. The population was 157,218 as of 2016. The city is located at the mouth of the Salinas Valley roughly eight miles from the Pacific Ocean and has a climate mainly influenced by the ocean. Salinas is known for its vibrant and large agriculture industry and being "The Salad Bowl of the World" as the hometown of writer and Nobel Prize in Literature laureate John Steinbeck, who based several of his novels there. Upon the arrival of the Spanish, large Spanish land grants were initially issued for the Catholic Missions and also as bonuses to soldiers. Later on after Mexican independence, smaller land grants continued to be issued for ranchos where mostly cattle were grazed. In 1848 California officially became a part of the United States of America. This transition followed several years of battles in the Salinas area with John Fremont flying the American flag on the highest peak of the Gabilan Mountains and claiming California for the United States. On September 9, 1850, California was admitted to the Union and became a State, celebrated as California Admission Day. Salinas was also the birthplace of writer and Nobel Prize laureate John Steinbeck. The historic downtown, known as Oldtown Salinas, features much fine Victorian architecture, and is home to the National Steinbeck Center, the Steinbeck House and the John Steinbeck Library. Resources: Wikipedia Other sites you may be interested in: Thumbnail Collection of USA Water Towers Canadian Water Towers and Standpipes Magnetic Hills in the United States of America The History of the Christian Fish Symbol ..... Home   Back to California Index