Gonzales, California
Gonzales is a city of 8,492 people in Monterey County, California, founded in January 14, 1947.
Why visit Gonzales
Townapedia lists 1 museum or landmark, 4 parks and trails, 22 places to eat and 1 place to stay in and around town.
Highlights include Odd Fellows Hall, Centennial Park and Central Park.
September is the warmest month, with average highs of 74°F; December lows average 41°F.
Weather in Gonzales
Forecast from the National Weather Service. Full forecast
About Gonzales
Gonzales is a city in Monterey County, California, United States. Gonzales is located 16 miles (26 km) southeast of Salinas, at an elevation of 135 feet (41 m). The population was 8,647 at the 2020 census, up from 8,187 at the 2010 census. Gonzales is a member of the Association of Monterey Bay Area Governments.
From the Wikipedia article Gonzales, California (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Museums and landmarks1
Odd Fellows Hall
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places
Building in California, United States of America
Parks, trails and playgrounds4
Restaurants and cafes22
10 more on the map.
Where to stay1
History
Gonzales was founded by Dr. Mariano Gonzalez and his brother Alfredo Gonzales on land that was originally Rancho Rincon de la Puente del Monte. The rancho was given to their father, Teodoro Gonzalez, in 1836 while he was serving as alcalde of Monterey.
The brothers laid out the 50-block town on approximately 15,000 acres (6,100 ha) in 1874 in a grid of northeast to southwest and northwest to southeast streets. In 1872, they granted a 100 feet (30 m) right-of-way through town to Southern Pacific Railroad, which subsequently built a depot for freight and passengers. The dominant commerce at the time was grain raising and cattle ranching. The Gonzalez brothers are also credited with constructing one of the first irrigation systems in the Salinas Valley. They built a dam and head gate on the nearby Salinas River and miles of canals throughout the area.
In the early 1900s, Gonzales became a predominantly Swiss dairy community when John B. Meyenberg brought his original milk processing procedures to the region. His Alpine Milk Company, later known as the Meyenberg Milk Products Company, opened its first plant in Gonzales in 1906. At one time, there were 7,000 cows within five miles of town being milked.
From the History section of Gonzales, California on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Churches and places of worship2
Community Church of Gonzales
Church · National Register of Historic Places
Shopping3
Gas and EV charging3
Schools, colleges and libraries8
Map of Gonzales
44 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Climate by month
Monthly table
| Month | High | Low | Rain |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 62°F | 42°F | 2.6 in |
| Feb | 63°F | 43°F | 2.4 in |
| Mar | 66°F | 44°F | 2.1 in |
| Apr | 67°F | 46°F | 0.9 in |
| May | 68°F | 50°F | 0.4 in |
| Jun | 70°F | 53°F | 0.1 in |
| Jul | 71°F | 55°F | 0.0 in |
| Aug | 72°F | 56°F | 0.0 in |
| Sep | 74°F | 54°F | 0.1 in |
| Oct | 74°F | 50°F | 0.6 in |
| Nov | 68°F | 44°F | 1.3 in |
| Dec | 62°F | 41°F | 2.1 in |
U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Salinas Municipal Ap 72593 (14 mi away), NOAA NCEI.
People and cost of living
American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020-2024, U.S. Census Bureau. Estimates have margins of error, larger for small towns.
Disaster history
Monterey County has had 19 federal disaster declarations since 2000, most often for fires.
- 2024-04-13: Severe Winter Storms, Tornadoes, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides (Severe Storm)
- 2023-04-03: Severe Winter Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides (Severe Storm)
- 2023-03-10: Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides (Flood)
- 2023-01-14: Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides (Flood)
- 2023-01-09: Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, And Mudslides (Flood)
- 2020-08-22: Wildfires (Fire)
OpenFEMA disaster declarations summaries.
Getting there and nearby towns
Salinas Municipal Airport (SNS) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 14 miles away.
- Soledad 8 mi southeast, about 14 min by car
- Carmel Valley Village 16 mi west, about 26 min by car
- Salinas 17 mi northwest, about 27 min by car
- Greenfield 17 mi southeast, about 27 min by car
- Boronda 18 mi northwest, about 30 min by car
- Ridgemark 21 mi north, about 34 min by car
- Seaside 22 mi west, about 36 min by car
- Marina 23 mi northwest, about 37 min by car
- Hollister 24 mi north, about 39 min by car
- Prunedale 24 mi northwest, about 39 min by car
Drive times are estimates from straight-line distance, not routes.
Local news
Headlines from INDB, the NEMICO news database.
Reviews, tips and questions
Loading what members have shared...
Sources and licences
- NCES EDGE (Public domain): public schools
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 (Public domain): climate by month
- OpenFEMA (Public domain): disaster declarations
- OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL 1.0): places, airports, map data
- U.S. Census Bureau (Public domain): population, income, housing, education, commute
- Wikidata (CC0 1.0): elevation, founding date, time zone, website, landmarks and historic places
- Wikimedia Commons (see each image): photos
- Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0): overview and history text
Photo credits
- Gonzales water tower, Coolcaesar at en.wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Community Church of Gonzales, McGhiever, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Gonzales Odd Fellows Lodge, McGhiever, CC BY-SA 3.0
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