Editing King City, California (section)

==History==
The first European land exploration of [[Alta California]], Don Gaspar de Portolá's Spanish expedition, camped on the Salinas River just south of today's King City on [[Timeline of the Portolá expedition|September 26, 1769]], having followed the route of today's Jolon Road from the south.<ref>{{cite book |last=Bolton |first=Herbert E. |pages=196–198 |year=1927 |title=Fray Juan Crespi: Missionary Explorer on the Pacific Coast, 1769-1774 |url=http://catalog.hathitrust.org/Record/000288788 |location= |publisher=HathiTrust Digital Library |accessdate=April 18, 2014}}</ref> The land they camped on would later become part of King City.

The [[Dutton Hotel, Stagecoach Station]], was located on Jolon Road in King City. What remains are ruins of an [[adobe]] inn that was established in 1849. The Dutton Hotel was a major stagecoach stop on [[El Camino Real (California)|El Camino Real]] in the late 1880s. The landmark was listed on the [[National Register of Historic Places]] on October 14, 1971.<ref name="Register">{{cite journal |last=DeMars |first=E. W. |title=National Register of Historic Places Inventory – Nomination Form: Dutton Hotel, Stage Coach Station - Jolon |url={{NRHP url|id=71000166}} |publisher=National Park Service |date=December 1, 1970 |access-date=November 8, 2013}}</ref>

King City was originally known as "Kings City" for its founder, Charles King. In 1884 Charles King acquired {{convert|13000|acres|sqkm}} of the Mexican land grant [[Rancho San Lorenzo (Soberanes)|Rancho San Lorenzo]], originally given to Mariano and Feliciano Soberanes in the early 1840s during Mexican rule of California. King began growing {{convert|6000|acre}} of wheat. In an effort to get his crop to market, King allowed the [[Southern Pacific Railroad]] to lay tracks across King Ranch land. The terminus was a station known as King's.{{Citation needed|date=November 2022}}

In 1886, the Southern Pacific Railroad completed service to [[King City station (Southern Pacific Railroad)|King City station]]{{Citation needed|date=August 2024}} to serve the farms and ranches in the south [[Salinas Valley]] and to transport the goods to San Francisco and Los Angeles.

It was originally called "Hog Town" due to the passel of semi-wild hogs roaming the stubble fields.<ref name=KCow-History>[http://www.kingcity.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=24&Itemid=95 "Our History"] - King City official website</ref> King wanted to name the town "Vanderhurst", after local merchant William Vanderhurst, but was outvoted and it was named for him. The city became known as Kings', then the City of King, and later simply King City.{{Citation needed|date=August 2024}}

The King City post office first opened in 1887.<ref name=CGN /> Edwards S. Brown, brother-in-law of C.H. King was appointed Postmaster. King City incorporated under the name "City of King" in 1911.<ref name=CGN />

J. Ernst Steinbeck, father of the novelist [[John Steinbeck]], claimed to have been the first permanent resident of King City. Steinbeck was certainly among the first settlers. He was the first agent for the Southern Pacific Milling Company, which built an early warehouse and flour mill alongside the railroad tracks running through town. The mill was built by R. M. Shackelford, an early California settler and businessman who owned sheep pasturage next to that of Charles King.<ref>[http://www.mchsmuseum.com/kingcity.html King City] - Monterey County Historical Society</ref>

Agriculture has always played a role in King City history. Between 1910 and 1930, the city became famous for growing pink beans. King City Pinks were sold around the country, helped along by additional demand during World War I.{{Citation needed|date=November 2022}}

The [[Robert Stanton (architect)|Robert Stanton]] Auditorium, built in 1939 as a WPA Depression project, is an example of [[Art Moderne]] style, with elliptical rounded corners, Doric-style columns, an expansive curved stairway leading to recessed oak and glass double doors, and a bas-relief triptych by artist [[Jo Mora]], above doors that depict notable multi-cultural scenes of historic importance. Mora's art is incorporated into the building's design both inside and out. In 1991, it was listed on the National Register of Historic Places.