Tower Information
Tower signage: Gonzales
Location: Hwy 101-N
Built:
Height: 125 ft (38 m) high.
Capacity:
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Gonzales - California
Monterey County. Photo © Mark Visser |
Area Information
Gonzales, Monterey County, is located 16 miles (26 km) southeast of Salinas, at an elevation of 135 feet (41 m). Gonzales is a member of the Association of Monterey Bay Area Governments.
Gonzales is an important wine cultivation area. Wineries located in Gonzales include Constellation Brands, Robert Talbott, Pisoni Vineyards, Boekenoogen Winery, and Salinas Valley Vineyards.
Gonzales started as a land grant given to the Gonzales family, original Californio's that were followers of Junipero Serra. It became a depot for freight trains bringing cattle to market in San Francisco once the Southern Pacific Railroad laid tracks through the valley in 1872. The first Gonzales post office opened in 1873. The name honors the Gonzales family, owners of Rancho Rincon de la Puente del Monte.
Prior to being nicknamed the "Wine Capital of Monterey County," Gonzales was known as "The Heart of the Salad Bowl" (due to its central location in the agricultural valley). Dairy farming gave way to vegetable raising in the 1920s and prospered due to the rich soil and advancements in irrigation, machinery and transportation facilities.
The first school house was built in 1874. The first church was the Gonzales Baptist Church, which was built in 1884 is still in use today.The town was officially incorporated January 10, 1947.
The golf ball-shaped tank of the water tower at Gonzales is supported by three tubular legs.
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
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