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Aquajito Road (Monterey County)

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Aguajito Road 4.5-mile roadway corridor extending from Del Monte Avenue in the city of Monterey to California State Route 1 and 68 near the Pebble Beach Golf Course. The corridor was largely developed when it was part of the property belonging to the Del Monte Golf Course. Camino Aquajito originally served as the eastern frontage of El Estero Park before being extended through the San Lucia Mountains above Monterey in the 1940s. Functionally Aquajito Road replaced Sylvan Road as the primary connecting corridor through the Santa Lucia Mountains near Monterey.




Part 1; the history of Aguajito Road

Aguajito Road mostly now lies on a corridor occupies which once comprised part of Rancho Aquajito south of downtown Monterey.  The land was granted to George Tapia during 1835 by then Alta California governor Jose Figueroa.  Tapia's land holdings were honored by the Public Land Commission in 1853 following the Mexican-American War and emergence of the state of California.  The land was eventually purchased by David Jacks and later sold to the Pacific Improvement Company.  

The lands of Rancho Aquajito along the coastline were used by the Pacific Improvement Company to develop the original Hotel Del Monte resort which opened in June 1880.  The original Del Monte Hotel burned in 1887 but was soon replaced by the second hotel on the site.  The Del Monte Golf Course would be developed south of Fremont Street (future California State Route 1) and opened during 1897. The second hotel structure would burn in 1924 and would be replaced by the current hotel in 1926.  

The lands beyond the Hotel Del Monte complex appear southeast of California State Route 1 (Fremont Street, Munras Avenue and Carmel Hill Road) as undeveloped on the 1938 Thomas Brothers Map of Monterey.    


The same map displays the original extent of Camino Aguajito spanning from Del Monte Avenue south to Fremont Street in the city of Monterey.  Camino Aguajito is shown running along the eastern shores of El Estero Park.  El Estero is where San Carlos Borromeo de Carmelo (San Carlos Cemetery) was founded in Alta California during 1834. 


A primitive Sylvan Road appears for the first time as a functionally roadway on the 1941 United States Geological Survey Map of Monterey.  The roadway is shown originating from California State Route 1 at Munras Avenue extending east to the boundary of the Del Monte Golf Course.  The roadway is shown taking a northward turn following the golf course back to California State Route 1 at Fremont Street near the Hotel Del Monte complex.  Aguajito Road is also shown to have been extended as a primitive corridor through the Santa Lucia Mountains to California State Route 1.  


The Hotel Del Monte and 627 surrounding acres would be sold to the United States Navy during 1947.  The Naval Academy Postgraduate School would move to the Hotel Del Monte complex during 1951.  Officially the structure is designated as Herrmann Hall.

Sylvan Road can be seen as a minor roadway looping to/from California State Route 1 on the 1947 United States Geological Survey map of Monterey.  Aguajito Road is shown have been modernized and is displayed as the more prominent of the two roadways.  Sylvan Road would later be severed and closed through the La Mesa Village military housing complex leaving Aguajito Road as the only through route in the area.  




Part 2; a drive on Aquajito Road

Within the city of Monterey, the corridor of Camino Aguajito begins at Del Monte Avenue.  The corridor jogs south to Fremont Street along El Estero Park where it becomes Aguajito Road.








Aguajito Road continues south and crosses under the modern freeway alignment of California State Routes 1 and 68. 




Aguajito Road passes the entrance to La Mesa Village at Farragut Road.





Aguajito Road next intersects Sylvan Road.  The pathway leading west into La Mesa Village is now abandoned and gated. 





Aguajito Road departs the Monterey city limit at Monhollan Road.  


Aguajito Road begins to swing westward into the San Lucia Mountains.  The corridor follows several canyons amid some mild grades and even a single lane portion.  The road widens back out to two lanes approaching the terminus at the junction of California State Routes 1 and 68.  





























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