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Blackie Road (Monterey County)

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Blackie Road is an approximately five-mile highway located in Monterey County.  The corridor originates at US Route 101 in Prunedale and terminates to the west at California State Route 183 in Castroville.  Blackie Road was the original road which connected the communities of Castroville and Prunedale.  The corridor was bypassed in 1933 when Legislative Route 22 was extended from Prunedale west Castroville via San Miguel Canyon Road and Castroville Boulevard. 




Part 1; the history of Blackie Road

Blackie Road is the original highway corridor which served as the connection between Prunedale and Castroville.  The corridor can be seen east of Castroville extending to the future site of Prunedale at San Miguel Canyon on the 1882 Bancroft's map of California.  


Castroville was founded in 1863 off of land that was part of Rancho Bolsa Nueva y Moro Cojo.  Castroville would gain importance when it became a siding of the Southern Pacific Railroad during the 1870s.  While the community of Castroville was largely always centered around agriculture it has come to be known as the Artichoke Center of the World.  Artichokes have been planted in Castroville since 1922 which has come to be what the community is most known for.  Between 1959 to 2009 Castroville was host to the Castroville Artichoke Festival (which has moved to the Monterey County Fairgounds). 

Prunedale was founded near the junction of San Migeul Canyon, Langley Canyon and Echo Valley.  Watsonville settler Charles Langley (namesake of Langley Canyon) was one of the prominent early community settlers.  The Prunedale Post Office would open for the first time in 1894 but would close by 1908.  Early agriculture in the area consisted of Plum Trees which failed due to a lack of irrigation.  

Blackie Road was bypassed in 1933 when Legislative Route Number 22 was extended from Prunedale west to Castroville.  The initial State Highway alignment of the State Highway followed San Miguel Canyon Road and Castroville Boulevard.  The current two-lane expressway occupied by California State Route 156 would be completed in 1944.  



Part 2; a drive on Blackie Road

Pictured below southbound Prunedale Road can be seen interesting Blackie Road.  


Westbound Blackie Road ascends the waning hills of the Gabilan Range and descends into the Castroville city limit.  




























Blackie Road terminates at California State Route 183 (Merritt Street) in Castroville.  







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Comments

Anonymous said…
Did I miss it? What was the origin of the name Blackie Road?
12:18 PM
Challenger Tom said…
You didn’t miss it. I never found anything concrete which overtly explained the name. Conjecture I’ve heard says it has something to do with the artichoke crops. I was hoping would give me the answer so I could update this blog.
10:17 PM
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