Metz (formerly, Chalone) is an unincorporated community in the Salinas Valley, in Monterey County, California.[1] It is located on the Southern Pacific Railroad and County Route G15, 3 miles (4.8 km) northeast of Greenfield,[2] at an elevation of 236 feet (72 m).[1]

Metz
Metz is located in California
Metz
Metz
Location in California
Coordinates: 36°21′18″N 121°12′42″W / 36.35500°N 121.21167°W / 36.35500; -121.21167
CountryUnited States
StateCalifornia
CountyMonterey County
Elevation236 ft (72 m)

History

edit

The first European land exploration of Alta California, the Spanish Portolá expedition, camped in this vicinity on September 27, 1769, having followed the Salinas River from the south.[3]

A post office operated at Metz from 1888 to 1933.[2]

The place was originally called Chalone when the railroad was built to the site in 1886.[2] Upon the establishment of the post office, the settlement was renamed Metz in honor of W.H.H. Metz, its first postmaster.[2]

References

edit
  1. ^ a b c U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Metz, California
  2. ^ a b c d Durham, David L. (1998). California's Geographic Names: A Gazetteer of Historic and Modern Names of the State. Clovis, Calif.: Word Dancer Press. p. 924. ISBN 1-884995-14-4.
  3. ^ Bolton, Herbert E. (1927). Fray Juan Crespi: Missionary Explorer on the Pacific Coast, 1769-1774. HathiTrust Digital Library. pp. 198–199. Retrieved April 18, 2014.