Monterey State Historic Park served as California's capital under Spanish, Mexican and U.S. rule. The U.S. flag was first officially raised in California here on July 7, 1846, bringing 600,000 square miles into the Union. Ten buildings including the Custom House, built in 1827 and California's first theater, and several residences built in the 1830's which are now museums, preserve the area's rich history of early California. Many early adobes and other buildings have been restored, including the Cooper-Molera Adobe Casa Soberanes, Larkin House and Robert Louis Stevenson House. The visitor center is in the Stanton Center adjacent to Monterey's Fisherman's Wharf.
The Park is open daily from 10:00 a.m. until 4:00 p.m. with the exception of Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Years Day.