Metz (formerly, Chalone) is an
unincorporated community
An unincorporated area is a region that is not governed by a local municipal corporation. Widespread unincorporated communities and areas are a distinguishing feature of the United States and Canada. Most other countries of the world either have ...
in the
Salinas Valley
The Salinas Valley is one of the major valleys and most productive agricultural regions in California. It is located west of the San Joaquin Valley and south of San Francisco Bay and the Santa Clara Valley.
The Salinas River, which geologically ...
, in
Monterey County
Monterey County ( ), officially the County of Monterey, is a county located on the Pacific coast in the U.S. state of California. As of the 2020 census, its population was 439,035. The county's largest city and county seat is Salinas.
Montere ...
,
California
California is a state in the Western United States, located along the Pacific Coast. With nearly 39.2million residents across a total area of approximately , it is the most populous U.S. state and the 3rd largest by area. It is also the m ...
.
It is located on the
Southern Pacific Railroad and
County Route G15, northeast of
Greenfield,
at an elevation of 236 feet (72 m).
History
The first European land exploration of
Alta California, the Spanish
Portolá expedition
thumbnail, 250px, Point of San Francisco Bay Discovery
The Portolá expedition ( es, Expedición de Portolá) was a Spanish voyage of exploration in 1769–1770 that was the first recorded European land entry and exploration of the interior of ...
, camped in this vicinity on September 27, 1769, having followed the
Salinas River from the south.
A post office operated at Metz from 1888 to 1933.
The place was originally called Chalone when the railroad was built to the site in 1886.
Upon the establishment of the post office, the settlement was renamed Metz in honor of W.H.H. Metz, its first postmaster.
References
Unincorporated communities in Monterey County, California
Salinas Valley
Unincorporated communities in California
{{MontereyCountyCA-geo-stub