MONTEREY COUNTY AGRICULTURAL & RURAL LIFE MUSEUM

King City is a sleepy little town, where the speed limit on the main drag is 25 punctuated by stop signs. People nod and wave to each other on the street, and it has a real hometown feel. What better place to have Monterey County's Agricultural & Rural Life Museum than in the midst of small town America? An easy drive straight down 101 to Broadway puts you at the park entrance .

Not to be missed:
Make certain to stop at the tourist information center first. Information specialist Nancy Scala embodies Monterey County Parks' motto, "Quality recreation with a personal touch." She's a wellspring of knowledge about the museum, its grounds, and local history. There is also plenty of written material available (free) that explains the museum and its outbuildings.

Other Highlights:

· The Outhouses If your children are too young or too "citified" to have ever experienced rural living, the outhouses hold quite a bit of fascination. Don't worry, they're clean and viewable through the typical moon cut-outs.
· The larger agricultural equipment (across the street from the main building) These are good "imagination stations" for your children. How could these have been used? How might they have been improved upon?
· King City's original railroad station Yes, the original one. They moved it piece by piece to the park. A fascinating piece of architectural and railroad history.
· Spreckles Ranch House Did you know that all the original Spreckles Ranch Houses have a picture of a beet on them? We didn't either until visiting the Ag Museum. It's interesting how beautiful, yet how efficiently the sugar company housed its employees.
· The cookwagon The first "meals on wheels", from 1888! The brochure for the cookwagon reads a little like a Louis L'Amour piece, with a wonderful flavor of the old west. Don't forget to pick these up first.
· La Gloria School If you visit on a weekend from 11-2, you'll be able to go into the outbuildings rather than just look from the outside. La Gloria School provides a glimpse back to a time when "the repository of art and science was the school, and the schoolteacher shielded and carried the torch of learning and beauty." (Steinbeck) Separate entrances for boys and girls, a "List of Punishments", an organ and original slate blackboards are all interesting features of the schoolhouse.

If you are a camping family, San Lorenzo County Park is a pretty destination on its own, or a good weigh-station on your way points south. The park offers both day use and camping, and is a nice excursion either way. The Ag Museum also offers docent-led tours to school, homeschool and other groups. It's a good glimpse of California History that makes reading about this time period much more relevant.

Out & About Helpful Hints: The museum and outbuildings are very interesting, especially to history buffs, but they are largely "see" rather than "do." If you have younger children, you might want to plan your visit around one of their living history days, where blacksmiths, horseshoers and others reenact their trades. Or plan ahead and bring their sketchbooks.

Kid Safety Considerations: The exhibits inside the main barn are old and often irreplaceable. If you have a kinesthetic learner who has to touch everything, you might want to hold his hand or direct him to the things that CAN be touched.

(c) 2000 Paul and Julie Gentry. Note: this article first appeared in Monterey County Family Magazine.