Explore Monterey | Jolon

The town of Jolon (pronounced ho-lone) was established in the 1860's to meet the needs of miners traveling to the Los Burros Mining District on the coast. It later developed into the center of commercial and social activity in southern Monterey County.

Its gradual demise began with the completion of the Southern Pacific Railroad and the subsequent development of the King City area. The town came under ownership of William Randolph Hearst in the 1920's in 1940 Hearst sold the property to the U.S. Army, its current owner.

John Steinbeck used Jolon as a setting for his book "To a God Unknown." Today the community of Jolon consists of the original General Merchandise store that is vacant and a small church that is still used by the Jolon locals.

Text taken from MTYCounty.com