Merritt, Josiah, Adobe - Monterey, California
Posted by: hotshoe
N 36° 36.030 W 121° 53.750
10S E 598757 N 4051123
Two-story adobe house which was the home of the first judge in Monterey, Josiah Merritt
Waymark Code: WM5YZ8
Location: California, United States
Date Posted: 03/03/2009
Views: 3
"It [the house] came into the hands of the Merritt family in 1852, when the then-owner defaulted on a mortgage and Juana Castro Merritt successfully bid on the property. The daughter of Monterey’s alcalde (mayor), Simeon Castro, Juana had married Josiah Merritt a few years earlier; he was a native of Orange County, New York, and had practiced law in the East before coming to California in 1849. Together, they raised a family of five in the adobe, while Josiah Merritt became influential in local politics. He served as a judge from 1851-1854 and was active in organizing Monterey County in 1881."
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visit link)
It has been carefully restored (and decorated in a period style) as part of the Merritt House Inn. There are no public tours scheduled, but people can enter the front garden from the city sidewalk and get a good look at the outside of the house.