Guest, Sign inJoin

Post to Castroville

We’ll email a one-tap link to publish your post. No password, and nothing is public until you click it.
Already a member? Sign in
CHistory
History · Castroville

Castroville dates to 1863, and 1 of its places is on the National Register

More historic than 33% of U.S. towns · #303 of 847 in California. What drives it

Most of Castroville was built recently: 2% of its homes predate 1940 and the median home dates from 1979. Its Register listing is the Castroville Japanese Language School. Below: 2 old photos and papers, maps from 1892 on, and the census since 1950.

1863founded
1on the National Register
2%homes built before 1940
2old photos & papers
2famous people
Add an old photoShare a memory
From Castroville’s archive · credits on each photo
Quick answers

How Castroville began

When was Castroville founded?

1863

Castroville dates its founding to 1863 (Wikidata). The census first counted it in 1950.

First census: 1,865 in 19502020 census: 7,515163 years

How historic is Castroville?

C

More historic than 33% of U.S. towns, on its age, its old homes and the National Register.

What drives the grade ↓
Founding year: Wikidata. First post office: 1867.The full story ↓
History grade

What drives Castroville’s History grade

On its age, its old homes and the National Register, Castroville is more historic than 33% of U.S. towns, #303 of 847 in California. Its National Register listings hold the grade up; its share of homes from before 1940 pulls it down.

C
HistoryA character grade: shown, never part of Castroville’s overall grade.
Founding era1863, from Wikidata: founded 1850–1899, an older era than 37% of U.S. townsC+Homes built before 19401.7% of homes (±2.4) · typical CA town 3.4% · U.S. 8.4%C−National Register1 listing, 1.5 per 10,000 residents · typical CA town 0.0 · U.S. 2.4B
All U.S. towns we grade (21,289)Ahead of 33%
NewerOlder
California towns of 2,500+ (847)Ahead of 64%

Few California towns list much on the Register (a typical California town has 0.0 per 10,000 residents, the U.S. 2.4), so Castroville’s 1.5 sits above most of its state (78% of California towns have fewer) while its 1 listings outnumber those of 51% of U.S. towns.

How sure. Graded on any two of the three inputs instead, the letter would range from C− to B−. The pre-1940 share (±2.4 points) is firm at this size. Two sources give 1863.

Founding year: Wikidata (other dates in Quick answers). Homes: Census ACS 2020–24. National Register: National Park Service, May 2026 list; each listing counted once (boundary changes and added documentation belong to their listing), and a historic district counts its contributing buildings. How TownRatings grades history →

What stands out about Castroville’s past

Read from the archive, the National Register and the record. The page puts what stands out first.

A history waiting to be writtenOnly 2 old photos are in the public archives. The rest are in attics and albums.On the map since 19125 editions of the USGS map, 1912 to 1980. Watch Castroville change.Mapped building by building3 fire insurance maps, 1892 to 1929, drew every building in Castroville.
★ What stands out · Help out

Start Castroville’s collection

The first neighbors to add old photos shape how Castroville’s history is told.

Decades since 1900 with photos
00s10s20s30s40s50s60s70s80s90s
1 of 10 decades. The empty ones are waiting for someone’s album.
Retake an old viewGiant artichoke: stand where they stood+15Share a family photoSign in to add one+10
On the map

Castroville on the map, 1912 to 1980

Every edition of the U.S. Geological Survey’s map of Castroville. Tap a year, or press play to watch the town change.

Castroville on the 1912 USGS mapCastroville on the 1940 USGS mapCastroville on the 1954 USGS mapCastroville on the 1968 USGS mapCastroville on the 1980 USGS map1912Capitola sheet · 1:62,500

U.S. Geological Survey historical topographic maps (public domain), via Esri’s collection of the scans. The red ring marks the center of Castroville.

Every building

Castroville, building by building, 1892–1929

Fire insurance maps drew every building, what it was made of and what it was used for, so insurers could price the risk of fire. Pick a year, then a sheet.

Castroville fire insurance map, 1892, sheet 11892Sheet 1 of 2
Edition
BrickWoodStone

Sanborn Map Company, via the Library of Congress. Editions published in 1930 or earlier, which are in the public domain.

The story

How Castroville came to be

From Wikipedia’s history of Castroville.

Read it all →

Rancho Bolsa Nueva y Moro Cojo was a 30,901-acre (125.05 km2) Mexican land grant given in 1844 by Governor Manuel Micheltorena to Maria Antonia Pico de Castro, Juan Bautista Castro's mother. Rancho Bolsa Nueva y Moro Cojo is a combination of three land grants: Rancho Bolsa Nueva y Moro Cojo, given in 1844 by Governor Micheltorena to María Antonia Pico de Castro; Rancho Bolsa del Potrero y Moro Cojo, in 1822 by Governor Pablo Vicente de Solá to Joaquín de la Torre.; and the land between the other two, granted by Governor Juan Alvarado to Simeon Castro (Juan Bautista Castro's father) in 1837.

ChaptersRancho Bolsa Nueva y Moro CojoCastroville from 1850Castroville Argus newspaperChinatownFirst artichokeFirst Artichoke QueenMarilyn Monroe, Honorary Artichoke QueenNew sign

Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.

From the old history books

What they wrote about Castroville in 1881

Passages that mention Castroville, cut from the printed page as they were published.

the Southern Pacific. The scheme of a canal up the Tembladera slough from this landing is also within the probabilities in case the building of a railroad is not undertaken, and the extension through Castroville, and the Salinas valley, of the South Pacific Coast Railroad cannot be long delayed. Th…
History of Monterey County, California1881 · page 115Read the page →
Read the text

the Southern Pacific. The scheme of a canal up the Tembladera slough from this landing is also within the probabilities in case the building of a railroad is not undertaken, and the extension through Castroville, and the Salinas valley, of the South Pacific Coast Railroad cannot be long delayed. The era of railroad building in this valley has in truth only commenced.

Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.
An intelligent observer wrote as follows, after a brief visit to this town" " The first introduction to Castroville, which is situated about a half mile from the railroad depot, is not prepossessing, since only small cottages, scattered here and there, wildly, yet in abundance, are met with; but up…
History of Monterey County, California1881 · page 110Read the page →
Read the text

An intelligent observer wrote as follows, after a brief visit to this town" " The first introduction to Castroville, which is situated about a half mile from the railroad depot, is not prepossessing, since only small cottages, scattered here and there, wildly, yet in abundance, are met with; but upon entering it, one can see signs of life, business and thrift, and can forget the first impressions in the realization of the fact that there aresubstantial stores and residences, pretty gardens and plenty of trees.

Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.

Scans and text from the Internet Archive. Books published in 1930 or earlier, which are in the public domain.

Timeline

Castroville, 1863 to 1991

Woven from the archive, old maps, post office records, the National Register and the people born here.

  1. 19th century
  2. 1863
    FoundingCastroville is established
  3. 1867Post officeThe Castroville post office opens
  4. 1895Born hereJames J. Keating is born here
  5. 20th century
  6. 1905Born hereJames W. Silliman is born here
  7. 1912On the mapFirst mapped by the U.S. Geological Survey
  8. 1991In the archiveGiant artichoke
By decade

Castroville, decade by decade

One decade in the archive so far: the 1990s. Scroll each row; tap a photo for its story.

1990s2 items
Giant artichoke1991Giant artichokeGiant artichoke1991Giant artichoke
Today10 recent
Artichokecalibearflag2014ArtichokecalibearflagWestern Building, Rear View of Fire2013Western Building, Rear View of FireSan Diego Fruit and Produce, Company2013San Diego Fruit and Produce, CompanyGiant Artichoke Resturant2013Giant Artichoke ResturantCastroville Sign and La Scuola "The Schoolhouse"2013Castroville Sign and La Scuola "The Schoolhouse"Artichoke Kids2013Artichoke KidsSign: "Artichokes, now growing." California2012Sign: "Artichokes, now growing." CaliforniaFried Artichoke Hearts2007Fried Artichoke HeartsArtichoke Capitol2007Artichoke CapitolTomatos, DSCF16242004Tomatos, DSCF1624
On the National Register

1 historic place in Castroville

The country’s official list of buildings and places worth saving.

place listed
1
National Historic Landmarks
0
none yet
historic buildings protected
1
each building in a district counts
first listed
1995
Castroville Japanese Language School
Castroville Japanese Language School
Buildings

Architectural styles listings

Hipped Temple Roof1
Castroville Japanese Language SchoolHipped Temple Roof

National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places. Photos from Wikimedia Commons, credited on each place’s page.

People over time

Castroville, census by census

02,0004,0006,0008,00019601980200020207,515

Grew from 1,865 people in 1950 to 7,515 in 2020, 4 times over.

8 censuses, 1950–2020.

U.S. Census Bureau decennial counts, from the census table on Castroville’s Wikipedia page.

Famous people

2 famous people were born in Castroville

Writers, athletes, leaders and more, ranked by how widely they’re known.

See all →
James J. KeatingUnited States Marine Corps general · b. 1895
James W. SillimanAmerican politician · b. 1905

Questions about Castroville’s history

What year was Castroville founded?

In 1863, according to Wikidata. Castroville’s post office opened in 1867, and the census of 1950 counted 1,865 people here.

How does Castroville rank for history?

Castroville is more historic than 33% of U.S. towns, #303 of 847 in California. The History grade combines the town’s founding era, the share of homes built before 1940 and its National Register listings. It’s a character grade, so it isn’t part of the overall grade. How it works.

What is on the National Register in Castroville?

One place: the Castroville Japanese Language School (listed 1995).

How old are the homes in Castroville?

2% of Castroville’s homes were built before 1940 (Census estimate, ±2.4 points), against a typical 3.4% for a California town; the median home was built in 1979.

Memory lane

What the archives can’t tell you, neighbors can.

Town Square →
Start a conversation
Sources

Where this page comes from

Founding dates: Wikidata, Wikipedia, the U.S. post office records of Blevins & Helbock (CC0) and the Census. Homes by year built: Census ACS 2020–24. National Register of Historic Places: National Park Service (list of May 22, 2026). Old photos, postcards and papers: Wikimedia Commons, the Library of Congress and other public archives, credited on each item’s page. Maps: U.S. Geological Survey historical topographic maps (via Esri) and Sanborn fire-insurance maps (Library of Congress). History text and census tables: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0). Places that used to be: USGS Geographic Names Information System (2021).

From Wikimedia Commons (11), the Library of Congress (1), the National Register of Historic Places (1), Wikipedia, Wikidata and Wikipedia for famous people, U.S. Geological Survey historical maps, U.S. Census counts (via Wikipedia), the US Post Offices dataset (Blevins & Helbock), the USGS Geographic Names Information System, Sanborn fire insurance maps (Library of Congress) and old county and town histories (Internet Archive). Archive images are copied here with their credits and licenses, shown on each photo’s page. Refreshed monthly.