SALINAS

city, seat (1872) of Monterey county, western California, U.S. It lies in the Salinas valley just east of Monterey Bay. The site, at a crossroads location on the El Camino Real (the old Spanish trail between San Diego and San Francisco), was settled by Elias Howe in 1856 and became a cattle centre. The arrival of the Southern Pacific Railroad in 1868 stimulated agricultural development (lettuce, artichokes, celery, and sugar beets). Salinas was the birthplace of writer John Steinbeck, who often referred to it in his work, especially East of Eden, and who is buried there. It is the seat of Hartnell College (1920). The California Rodeo is an annual event. Inc. 1874. Pop. (1993 est.) city, 115,936; Salinas MSA, 372,077.