Monarch Knitting & Quilts
a little more than 16 thousand residents here who just love their small town. It has become known
as "Butterfly Town USA", or "America's Last Hometown". The city has a unique character all
it's own that comes from it's history and location.
Pacific Grove is at the west end of the Monterey Peninsula, right where the Monterey Bay
meets the Pacific Ocean. Because of this, the ocean has played an important part in the
formation of the city. The Pt. Pinos Lighthouse is the oldest operating lighthouse in California.
Pacific Grove started out as a seaside retreat community for the Methodist Church. Campers
came here from all over California to participate in the "Chautauqua of the West". Starting out
with meetings in tents, the Chautaqua leaders soon had a fine retreat hall for their meetings. The
campers stayed in tents set up on small 30' x 60' lots the community was divided into. The lots
originally sold for $ 50.00 apiece. Soon the tents had wooden floors and those turned into tiny
one bedroom Victorian cottages, many still dot the streets of Pacific Grove. Because of this
early religious influence, Pacific Grove is still a town of many churches. One of the favorite
gathering places for early attendees was "Lovers of Jesus Point", now known simply as Lover's
Point. This is now a city park and a great place for a wedding, beachgoing or scuba diving.
winter here each year. Here is a question to ponder: The Monarchs that arrive here each year are
three to four generations removed from the butterflies that were here the previous year. How do they
know how to get here? You will find them in the Butterfly Sanctuary and in Washington Park during
the winter months.
The City holds it's annual Butterfly Parade in October each year to welcome the Monarchs
back. Other city events of interest included: Good Old Days and Police Motorcycle competition
in April, The Feast of Lanterns in July, The Concours Auto Rally in August, The Pacific Grove
Triathlon in September, The Victorian Home Tour in October, The Marching Band Festival in
November and Christmas at the Inns in December.
Pacific Grove has become a favorite of vacationers because of its quiet charm and beauty.
You can even sit in your room overlooking the Bay and watch the whales. Of course the
Monterey Peninsula is noted for it's golf courses and Pacific Grove has one of the best kept
secrets. The P. G. Municipal Golf Course, "The Poor Man's Pebble Beach" has the same
water views at one-tenth the green's fees.
Many prominent people have had a connection to Pacific Grove. One of the founders was
David Jacks. You know his name if you love Monterey Jack cheese. Robert Louis Stevenson
wrote about Pacific Grove as did John Steinbeck. A resident of Pacific Grove, John Steinbeck
mentioned many P.G. locations in his novels and made Ed Ricketts and his Pacific Biological
Laboratories famous. "Doc's" first lab was here before he moved to Monterey's Cannery Row.
Pacific Grove, a small town with everything that makes it truly "America's Last Hometown".
A great destination for a vacaton, where you will find a quiet place to stay and shop and a
good central location to enjoy all the the Monterey Peninsula has to offer.
We hope you visit us at Monarch Knitting & Quilts. Also P.G.'s other fiber arts stores,
Back Porch Fabrics and the Hand Maden.
