Stroll through the past today

Monterey was established by Father Junipero Serra and Gaspar de Portolá, the governor of Baja and Alta California and an explorer. The capital of California from 1777 to 1849, Monterey was first part of Spain and later Mexico. Portolá built the presidio of Monterey to defend Alta California’s first and only port of entry from the perceived threat of a Russian invasion.

Custom House, the oldest government building in the state, received all taxable shipments coming from sea to the West Coast. Today, the building is listed as California’s Historic Landmark Number One. On July 7, 1846, Commodore John D. Sloat of the U.S. Navy raised the U.S. flag over Custom House during the Battle of Monterey to claim California from Mexico.

A U.S. Army Post was established in Monterey Bay in 1917. It was renamed Fort Ord in 1940 in honor of American Civil War hero Maj. Gen Edward Ord. Fort Ord, which at one time housed 50,000 troops, served as a training center for basic and advanced infantrymen until 1976 when it was deactivated. Following the recommendation of the Base Closure and Realignment Commission (BRAC), the base was finally closed in 1994 and most of the land returned to the State of California.

The Bayonet Golf Course was built on part of Fort Ord in 1954, designed by Gen. Robert B. McClure for private use. The commander of the base at that time, Gen. McClure was left-handed and had the course designed to fit his game. A series of sharp doglegs, Holes 11-15, are known as “Combat Corner.” Following the initial success of Bayonet, Fort Ord officials decided to expand and built The Black Horse Golf Course in 1964.

The courses were purchased by the City of Seaside in 1997. A $14 million renovation of both courses was completed in 2008. Now open to the public, the nationally coveted courses hosted numerous PGA Tour, Nationwide and Champions tour events.