San Benito County holds a celebration for its 150th anniversary

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The San Benito County Historical Park hosted a gathering to commemorate the county’s creation 150 years after it split from Monterey County. Elected officials representing residents on the city, county, state, and national levels joined with Fire and Sheriff’s departments, service organizations, food trucks, and local dance and music groups for a celebration of the county’s past and future.

“The history of this county is incredible as well, from our agriculture and ranching to San Juan Bautista and the Pinnacles to our wine industry,” said County Supervisor Angela Curro, who represents District 4, which includes the south county and the park. “The community is unique as well, still small-town and filled with outspoken and friendly people.” 

The opening ceremony began with a land acknowledgment by Kanyon Coyote Woman Sayers-Roods, who placed the county in the context of the Amah Mutsun tribe, the region’s indigenous natives.

“We want to acknowledge the indigenous peoples of whose land we’re on,” she said. “Three different tribal groups, all of which are very active in our native community working on language revitalization, cultural revitalization, protecting sacred sites, and celebrating culture.”

Sayers-Roods followed her remarks by singing a Grandmother Song, which she dedicated “to all grandmothers and Mother Earth—without them, we would not be.”

District 18 Congressmember Zoe Lofgren, who followed Sayers-Roods, said that San Benito County is a place of great beauty, “but what I like best are the people that I have met here—hardworking people who care about their neighbors and their families.”

California Senator Anna Caballero, who currently represents San Benito County as part of District 14, and Senator John Laird, who is running for reelection in District 17, the county’s new district following redistricting, spoke next, followed by Speaker of the Assembly Robert Rivas, who represents the county as part of District 29.

“In 1875,” Rivas said, “there were about 1,000 San Benito County residents who voted in that year’s general election. Here we are, a century and a half later, and the county is quite different. That brings opportunities and challenges, but the curiosity in Sacramento about this part of California is very very real, I can tell you that.”

While not attending in person, Governor Gavin Newsom and US Senator Alex Padilla sent representatives to present congratulatory acknowledgments. The ceremony was also attended by all five of the county’s board of supervisors, who introduced the speakers.

Following the presentations, Laird told BenitoLink, “It is very exciting to be here for the 150th anniversary, which is a real milestone and worth celebrating. It’s a celebration of this county’s diversity and recognition of its increasing role in the state of California.”

Later in the afternoon,  Monterey Viejo Chapter 1846 of E Clampus Vitus unveiled a plaque commemorating the creation of San Benito County, which was mounted on a recently installed time capsule created and donated by Hollister Girl Scout Troop 20001.

Throughout the day, there were performances by the Goat Hill Girls Musical Group, the Jillian Shaw Band, Enterprise Martial Arts and Grupo Folklorico Raices Mexico. Food was available from Ace’s Place Banana Bread, Mattia Pizza, The Steak Stop and Ivan’s Baked Potatoes.

Several community-related booths were hosted by local and county organizations, including the San Benito County Library, San Benito County Behavioral Health, the San Benito Office of Emergency Services, San Benito County Foundation REACH, the San Benito County Sheriff, Fire and Probation departments and the Youth Alliance.

San Benito County Historical Society president John Wrobel summed up the appeal of San Benito County to BenitoLink, saying, “I think one of the most unique things about San Benito County is that if you get five miles south of Hollister, looking around you pretty much gives you the feeling you are back to the 1800s. They are doing the cattle ranching and hay growing and those kinds of things just as they did 150 years ago.”

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