Art Deco and Art Moderne were popular architectural styles from 1920 to 1940. One of California’s most renowned icons, the Golden Gate Bridge, has design elements of Art Deco. Salinas, a city famous for agriculture, not architecture, in fact has one of the largest collection of Art Deco to Moderne buildings in all of California. Why is this? Because it was one of the few cities to prosper during the depression.

Salinas During the Great Depression

In 1924, Salinas had the highest per capita income of any city in the United States. Agriculture, Salinas’ major industry, expanded greatly during the Depression, fueled by ideal soils and climate, and sustained by innovations such as irrigation systems developed for sugar beets. Carload shipments of lettuce went from a few dozen in 1922 to 26,650 in 1940, and brought considerable wealth to the Salinas Valley.

During the produce seasons of the Great Depression, the volume of telephone and telegraph business origination in Salinas was greater than that of San Francisco. Money was available for the building and expansion, and Salinas benefited from the construction of many buildings by excellent architects.

The Monterey County Courthouse is often described as a perfect example of the Depression Moderne style—a sub-style of the Moderne architectural movement.

One of two remaining theaters along Main Street, Cinema 1 is a simple Moderne design that concentrates on a skyward reaching facade.

Take the Self-Guided Mobile Tour

This piece is part of a tour all about Downtown Salinas architecture by the Salinas Historical Resources Board. Download the free app with many tours of the Santa Cruz area and beyond.