Monterey was the capital of California from 1777 to 1849, under the flags of Spain, Mexico, and the United States.
Monterey is also the location of one of the largest aquariums in North America, Monterey Bay Aquarium, and hosts several important marine science laboratories.
Monterey is the location of the Naval Postgraduate School, Presidio of Monterey,Monterey Institute of International Studies and California State University, Monterey Bay, which is located on the former Fort Ord.
The MontereyCanyon, largest of the Sanctuary's submarine canyons, is similar in size to the Grand Canyon in Arizona.
MontereyCanyon, in the center of Monterey Bay, is the largest of these submarine features both in the sanctuary and along the entire coast of North America.
Canyons that terminate at the shoreline are thought to be active and are the major sediment transport conduits to the deep sea.