THE SALINAS VALLEY
1930S AND NOW
Ena Brennan and Rosie Daniels
September 2013
The Salinas Valley
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The Salinas Valley is located
along the central coast of
California, between two
mountain ranges; the Gabilan
and the Santa Lucia.
The valley has a very mild
climate and much of its water
is supplied by the Salinas
River.
John Steinbeck
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The John Steinbeck novella, Of
Mice and Men, as well as many of
his other works, are set in the
Salinas Valley.
John Steinbeck himself was born
there in 1902.
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Steinbeck spent his summers working
on ranches with migrant workers.
There, he experienced the harsher
aspects of migrant life and the
‘darker side’ of human nature,
supplying him with material that he
expressed in many of his works,
including Of Mice and Men.
1930s
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In the 1930s, the Salinas
Valley was a much less
developed place than it is
now.
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Ranching and farming existed
but on a much smaller scale.
The population was relatively
low, around 5000 people.
During this period, many
industrial changes occurred in
the valley, including the
development of the valley’s
infrastructure.
The Great Depression
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The farming economy in Salinas
valley saw far less disruptions in
terms of productions and markets
than other locations in America.
Many displaced workers came to the
Salinas Valley, which led to a vast
increase in productivity.
However, there was a labour strike in
1934 where Filipino workers fought
against management.

The first California farms labour union
was formed from this.
Present Day
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Today, the Salinas Valley is one
of the most productive
agricultural regions in
California, with over 1.4 million
acres of land devoted to
farming.
It is often referred to as
‘America’s Salad Bowl’ as it
produces many agricultural
staples such as lettuce,
cauliflower, broccoli and
numerous other crops.
The mild climate and fertile soil
allow farmers to grow crops
for the majority of the year.
Bibliography
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Fresh Express. (n.d.). Salinas Valley, CA. Retrieved September 13, 2013,
from Fresh Express
website: http://www.freshexpress.com/YourSaladStory/our-growing-regions/salinasvalley.aspx
Li, J., Ly, A., Ruiz, A., & Sicat, V. (2012, October 1). Salinas Valley [Prezi].
Retrieved September 13, 2013, from http://prezi.com/-zobfttwhbic/
salinas-valley/
Nelson, C. (n.d.). About The Dust Bowl. Retrieved September 17, 2013, from
Modern American Poetry website: http://www.english.illinois.edu/maps/
depression/dustbowl.htm
Petherick, B., Isabelle, S., & Lamontagne, N. (2011, June 7). The Great
Depression. Retrieved September 13, 2013, from
http://miceandmengreatdepression.wikispaces.com/
The Salinas River. (n.d.). Retrieved September 17, 2013, from
http://www.mtycounty.com/pgs-misc/salinas-river.html
Seavey, K. (2010). A Short History of Salinas, California. Retrieved September 13, 2013, from
Monterey County Historical Society website:
http://www.mchsmuseum.com/salinasbrief.html
Tran, V., Foltz, M., Parada, C., Hernandez, L., & Suarez, L. (2012, October 2). Salinas Valley [Prezi].
Retrieved September 13, 2013, from
http://prezi.com/tss_xis4sd73/salinas-valley/