Jamesburg, California facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Jamesburg
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 Jamesburg
Location in California
Jamesburg
Location in the United States
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| Country | United States |
| State | California |
| County | Monterey County |
| Elevation | 1,722 ft (525 m) |
Jamesburg is a small, quiet community located in Monterey County, California. It's not a city with a mayor or city council, but rather an "unincorporated community." This means it's part of the larger county area. Jamesburg sits among hills and valleys, about 7.5 miles (12.1 km) northeast of a place called Ventana Cone. It's quite high up, at an elevation of 1,722 feet (525 meters) above sea level!
Discovering Jamesburg, California
Jamesburg is a unique place in California. It offers a glimpse into the past and has a surprising connection to space history. Even though it's a small community, it has an interesting story to tell.
A Look at Jamesburg's History
The community of Jamesburg was founded a long time ago, in 1867. A man named John James was the one who started the town. For a while, it was even called "Jamesburgh."
A post office opened in Jamesburgh in 1886. This was an important way for people to send and receive letters. In 1894, the name of the town officially changed to Jamesburg. The post office continued to serve the community until it closed in 1935.
Jamesburg and Space Exploration
Jamesburg has a cool link to space! In 1968, a company called COMSAT built a special station there. This was the Jamesburg Earth Station. It was a giant antenna used to communicate with satellites orbiting Earth.
There's a famous story that the Jamesburg Earth Station helped relay one of the most important messages in history. People say it helped bring Neil Armstrong's famous words from the Moon to Earth in July 1969. When he stepped onto the Moon during the Apollo 11 mission, he said, "That's one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind." It's amazing to think a small place like Jamesburg might have played a part in such a huge moment! The station is no longer used today.
