Santa Rita, Salinas, California facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Santa Rita
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Neighborhood of Salinas
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 Santa Rita
Location in California
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| Country | United States |
| State | California |
| County | Monterey County |
| City | Salinas |
| Elevation | 79 ft (24 m) |
Santa Rita (which means "Saint Rita" in Spanish) is a neighborhood located in Salinas, California. It's part of Monterey County. You can find it just north of Downtown Salinas. This area sits about 79 feet (24 meters) above sea level.
The Story of Santa Rita
Santa Rita has an interesting past! A long time ago, a man named Jose Manuel Soto bought a large piece of land. This land was known as the Santa Rita land grant. He set aside about 1 square mile (2.6 square kilometers) to create a new town.
Early Names for the Town
Jose Manuel Soto first named his new town "New Republic." A post office opened there in 1870. In 1874, the post office changed its name to Santa Rita. It stayed open until 1907.
The town was also known by other names. People sometimes called it "Pinecate" because of a nearby place called Pinecate Peak. It was also called "Sotoville" to honor Jose Manuel Soto himself.
Becoming Part of Salinas
In 1975, Santa Rita officially became a part of Salinas. This process is called "annexation." It means the city of Salinas expanded to include the Santa Rita area. Today, the Zip Code for Santa Rita is 93906.
