Springtown, California facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Springtown
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California State Route 68 in Springtown, 2019
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 Springtown
Location in California
Springtown
Location in the United States
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| Country | United States |
| State | California |
| County | Monterey County |
| Elevation | 52 ft (16 m) |
| GNIS feature ID | 221451 |
Springtown is a small community located in Monterey County, California, United States. It used to be known as Confederate Corners. An "unincorporated community" means it's a place where people live, but it doesn't have its own local government like a city does.
Springtown is about 2 miles (3.2 km) south of Salinas. You can find it where California State Route 68 meets Hitchcock Road.
The Story of Springtown
Early Days and Names
The area was first called "Spring Town" or "Springtown." In the late 1860s, some people from the Southern United States moved there. They decided to rename the place Confederate Corners. In those early days, the community had a general store. There was also a factory that made wagons.
A Place in a Book
Springtown is famous for being the inspiration for a fictional town. The well-known author John Steinbeck wrote a novel called The Wayward Bus. In his book, the small town of "Rebel Corners" is based on Springtown.
Changing the Name Back
In 2017, some local people started a campaign to change the name of the area. They wanted to go back to the original name, Springtown. The Monterey County Board of Supervisors, which helps manage the county, voted to support this name change.
In 2018, the U.S. Board on Geographic Names officially approved the change. The name "Springtown" honors Francis and John Spring. They were two people who moved to Monterey County from San Francisco in the 1800s. The name "Confederate Corners" was not often used by people living there, and there were no signs showing that name.
