Monterey County Jail, Gefängnis in den Vereinigten Staaten
Monterey County Jail is a prison building in Salinas, California, built in 1930 and combining Art Deco, Gothic, and Classical design elements. The brick structure with sturdy, simple construction features small windows and reflects the functional style of county detention facilities from that era.
The building was constructed in 1930 and added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2004, recognized for its architecture and connection to Cesar Chavez and the labor movement. A court of appeal decision in 2004 also protected the structure from demolition, affirming its importance as a historic site.
The jail is deeply connected to Cesar Chavez and the farm workers' movement, as he was detained here in 1970. His imprisonment drew prominent supporters like Ethel Kennedy and Coretta Scott King, making the building a symbol of labor resistance in California.
The jail is located in downtown Salinas on W. Alisal Street, a busy thoroughfare with shops and other buildings nearby. The structure is easily accessible on foot and can be viewed from the outside to observe its historical architecture.
The building gained prominence through Cesar Chavez's detention here from December 4 to 24, 1970, when he refused to end a lettuce boycott. His case drew international attention to farm worker issues and transformed the location into a symbol of social change in America.
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