A Brief History of Monte Sereno
The Monte Sereno area was originally part of the 1839 Alta California land grant of Rancho Rinconada de Los Gatos, as was the neighboring town of Los Gatos. The community has kept a mostly low profile throughout its history, even at the height of the Monte Sereno, California real estate boom during the Second World War and post-WWII days.
If Monte Sereno is famous for anything in particular, aside from being known as one of the premier places to live in Silicon Valley, it’s for playing host to the great John Steinbeck, who once stayed – and wrote – in a cottage in the area. The cottage still stands and, its spare appearance notwithstanding, remains one of the most significant pieces of Monte Sereno, California real estate. It was here that Steinbeck penned his two masterpieces, The Grapes of Wrath and Of Mice and Men, both of which have become a permanent part of the American literary canon.
Steinbeck’s original home, which has been expanded by subsequent owners from 800 square feet to 4,300, is now designated as an official historic site.
If Steinbeck himself were alive to see Monte Sereno today, perhaps he wouldn’t find the area much changed. While there are certainly more pieces of Monte Sereno, California real estate around today, the city has retained its semi-rural feel. There are no sidewalks here and whatever streetlights there are, are few and far between.
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