Remembering the Legacy of John Steinbeck

John Steinbeck was born in Salinas, California, in 1902. His parents were active in the community and encouraged his love of reading and writing. During the summertime, the young Steinbeck worked on nearby ranches as a hired hand, giving him a deep appreciation for the countryside of California and the people who lived there.

After his graduation from high school, Steinbeck attended Stanford University, where he started out as an English major. He then began to pursue independent study programs, and attended school sporadically while working a variety of different jobs. Steinbeck permanently left Stanford in 1925 with the idea of pursuing his formal writing career in New York City. However, he was unable to get anything published, so he returned to California, where he published his first novel, titled A Cup of Gold.

Although his first book attracted very little attention from critics and the public, but Steinbeck continued his pursuit, publishing two more novels, To a God Unknown and The Pastures of Heaven. Both of these books were also received poorly by the world of literature, but undaunted, Steinbeck continued writing. He married Carol Henning, his first wife, in 1930 and they made their home in Pacific Grove. It was there that Steinbeck gathered much of the material he used in writing Tortilla Flat and Cannery Row. Both of these books marked a turning point in the career of Steinbeck, with Tortilla Flat receiving the California Commonwealth Club’s Gold Medal honoring the best novel by an author in California. With his long-awaited recognition as encouragement, Steinbeck wrote his seminal The Grapes of Wrath, for which he won the Pulitzer Prize. He continued to write prolifically, and in 1962 he was awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature.

Today, 17 miles from Monterey, a scenic drive will take you to the John Steinbeck Center, located in the heart of Steinbeck’s stomping grounds in historic Oldtown Salinas. The Center provides visitors with three experiences in history and literature, art and agriculture, and special events and educational programs. The John Steinbeck Exhibition Hall offers visitors an assortment of multisensory interactive exhibits for all ages. The hall also contains rare artifacts as well as seven theaters showcasing some of Steinbeck’s most noted works, including East of Eden, Of Mice and Men, Cannery Row, and The Grapes of Wrath.

The Rabobank Agriculture Museum gives visitors the chance to explore the tales of the Salinas Valley, which has long been considered "the Salad Bowl of the World." This permanent exhibit pays homage to the people, history, and technology of the agricultural industry developed through decades of farming on California’s Central Coast. Multiple gallery areas offer changing art works and cultural exhibits, supporting the ideas Steinbeck wrote about. His works routinely focused on championing the disenfranchised and forgotten people of small farming communities, while affirming the underlying strength of the human spirit.

The mission of the National Steinbeck Center is to tell the story of the rich legacy of John Steinbeck, and to immerse visitors in tales of the human condition. It is a wonderful attraction for adult tours and school groups, and provides a unique and lovely venue for holding special events. The Center is a non-profit institution supported by funds raised through memberships, admissions, special programs and events, and donations.