ABOUT Monte Sereno, CA

Monte Sereno was established in the early 1900’s as a rural agricultural community. The area was dotted with ranch houses, orchards, dairies and livestock, and the mountain slopes of the southern portion of the city contained summer homes, recreational properties and a few large estates. The beauty and tranquility of the area attracted artists and writers looking for a peaceful and inspirational place to pursue their craft. A few of the City points of interest are the home in which American author John Steinbeck wrote the Grapes of Wrath and the site of the Billy Jones Rail Road.

Unlike many other cities in Santa Clara County, Monte Sereno did not form on a crossroads or from an historical village. Consequently, a commercial core never developed in the City, leaving Monte Sereno strictly residential. Monte Sereno was incorporated in 1957 as a response to the ever-increasing pressure of annexation from surrounding cities. Residents of the community joined together and decided that incorporation rather than annexation was the best way to ensure the continued way-of-life for the community.

Monte Sereno is a quiet residential community, approximately 1.6 square miles in size with a population of about 4,000 residents.

Montesereno.org