Friendly Plaza

Friendly Plaza sits at the heart of Monterey, defined by the large, bronze sculpture of Father Junipero Serra that stands in the center of the grass. Before this became a quiet public square, the site held the foundation of the town’s first theater. In eighteen forty-seven, American soldiers stationed here converted an old adobe warehouse into a stage for traveling troupes. They performed plays like Othello for local residents, turning a simple storage building into a cultural hub for a growing town.