Del Monte’s 1880 Hotel Became the Naval Postgraduate School: A Neighborhood History With Three Rebuildings

DEL MONTE, Monterey County — October 2026. The name Del Monte survives in Monterey’s streets, neighborhoods and historic sites, but its best-documented legacy is the former Hotel Del Monte, now the core of the Naval Postgraduate School campus. The institution’s own history gives a chronology of how a railroad-era resort became a Navy educational center. This is a historical feature, not a report that a hotel is reopening.

From train passengers to an international resort

The U.S. Navy and Naval Postgraduate School state that railroad pioneer Charles Crocker opened Hotel Del Monte in June 1880. It rapidly attracted travelers who could reach the Monterey Peninsula by rail. The school’s Dudley Knox Library identifies the resort as a catalyst for Monterey tourism and the starting and ending point for the original scenic 17-Mile Drive, which originally extended around 18 miles before its route and name changed. The grounds included large gardens and recreation facilities, eventually supporting golf, polo, riding, swimming and tennis.

Three buildings on the same site

Fires were central to the hotel’s history. The first major hotel was destroyed in 1887 and rebuilt at the site. Another fire severely damaged the central wooden building on September 27, 1924. Under the management of Del Monte Properties, the resort was rebuilt in a Spanish Revival style, with a formal dedication in May 1926. The architecture visible today is tied to that rebuilding, not simply a surviving intact 1880 structure.

When did the Navy take over?

In 1942 the U.S. Navy took over the property for wartime training. Congress subsequently authorized acquisition of the historic hotel and surrounding land for a Naval Postgraduate School campus. The institution reports that in December 1951 it relocated from Annapolis, Maryland, to Monterey with some 500 students, approximately 100 faculty and staff and research equipment and library holdings. That was a change in mission from tourism to military graduate education.

Does today’s campus permit unrestricted hotel visits?

No. A nationally recognized historical story does not mean the former hotel is an operating public lodging business or that civilians may freely enter a military installation. Visitors should consult Naval Postgraduate School for current access, visitor arrangements and any approved historic tours. The school’s library offers a public online historical collection for people who cannot visit.

Why this is specifically Del Monte history

Del Monte was formerly a distinct community name before being incorporated into the growing city of Monterey. Historical accounts and old postal references use the name alongside the former resort; the place should not be confused with Del Monte Heights in neighboring Seaside or the wider Del Monte Forest near Pebble Beach. Distinguishing these names helps readers understand old records and local geography.

Primary sources: Naval Postgraduate School, Dudley Knox Library — Historic Hotel Del Monte and detailed timeline; U.S. Navy, Naval Support Activity Monterey — installation history; Naval Postgraduate School — history of the 1951 relocation.

Editorial note: This report recounts historical events with their original dates. The building’s present status is described as an active military academic campus, not a tourist hotel.

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