Aromas: A Quaint Town In California's Monterey County

Aromas is a census-designated place (CDP) in California, United States. It is located in Monterey County and San Benito County, straddling the border of the two counties. Aromas is one of the few CDPs in California that is divided between two or more counties. The community has a land area of 4.75 miles, with a population of around 2,700 as of the 2020 census. The name Aromas is derived from the Spanish word for scents and is likely influenced by its location on the land grant known as Rancho Las Aromitas y Agua Caliente, which translates as Ranch of the little odors and warm waters.

Aromas, California

Aromas is a census-designated place (CDP) in California, United States. It is one of four places in California that are divided by one or more counties. In Aromas' case, it straddles the border of two: Monterey County to the west and San Benito County to the east. The town is also close to Santa Cruz County, which is less than a mile to the northwest, and Santa Clara County, which is about 2 miles (3 km) to the north.

The settlement was originally known as 'Sand Cut', named after the Southern Pacific Railroad tunnel constructed nearby in 1870 or 1871. The name was changed to Aromas (Spanish for 'scents') around 1895, after Rancho Las Aromitas y Agua Caliente.

Aromas is a tight-knit community with a variety of annual events, including Aromas Day, which features live music, food and vendor booths. The town has a population of around 2,700 to 2,900 people, with a median age of 47 and an average individual income of $56,415. It has a variety of shops, restaurants, nightlife spots and parks.

Nearby attractions include San Juan Oaks Golf Club, Palm Beach State Park, San Juan Bautista State Historic Park, Pajaro Valley Historical Association, Sierra Azul Nursery & Garden, Santa Cruz County Fairgrounds, and 18th Barrel Tasting Room.

Monterey County

The county's economy is largely based on tourism in its coastal regions and agriculture in the Salinas River valley. Most inhabitants live near the northern coast or in the Salinas Valley, while the southern coast and inland mountainous regions are sparsely populated. The county is famous for its scenic features, including Carmel-by-the-Sea, Big Sur, State Route 1, and the 17 Mile Drive on the Monterey Peninsula.

The county is served by Amtrak trains and Greyhound Lines buses, and has several airports, including Monterey Regional Airport and Salinas Municipal Airport.

San Benito County

Aromas is a census-designated place (CDP) in California, United States, that straddles the border between two counties: Monterey County and San Benito County. San Benito County, officially the County of San Benito, is located in the Central Coast region of California. It is included in the San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA Metropolitan Statistical Area, which is part of the San Francisco Bay Area.

The county seat of San Benito County is Hollister, which had a population of 64,209 as of the 2020 census. The county is named after San Benito de Nursia, the patron saint of monasticism, who was honoured by Father Juan Crespí during his 1772 expedition to the area. The town of Hollister was founded in 1868 by William Welles Hollister and became the county seat when San Benito County was formed from a section of Monterey County in 1874.

Santa Cruz County

Aromas is located at 36°53′13″N 121°38′29″W / 36.88694°N 121.64139°W (36.886988, -121.641396). The community has a land area of 4.75 square miles and an elevation of 130 feet. The population of Aromas was 2,708 at the 2020 census, down from 2,797 at the 2000 census. The population was almost equally distributed between Monterey County and San Benito County.

Aromas is one of four CDPs in California that are divided between two or more counties. The others are Kingvale (divided between Placer County and Nevada County), Kirkwood (divided between Alpine County and Amador County), and Tahoma (divided between Placer County and El Dorado County). The settlement was originally known as "Sand Cut", named after the nearby Southern Pacific Railroad tunnel constructed in 1871. The town was later renamed Aromas, derived from Rancho Las Aromitas y Agua Caliente, which translates as "Ranch of the little odors and warm waters".

Aromas is home to several businesses and attractions, including a Graniterock quarry and the Fireclay Tile manufacturing company. The community is also served by a railroad, although there is no passenger service. Rogge Lane in Aromas connects to Highway 129 in Santa Cruz County, while Aromas Road leads to County Road G11 (San Juan Road) in Monterey County.

Rancho Las Aromitas y Agua Caliente

The town of Aromas in California sits on land that was once part of a grant known as Rancho Las Aromitas y Agua Caliente, which translates as "Ranch of the little odors and warm waters". The name "Aromas" is the plural of "aroma", which in Spanish means "scents".

Aromas is a census-designated place (CDP) in Monterey County and San Benito County, California, United States. It is one of four CDPs in California that are divided between two or more counties. The settlement was originally known as "Sand Cut", named after the Southern Pacific Railroad tunnel constructed nearby in 1871. It was renamed Aromas around 1895.

The CDP straddles the border of the two counties, with Monterey County to the west and San Benito County to the east. The Santa Cruz County line is less than a mile to the northwest, and Santa Clara County is about 2 miles (3 km) to the north. The population was 2,708 at the 2020 census, down from 2,797 in 2000. The community has a land area of 4.75 miles, is at 130 feet in elevation, and had 889 households in 2000.

Aromas is home to a Graniterock quarry, with the A.R. Wilson quarry owned and operated by the Watsonville-based company. The town also has a tile manufacturer, Fireclay Tile, which has been operating since 1986.

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