Jim Cicchese is a longtime Westlake Village, California, realtor who serves as an agent with the local Keller Williams office. An avid traveler, Jim Cicchese particularly enjoys visiting Northern California destinations such as San Francisco, Carmel, and Monterey. An historic town that was the center of government during California’s Spanish colonial, Mexican, and early U.S. eras, Monterey still has numerous historical buildings from the early 19th century.
Prominent among these is the Old Custom House, which stands near Fisherman's Wharf and holds status as California’s oldest government building. Constructed in 1827, the building operated for nearly two decades as the place where duties were levied on all shipments that entered California via Monterey Bay. A particular focus was the state’s pre-Gold Rush tallow and hide trade, with fees of between $5,000 and $25,000 not uncommon for a single ship’s cargo load. This trade provided California with its largest single source of revenue during the Mexican era.
The Custom House became home to the U.S. Consulate in 1844, and two years later an American flag was flown, as California was ceded to the United States. It continued operations as a U.S. customs house until 1868, when it became a private residence.
