Steinbeck Center Adds Agricultural Wing in 2000

Kim Greer, chief executive officer of the National Steinbeck Center in Salinas, California, wants to put your memories on loan. He needs them to illustrate the Central Coast's agricultural history in the center's soon-to-be-built agricultural wing. If you are a Central Coast farmer (Salinas Valley or Monterey County), take a moment to search your family mementos for family farm stories, diaries, pictures, and historical objects.

"People like to see and touch things," says Greer, who will place donated or on-loan family items in the new wing, set to break ground in 2000. The wing is the result of a cooperative effort between National Steinbeck Center supporters and farmers from the area. Author John Steinbeck was born in Salinas, a town that publicly burned his books on two occasions, but ultimately honored him with many acknowledgments. Steinbeck drew his inspiration from the land and the people who worked it, and through his books he championed and honored the strength of their human spirit.

Built in 1998, the center honoring Steinbeck draws more than 120,000 people annually. Greer expects that many of them will want to experience life on the farm after visiting its new agricultural wing. He invites Central Coast farmers ready for agri-tourism visitors to contact the center with tourist-related farm information. That information will be used to refer National Steinbeck Center visitors to your Central Coast-area farms. To share your family's Central Coast memorabilia or to provide information about your Central Coast farm, contact the National Steinbeck Center at One Main Street, Salinas, CA 93901; (831) 796-3833; http://www.steinbeck.org.