Steinbeck #7--Palo Colorado/Olive Hamilton Traditional Cache

This cache celebrates Olive Hamilton Steinbeck (1867-1934), the mother of John Steinbeck.  Born in San Jose, she grew up on the Hamilton Family ranch in the hills outside of King City.  Completing High School, she became a teacher at the young age of 18 at the now defunct Palo Colorado School which was located in the white building on the other side of the highway to the south of this cache.   She would ride on horseback 15 miles down the wild rugged Big Sur Coast from Monterey to the one-room schoolhouse.  Marrying John E. Steinbeck Sr. in 1890, they settled in Salinas.   Being a teacher, Olive Steinbeck always kept the family house filled with books and reading.  It was from this her son John developed a lifelong affinity with the written word.