San Benito County Travel Guide — Things to Do, Food & Hotels
county in California, United States
About San Benito County
San Benito County is predominantly rural and mountainous. Just over 55,000 people reside in the county, with about two-thirds of the population living in the county seat of Hollister. The county was formed in 1874 from portions of Monterey County. The county is named after the San Benito Valley, which was itself named by the Franciscan missionary Father Juan Crespí in honor of San Benedicto, the patron saint of the married. The state gem of California, benitoite, is named after the county. While the mineral exists elsewhere, San Benito County is the only place in the world where it exists in gem quality. The county's economy is based primarily on agriculture andagritourism. While the oil and gas industry traditionally operated several wells in the county, an effort to ban fracking in
San Benito County Travel Guide Sections
Our comprehensive guide covers 6 sections including: