John Steinbeck holds his son Thom for his christening at
St. James Episcopal Church, then located on Pacific Street in March 1945. The church was later moved to Van Buren Street and became the home of the Mayo Hayes O'Donnell Library. The Nobel prize winning author lived during this time in Monterey's historic Soto house, where he wrote much of the novel The Pearl.

(Harbick Collection, Monterey Public Library.)