[1] A crucial decision faced the leaders of the first European land exploration of Alta California, the Spanish Portolá expedition, which camped on the Salinas River in this vicinity for several days, October 1–6, 1769.

From this camp, the expedition leaders ascended the hills to the west (inside today's Fort Ord, from which vantage they saw Monterey Bay for the first time (the scouts had seen it the day before).

Supplies were running low, and a meeting of the party leadership was held on October 4 to decide whether to turn around and return to San Diego.

Conclusion of the council held on this date: The area around Blanco was included in the Rancho Las Salinas Spanish land grant in 1795.

[2] The name honors Tom White, a sailor who jumped ship in Monterey in 1840 and settled at the place; locals called him Tomas Blanco - a translation of his name into Spanish.