This grant extended from Moss Landing to present-day Prunedale and south to Castroville.

[citation needed] In the early 1860s Charles Moss, a Texas ship captain, established with the help of a partner a landing and wharf to handle the emerging grain trade in the Salinas Valley.

Post earned a reputation as a skilled bear and deer hunter in the Big Sur region, and he traded in hides and buckskin.

Flat bottom boats brought grain from all over the Salinas Valley to Elkhorn Slough and unloaded at Post's warehouse.

The success of the shipping point stimulated the growth of Castroville, one of Monterey County's first municipalities, which served to support Moss Landing commerce.

The Moss Landing Harbor District, established in the 1940s, dredged channels and built piers.

The California State University system founded Moss Landing Marine Laboratories in 1966 (it was rebuilt nearby after the Loma Prieta Earthquake destroyed the facility in 1989), and in the mid-1990s the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute was moved to Moss Landing from Pacific Grove.

In the 1980s, then-Monterey County Supervisor Marc Del Piero secured millions of dollars in federal grants to cure historic and chronic water pollution issues and sanitary sewers were installed.

[3] This region experiences warm (but not hot) and dry summers, with no average monthly temperatures above 71.6 °F.

There were 108 housing units at an average density of 179.1 per square mile (69.2/km2), of which 55 (55.0%) were owner-occupied, and 45 (45.0%) were occupied by renters.

There is a commercial park adjacent to the power plant, housing manufacturers and laboratories.

Three fires have occurred in the last several years, causing a shutdown of the plant and emission of toxic air pollutants from the burning lithium-ion batteries.

[17][18] Other events include the May opener for rock cod fishing, blessing the fleet May 1, open house at Moss Landing Marine Labs held in April or May, and Nautical Flea Market held in May.

[17] Moss landing is most noted as the gateway to Elkhorn Slough, one of the largest wetlands in the state.

Moss Landing lies in the northern part of Monterey County and has numerous restaurants, galleries, a bed and breakfast, and is the home port to many fishing and pleasure boats.

The harbor's commercial boats land dungeness crab, halibut, king salmon, albacore, rockfish, sablefish, anchovies, sardines, squid, black cod, red snapper, covina, prawns, mackerel, and others.

Several maritime businesses support harbor users including a fuel dock.