1956 Map of Big Sur

About this map

Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park and the surrounding reaches of Los Padres National Forest define this coastal landscape in the mid-1950s. The map captures a transition point between the developed coastline and the backcountry, where the Coast Road winds through the hills near Molera. Inland, the terrain is marked by remote outposts such as Comings Cabin, Jackson Camp, and the Pico Blanco Boy Scout Camp. This era reflects a burgeoning conservation and recreational network, anchored by the California Sea Otter State Game Refuge along the Pacific Ocean. Key natural landmarks, including the high summit of Pico Blanco and the descent of Pfeiffer-Redwood Creek toward Pfeiffer Falls, highlight the dramatic elevation changes that characterize the Big Sur region before more extensive modern development reached its river valleys.