1956 Map of Point Sur

About this map

The Point Sur Lighthouse Reservation stands as a prominent sentinel along this mid-1950s coastline, where the land meets the Pacific Ocean with dramatic intensity. The map captures a moment when the Old Coast Road still served the region's movement alongside the modern highway, winding past family-named landmarks like Sierra Hill and Mescal Ridge. This area, designated as The California Sea Otter Game Refuge, highlights an early emphasis on marine conservation. Traces of earlier human enterprise appear at Bixby Landing, while the presence of the Sur School marked as abandoned suggests a shifting settlement pattern as the century progressed. From the mouth of the Little Sur River to the heights of Long Ridge, the geography reflects the transition from coastal shipping points to a protected maritime corridor.