The Colorful Cultures of the Big Sur Region

Though the rocky coast of the Big Sur may look much the same as it did in the 1500s, the Big Sur has had its share of cultural changes throughout history. The rich Native American, Mexican, and European cultures have created a truly unique cultural atmosphere.

Carmel Mission (CA) [1]

Written histories about the region began to appear in the mid 1500s, when a Portuguese ship passed by the area's coastline. New groups of European explorers would approach the area throughout the late 1500s and early 1600s, many anchoring for a time in Monterey Bay. However, it wasn't until 1770 that the first permanent settlement was established, when a Spanish group started a mission in Carmel. The Spaniards first called the area south of the Carmel settlement "El Pais Grande del Sur," or the big country of the south. These same Spanish settlers were quick to introduce themselves and their culture to the area natives, who had lived in the region for centuries.

Hundreds of years before the Europeans discovered the Big Sur, the Esselen Indians had thrived in the area as hunters and gatherers, using land and sea animals and plants in the woodlands and coastal plains between Point Sur and Lopez Point. By the early 18th Century, other Spanish missions followed the Carmel Mission. The missions had the dual purpose of claiming the land for Spain and teaching the natives the Europeans' message of Christianity. In the late 1700s, the Spanish missionaries and soldiers forced many of the Esselen and other native peoples to leave their villages and move into the missions. Smallpox, cholera, and other European diseases almost completely wiped out the Esselen people when they came in contact with the foreign settlers. Those that were left mixed with the other natives in the missions so that they ceased to maintain a separate existence. As a result, very little is known today about their way of life.

Streaming Light in Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park (CA) [2]

A colorful variety of settlers from various nationalities began to take notice of the scenic Big Sur area and its inviting foothills. The Spanish and Mexican history also heavily influenced the culture and history of the area. Monterey was soon an important port, bringing even more people to the area. One such important settler was George Davis, one of the first American pioneers in Big Sur. After raising bees and growing fruit for a number of years, he sold his land to Manuel Innocenti, a Native Indian from the Santa Barbara area. Manuel and his wife Francesca moved to Big Sur, where they stayed for the rest of their lives. They raised six children in a small log cabin that still stands in Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park. While Francesca stayed home tending to the children and household chores, Manuel worked on Juan Cooper's Rancho el Sur as a vaquero (cowboy). A nearby mountain bares Manuel's name, and Francesca also left a legacy in the full 100 years of her life.

Until the late 1800s, a rough, small trail served as the best overland route to Monterey from the Big Sur. Eventually, the trail widened into a road, of sorts, which was still frequently lost in landslides. This widening allowed the journey to Monterey to be made in just 11 hours, as opposed to the three or four days it had taken previously. After many years of difficult passage over poor roads between Big Sur and the rest of Central California, Highway 1 was completed in 1937. By its completion, 15 years of labor and $9 million had been expended.