More than 200 stunning vintage images capture Big Sur's
heritage from its humble beginnings a century ago to recent
decades that positioned the area for the global recognition it
enjoys today. Author and historian Jeff Norman, of the Big Sur
Historical Society, takes readers on a visual tour of this
storied region. From the early days of saw mills and cattle
ranches to the present day paradise that is visited by
millions a year, Jeff Norman unveils the scenery and people of
Big Sur in brilliant fashion.
Highlights include:
- Rare
photographs and maps never before published
- Fascinating
views of the construction of famous Highway 1
- Photographs
of noted Big Sur residents including industrialist David
Packard and his wife Lucile, Nobel laureate Linus Pauling,
newspaper baron William Randolph Hearst, and
conservationist Margaret Owings
- An
indepth look into Big Sur’s "gold country",
the Los Burros Mining District
- Previously
unpublished images of the Native American people of Big
Sur
- A
unique glimpse into the Esalen Institute and its guests
- A
portion of the proceeds benefit the Big Sur Historical
Society
Author
Jeff Norman and the Big Sur Historical Society have
collaborated to tell the complex story of Big Sur’s origins
and the social fabric that ties the community together to this
day. Jeff Norman graduated from Pacific Grove High School in
Monterey and went on to attend UC Santa Cruz to study biology.
He researches, teaches, explores and writes about the natural
and human history of the area. In addition to the scientific
papers that he pens, he also contributes regularly to the Big
Sur Gazette and Monterey Life, as well as countless other
publications. Norman has resided in the Big Sur region for
over thirty years.
Download
the official press release.
Big
Sur
By Jeff Norman, Big Sur Historical Society
0-7385-2913-3
Images of America Series
128 pages/ $19.99.
available at the Ventana store 831 667 2787
paperback
Big Sur is a river and a region on California’s Central
Coast. Extending for 75 miles along the Pacific shore, from
south of Carmel to north of San Simeon, the Big Sur Coast is
defined by the backdrop of the rugged Santa Lucia Mountains as
they abruptly descend to meet the sea. For millennia the home
of native people, Americans and Europeans began to settle Big
Sur country even before California became a state. They
established farms, cattle ranches, gold mines, and sawmills.
Long considered one of the most inaccessible regions of
California, highway builders penetrated Big Sur in the early
20th century. Even though millions of travelers visit the Big
Sur coast every year to be awed by the spectacular panoramic
views from Highway 1, a sense of isolation still prevails.
This book combines outstanding photographs from 40
collections, ranging from family albums to institutional
archives. Author Jeff Norman and the Big Sur Historical
Society have collaborated to tell the complex story of Big
Sur’s origins and the social fabric that ties the community
together to this day. Jeff Norman, a biologist, historian, and
writer, has lived on the Big Sur Coast since 1970.
Purchase Big Sur by Jeff Norman
