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Promoting Big Sur in 1937
Rare pictorial promotional map and brochure promoting the Big Sur Lodge, with artwork by Mabelle "Bon" Staiger.
The promotional brochure was issued in about 1937, when Big Sur was just becoming accessible to visitors from San Francisco and Los Angeles via the newly completed Roosevelt Highway.
One one side is a striking view of Big Sir frmom the water, with the primary map image showing the coast of California, embellished with views of the Big Sur Lodge, area and sporting activities.
The promotional text notes that 1937 was the year of the opening of the San Francisco-Oakland Bridge (longest and largest bridge ever built), dedication of the Golden Gate Bridge and completion of the Carmel-San Simeon Link of the Roosevelt Highway.
Roosevelt Highway
The construction of the Roosevelt Highway in California began in the early 20th century as a response to the growing need for better transportation infrastructure in the state. The highway was named after President Franklin D. Roosevelt and was part of a nationwide effort to improve roadways and provide improved access to rural areas.
Construction on the Roosevelt Highway began in the 1920s and was completed in the 1930s. The highway was built as a two-lane road that stretched from San Francisco to Los Angeles and provided a faster and more direct route for travelers between the two cities, as well as significantly shortening the distances between a number of tourist oriented coastal cities in California.
One of the key challenges of building the Roosevelt Highway was the rough and mountainous terrain of central California. To overcome this, engineers had to find ways to build bridges, tunnels, and switchbacks that could accommodate the steep grades and unstable soil. They also had to find ways to deal with the frequent landslides and rock slides that occurred in the region, most notably the Central Coast region between Carmel and San Simeon.
![[Imperial and San Bernardino Counties] Sketch To Accompany Report of Reconnaissance Head Gate Crossing of Colorado River To Bristol, Cal. March 20, 1903](https://storage.googleapis.com/raremaps/img/small/31857.jpg)
