Fall 2026

122 C A R M E L M A G A Z I N E • F A L L 2 0 2 6 On November 28, 1932, the first vehicles crossed Bixby Creek Bridge. After the bridge dedication, attendees headed south to a large barbeque held at Pfeiffer’s Resort—now the site of Big Sur Lodge in Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park. Photo: Courtesy of Monterey County Historical Society Roberts had many irons in the fire in addition to doctoring and founding Seaside. In 1890, he established the Seaside Post Office, where he and his wife Edith served as postmasters for 42 years. In 1892, Roberts was elected to the Monterey School Board, where he served for 36 years. In 1902, Roberts successfully fought to create the Presidio of Monterey for recuperating soldiers. In 1906, Roberts was elected to the Monterey County Board of Supervisors, where he served for 20 years. Despite all of these obligations and others, Rob- erts continued to vigorously pitch the idea of a coastal highway, and never gave up on his vision. In 1915, Senator Elmer S. Rigdon of San Luis Obispo became interested in the project and arranged for Roberts to address a joint session of the California Legislature. Aided by Powers’ stereopticon images, which were projected upon a bedsheet, Roberts argued forcefully in favor of the road, both as a public safety neces- sity, and to open the beauty of Big Sur to the public at large. The Legislature was swayed, but there was one hitch—the State had funded some commercial roads to enable trucking via bond issuance, and the proposed road would not be commercial. A workaround was found: The road could be funded for defensive purpos- es.The Third Bond Act was approved by voters in 1919 which included funding for Legislative Route Number (LRN) 56—today’s Big Sur Coast Highway. Lester Gibson, an engineer for the California Highway Department, surveyed the route via pack train in preparation for work. LRN 56 was subsequently lengthened north, up to Fortuna. Work commenced on the highway in 1921, when a contractor began working north from San Simeon. By the end of 1924, road for this segment was complete to Big Creek Canyon. In 1922, a second contractor began work on a segment between Andersen Canyon and Big Sur. This work was also complete by the end of 1924. No bridges were built. Available funds had been spent. Governor Richardson felt the State could not afford to continue funding the project. Highway work ceased at the end of 1924. Big Sur Coast Highway was initially called the Carmel-San Simeon Highway. A major ceremony was held when the route opened to vehicular traffic.