The History and Development of Pebble Beach
Since moving into town from Big Sur, our 17 Mile Drive tour has been the most popular destination for our guests. The scenic beauty, world class golfing, prestigious real estate and rich history of the Del Monte Forest is one of the top attractions in the greater Monterey area.
Pre-European Native American Presence
For at least 12,000 years, the Del Monte Forest was home to Native Americans. There is not any definite evidence of permanent settlements in Pebble Beach, rather what appears to be seasonal movements for hunting and gathering. The region was most likely a border area shared by two tribes, the Esselen of Carmel Valley and Big Sur, and the Rumsen of Carmel, Monterey, and Salinas.
Most likely, the first European to see this area was Juan Rodrigues Cabrillo in 1542. Sir Francis Drake sailed by in 1579. In 1602, Sebastian Vizcaino had a commission from the Spanish Viceroy in Mexico, the Comde de Monterrey, to explore the California coast. He named the bay in honor of his benefactor. This area was largely neglected by the Spanish for the next 150 years. Because of Russian and English encroachment, the Spanish decided to colonize Monterey in 1768. Captain Gaspar de Portolá delivered Father Junípero Serra and in 1770 established the mission known as San Carlos Borroméo in Monterey, which was moved to Carmel the following year.
Transition to Mexican Sovereignty and Land Grants
Mexico gained independence from Spain in 1821. Now California was under Mexican jurisdiction. The vast land holdings of the church under Spanish rule were dispersed through large land grants called Ranchos. In 1836 Fabian Barretto, a resident of Monterey, was granted Rancho El Pescadero (“Fisherman’s Ranch”), a 4,426-acre parcel that included portions of the Del Monte Forest, as well as Cypress Point and what is today Pebble Beach. In 1846 his widow sold the land for $500. In 1833, Jose Maria Armenta was granted el Rancho Punta de los Pinos. The “Piney Point Ranch” consisted of 2,667 acres from what is now Pacific Grove to Cypress Point.
In 1848 the Mexican-American war came to an end and California was ceded to the United States. David Jacks, a Scottish immigrant and businessman eventually accumulated around 100,000 acres of land in the Monterey area. He purchased the Pescadero Ranch for $10,000 in 1862 and in 1864, he also acquired most of the Punta de los Pinos Rancho.
The 1850’s saw the arrival of Chinese immigrants that settled along the shores of Pebble Beach. Originally these settlers were focused on the harvest and shipment of Abalone back to China. After the abalone rush, they began expanding their fishing in the 1860’s to a variety of other species. The Chinese developed the first true commercial fishery in the Monterey area. There was a considerable fishing village in Stillwater Cove close to the present location of the Pebble Beach Lodge and golf course.
Ownership by the Pacific Improvement Company
Between 1880 and 1919, what we now refer to as Pebble Beach, was owned by the Pacific Improvement Company. This was a large holding company and subsidiary of the Southern Pacific Railroad founded by the Big Four: Leland Stanford, Collis Huntington, Mark Hopkins, and Charles Crocker. Between 1879 and 1880 the Pacific Improvement Company acquired both the Ranchos that contain what is the current land containing Pebble Beach for $35,000, or about $5 per acre.
The Establishment of Del Monte Hotel and 17 Mile Drive
In June of 1880, the Del Monte Hotel in Monterey opened its doors for the first time. During its operation into the 1940’s it was considered to be the most luxurious seaside resort in the world. The hotel could be reached from San Francisco via the “Daisy Train”, an express taking only three and a half hours. The following year, 1881, the original 17 Mile Drive was opened as an attraction for hotel guests. The route, first traveled by horse and carriage, was a 17 mile loop from the hotel, along the coastline and back over the hill to Monterey. . This has changed a bit over the years, but it is still 17 miles long. During the 1880’s two of the most significant projects in Pebble Beach were the construction of a reservoir and the continuation of the railroad for a sand plant near the present day site of the Spanish Bay Inn.
The period of 1906 through 1918 is when the first steps to make Pebble Beach into a residential resort community were made. A price list from 1909 shows over 100 lots for sale with prices from $1,400 to $7,500. The original Pebble Beach Lodge was constructed in 1909. A 200’ x 50’ rustic log cabin was billed as the “largest log building in California”. It was destroyed by fire in 1917. This was the first time the idea of a golf course in Pebble Beach was talked about to entice people to purchase there. In 1897 the Del Monte golf course was opened near the hotel, originally 9 holes and expanded to 18 holes in 1903. The road network was greatly expanded around this time too as a response to the growth of automobile ownership. Starting in 1901 a toll was charged if you were not a hotel guest. By 1913 it was 25 to 75 cents depending on how many seats were in the car.
Without a doubt, the most significant individual responsible for making Pebble Beach what it is today is Samuel F. B. Morse(1885-1969). In 1915 Morse was hired as the Manager for the Pacific Improvement Company. They were interested in divesting from their holdings around Monterey, which were no longer profitable. Morse convinced the PIC that “to get the best price they would need to repair the holdings and make them attractive to a new breed of young affluents.” He made improvements to the Hotel Del Monte, and convinced them to build a golf course along the coast, preserving the scenic vistas and making it easier to sell lots up in the hills. This layout of golf courses and open space would define Morse career as well as the character of Pebble Beach.
The original Lodge had burned down in 1917, and a new, modernized lodge, along with the golf course first opened in 1919. By this time the PIC was offering the Del Monte holdings for $1.3 million. Sam Morse approached the board and agreed to meet the price if they would give him one year to acquire the financing. He teamed with Herbert Fleishhacker, president of San Francisco’s Anglo Bank, to create Del Monte Properties Company, which was officially incorporated in February 1919. Morse wrote to a friend: “The properties include 18,000 acres of land on the Monterey Peninsula, all of the Pacific Grove and Pebble Beach areas, Del Monte Forest lands (which are traversed by the 17-Mile Drive), the Los Laureles Rancho (more commonly called the Del Monte Rancho), Hotel Del Monte and all improvements, Pebble Beach Lodge and all improvements, and the capital stock of the Monterey County Water Works, which supplies water to the towns of Monterey, Pacific Grove and Carmel. In a word, the entire holdings of the Pacific Improvement Company in Monterey County.”
Architectural Evolution and Social Life in the 1920s
The Pebble Beach Golf Course was designed for championship play. In the early years it went through some changes, but between 1929 and 1998 it remained much the same. For a detailed account of the changes over time, please refer to Pebble Beach Golf Links – The Official History, by Neal Hotelling. The success Morse had was soon duplicated with two more golf courses: Monterey Peninsula Country Club Dunes Course, and Cypress Point Club. In 1925 the Country Club subdivision, of over 1,000 lots, was laid out. Lots were sold for $1,500 and included a club membership. It was anticipated there would be over 1,000 members. The Dunes course opened in 1926 along with the Clubhouse and bathing pavilion. The Shore course opened in 1959. As opposed to MPCC, which was opened with the concept of a large membership, Cypress Point was intentionally designed for exclusivity. Cypress Point Club opened in 1928, and the clubhouse was completed in 1930.
The 1920’s saw many developments and improvements in Pebble Beach such as an equestrian center, a Beach and Tennis club (originally designed as a fishing club), and the establishment of new roads throughout the area connecting to 17 Mile Drive. Up till the mid 20’s there were no architectural controls, so residential buildings were built to varying tastes, such as rustic lodges and French Eclectic. In the mid 20’s however, The Del Monte Properties Company adopted guidelines specifying a “Mediterranean type”, or “Spanish style” architecture. 51 Homes were constructed in Pebble Beach between 1920 and 1925. Another 33 were constructed between 1926-1930. Robert Louis Stevenson School was originally the Douglas Camp for Girls(1925) and later an all male boarding school(1928). It got its current name in 1952, becoming coed in 1975. The great depression and WWII was a quiet time for new projects. Only 5 homes were built between 1930-1935.
During the 1930’s more than 30 major film productions were made in Monterey! To date, over 150 titles have been shot in Monterey County. Some examples are: Treasure Island(1934), The Caddy(1953), Vertigo(1958), The Sandpiper(1965), The Graduate(1967), Turner & Hooch(1989), Basic Instinct(1992), and We Were Soldiers(2002).
One of the most profitable businesses run in Pebble Beach over several decades was a Sand Plant on the current site of the Spanish Bay Inn. Circa 1890, The Pacific Improvement Company began mining sand for use by the Southern Pacific Railroad to put on its tracks for improved traction. After the 1906 earthquake there was a need for sand to help rebuild San Francisco. By 1945 the company was the sole source of supply for the Owens-Illinois Glass Company, then the largest producer on the Pacific Coast. The plant was operational until 1973 when it was no longer profitable due to environmental regulations.
Perhaps the most notable event of the World War II era in Pebble Beach was when a Japanese submarine tried to sink a Richfield oil tanker off the coast. In 1942 the Del Monte Hotel was leased to the U.S. Navy for a pre-flight cadet training center.
The post war era saw the most rapid growth in Pebble Beach, mostly due to the construction of single family homes, and also marked the arrival of the Pro Am tournament that is still played here to this day. Originally called the Bing Crosby Pro-Amateur, or just the Crosby Clambake, 1947 was the first year this tournament, which began 10 years prior in Southern California, was held at Pebble Beach and played on its three courses. After Crosby’s death in 1977, his family continued to host the tournament until 1985. In 1986 AT&T became the sponsor. As the popularity of golf grew in the area, thanks to events like the Clambake, 3 new golf courses were constructed at Pebble Beach in the 1950’s and 1960’s. Peter Hay (now The Hay), a small 9 hole course, opened in 1957. The Shore Course (second course of MPCC) opened in 1960. Spyglass Hill opened in 1966.
