European settlement Little Sur River

along rest of california, big sur became part of mexico when gained independence spain in 1821. on july 30, 1834, mexican governor josé figueroa conveyed 8,949-acre (36 km) rancho el sur land grant juan bautista alvarado. alvarado later traded rancho el sur uncle marriage, captain john b.r. cooper, in exchange rancho bolsa del potrero y moro cojo.

bixby landing in 1911. similar landings constructed in number of locations, including notley s landing @ mouth of palo colorado canyon.

after california revolted against mexican rule , became u.s. state, few hardy pioneer homesteaders settled in big sur region, drawn promise of free 160 acre (0.6 km²) parcels. filed united states government patents 1891. these settlers included william f. notley, homesteaded @ mouth of palo colorado canyon in 1891.

a major forest product of big sur coast bark of tanbark oak trees. bark, high in tannic acid, used cure leather. after trees felled, bark stripped trunks, dried, , packed out via mule or sleds, called go-devils or on wagons.

he began harvesting tanoak bark canyon, lucrative source of income @ time. bark used manufacture tannic acid, necessary growing leather tanning industry located in santa cruz, 40 miles north. notley constructed landing @ mouth of palo colorado river @ bixby landing south. tanbark harvested isolated trees inland, corded, brought out mule or using wooden sleds, , loaded cable onto waiting vessels anchored offshore @ notley s landing. point on palo colorado road still nicknamed hoist because of steep road required wagon-loads of tanbark , lumber hoisted block , tackle hitched oxen. old block , tackle on beam still mounted between mailboxes.

notley s landing used ship tan bark north, , small village prospered @ spot 1898 1907. in 1889, as 50,000 cords of tanbark hauled out little sur river , big sur river watersheds. redwood harvesting limited rugged terrain , difficulty in transporting lumber market. near start of 20th century, tan oak trees becoming depleted, led demise of industries had created.

a one-armed man named vogler built cabin east of devil s peak in 1880s, later purchased comings family, whom location , creek named today. (they continued use cabin until 1950s.) other homesteaders in palo colorado canyon region included thomas w. allen, 1891, isaac n. swetnam, 1894, harry e. morton, 1896, samuel l. trotter, 1901, abijah c. robbins, 1901, , antare p. lachance, 1904. swetnam bought notley home @ mouth of palo colorado canyon , constructed small cabin on little sur river @ site of future pico blanco camp.

hand-tinted photograph of local cowboy roy bixby leading pack mules through redwoods in palo colorado canyon on 1932.