Asilomar

https://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=566 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asilomar_State_Beach Asilomar State Beach provides public access to rocky coast and dune habitat on the Monterey Peninsula. The property includes the Asilomar Conference Grounds, a conference center built by the YWCA in 1913 that is now a National Historic Landmark. The 107-acre (43 ha) site is located in Pacific Grove and offers overnight lodging and views of the forest, surf and sand. Asilomar (meaning "Asylum or refuge by the sea" and pronounced a-SIL-o-mar) is a combination of two Spanish words: "asilo" and "mar".

Asilomar State Beach & Conference Grounds Our Mission The mission of California State Parks is to provide for the health, inspiration and education of the people of California by helping to preserve the state’s extraordinary biological diversity, protecting its most valued natural and cultural resources, and creating opportunities for high-quality outdoor recreation. The open beach gives way to a rocky shoreline that shelters several small sandy coves — perfect for exploring tide pools or California State Parks supports equal access. Prior to arrival, visitors with disabilities who need assistance should contact the park at (831) 646-6440. If you need this publication in an alternate format, contact interp@parks.ca.gov. CALIFORNIA STATE PARKS P.O. Box 942896 Sacramento, CA 94296-0001 For information call: (800) 777-0369 (916) 653-6995, outside the U.S. 711, TTY relay service www.parks.ca.gov Asilomar State Beach & Conference Grounds 804 Crocker Avenue Pacific Grove, California 93950 (831) 646-6440 © 2005 California State Parks (Rev. 2017) watching wildlife. A silomar, meaning “refuge by the sea,” offers park visitors the chance to explore the natural beauty of this coastal California state park and to learn of its colorful history. Originally the Young Women’s Christian Association (YWCA) conference grounds and summer camp, Asilomar was designed by renowned California architect Julia Morgan. From its beginning, Asilomar has served as a haven for those who wish to escape the pressures of an increasingly fast-paced world. Enhanced by the facility’s natural beauty, Asilomar offers a peaceful oasis for educational and spiritual retreats, where individuals and families may spend quiet, relaxing times, surrounded by nature. PARK HISTORY The Rumsien Ohlone Indians and their predecessors lived in the Monterey region for thousands of years prior to European arrival. The Rumsien were seasonal visitors, spending summers at the shore and retreating inland for harvest and winter months. The Rumsien way of life changed dramatically in the late 1700s with the arrival of settlers from Spain, who claimed the land for their home country. Spanish missionaries sought to convert native peoples, forcing European religion and ways of life upon them; many were conscripted as laborers on Spanish, and later, Mexican ranches. Descendants of the early Indian residents still come to the Asilomar coast to gather shells for regalia for their traditional dances The Grace H. Dodge Chapel designed by architect Julia Morgan Student Leadership Conferences drew college-age women, while the ten-day summer camps were designed for YWCA Girl Reserves, ages 14 to 16. The harsh economic times of the Great Depression caused the YWCA National Board to consider selling Asilomar. When no buyer stepped forward, successive operators leased the grounds from 1936 through the early 1940s. Following World War II, public-spirited citizens fought to preserve this unique natural and cultural site for future generations. Asilomar became part of California’s State Park System on July 1, 1956. Today Asilomar State Beach and Conference Grounds encompass 107 acres, including the William Penn Mott Jr. Training Center, the hub of State Parks’ employee training. Guest services at the conference grounds are provided by a leading hospitality industry concession partner. and ceremonies. Collecting is allowed by special permit only. The 1848 California gold discovery brought thousands of new residents from countries around the world to settle in the state. Chinese immigrants established fishing villages along the Monterey coast; Portuguese settlers hunted whales in the vast Monterey Bay. Starting in 1897, the YWCA attended educational and vocational training at their annual summer conference camps. In 1913, NATURAL RESOURCES on 30 acres of donated land, Asilomar was Asilomar Dunes Natural Preserve established as the YWCA’s permanent West Coast conference grounds. Architect Julia Adjacent to the grounds, 25 acres Morgan was hired to design and oversee of restored sand dunes provide a the construction of 13 structures that significant ecological boundary embraced the Arts between the shoreline and the and Crafts style and matched the coniferous forest. spirit of the project to the beauty The dunes had been heavily of the surroundings. compromised due to more than When Asilomar first opened a century of livestock grazing, its doors, young women came recreational activities, and from the western United States uncontrolled public access. Julia Morgan, ca. 1926 and from other countries. YWCA Photo courtesy of Special Collections and Archives, California Polytechnic State University Restoration began with eradication of the non-native ice plant. Dunes were bulldozed into a series of parallel ridges, reconstructing dune morphology. More than 20 species of native plants were planted in stabilizing mulch. A quarter-mile Dunes Boardwalk was built to guide visitors throug

The Architecture of Julia Morgan Our Mission The mission of California State Parks is to provide for the health, inspiration and education of the people of California by helping to preserve the state’s extraordinary biological diversity, protecting its most valued natural and cultural resources, and creating opportunities for high-quality outdoor recreation. in California State Parks California State Parks supports equal access. Prior to arrival, visitors with disabilities who need assistance should contact the park they plan to visit. If you need this publication in an alternate format, contact interp@parks.ca.gov. CALIFORNIA STATE PARKS P.O. Box 942896 Sacramento, CA 94296-0001 For information call: (800) 777-0369 (916) 653-6995, outside the U.S. 711, TTY relay service J ulia Morgan designed nearly 700 buildings, more than any other architect of the 20th www.parks.ca.gov Discover the many states of California.™ Cover drawing: Detail of Hearst Castle refectory fireplace by Julia Morgan, 1927 century. Her architectural legacy gives three-dimensional evidence of her innovative ideas and her personal philosophy of design. Dodge Chapel Auditorium, Asilomar © 2012 California State Parks (Rev. 2015) Photo by Peter Nichols J ulia Morgan (1872-1957) Julia Morgan was born in San Francisco on January 20, 1872, and raised in her family’s home in Oakland, California. She exhibited talents for mathematics and playing ca. 1878 the violin. After graduating from Oakland High School in 1890, she attended the University of California (UC) at Berkeley. Morgan was the only woman to earn a degree in civil engineering in 1894. A year after graduation, Morgan traveled to Paris, France, to attend the architectural school at L’Ecole de Beaux Arts. Because she was a woman, she was denied admission. Two years later, Morgan was finally permitted to take the admission exams; on her third attempt, she was admitted into L’Ecole. By 1901, at 29, she Morgan eventually moved her office had earned the required four certification to Montgomery Street in San Francisco. medals, becoming L‘Ecole de Beaux When the 1906 earthquake struck the city, Arts’ first graduating woman architect. Morgan’s office was destroyed, but her Julia Morgan library of architectural books, stored in returned to San Oakland, was spared from damage. Francisco in 1902. A few months after the earthquake, the She accepted Law Brothers hired Morgan to rebuild their a position with Fairmont Hotel. It would prove to be one architect John Galen of the most important commissions of her Howard, designing career. Morgan reset steel girders, replaced new buildings for marbled columns and ceilings, and the UC Berkeley reinforced stairs. Within a year, the hotel campus. Morgan was was open for business. the draftsman for While she was working on the Fairmont the Hearst Mining Hotel, Morgan opened her new office with a junior partner, Ira Hoover, in the Merchant Julia Morgan’s student Building and assistant Exchange Building in San Francisco. When identification card for supervising architect for the outdoor Greek Hoover moved to the east coast in 1910, L’Ecole de Beaux Arts Amphitheater. Morgan never took on another partner, Steadily building working as experience, Morgan opened the principal her own office in 1904. Morgan architect. was the first woman ever to Morgan receive California’s State accepted Architectural License (License nearly every #B344). She set up an office architectural in the carriage house of her commission parent’s home. Friends called that came her with small commissions, way — more mostly houses. Morgan’s first than 700 over El Campanil bell large commission was the her career. Her tower at Mills El Campanil bell tower at designs ranged College, completed Oakland’s Mills College in 1904. Reconstruction of the Fairmont Hotel, 1907 from singlein 1904 In 1951, Julia Morgan closed her office at age 79. She spent the next year traveling to Spain and Portugal. She retired quietly to her apartment on Divisadero Street in San Francisco, visited by family members and a few close friends. Miss Morgan died on February 2, 1957, at age 85. Dinsmore residence family dwellings and apartment buildings to commercial and institutional structures. Morgan’s largest institutional clients were the Young Women’s Christian Association (YWCA) and women’s clubs. Her longest commission came from William Randolph Hearst’s San Simeon retreat. Morgan’s professional reputation cited her careful work and on-site supervision. She designed to please the client with both function and form. Her architectural services could be affordable by the common person or lavishly scaled for wealthier clients. Above: Passport photo, ca. 1951 Left, Morgan’s family and friends, 1943. From top left to bottom right: Flora North, Sachi Oka, Sally Moon Morgan, Julia Morgan, Emma Moon, Hart North, Emma North, Judith Morgan Photos: ©Julia Morgan papers, Special Collections, California Polyt

Group Tours Group tours are a great way to introduce your classroom or other large, organized group to the State Beach. To schedule a beach program with State Parks staff, contact the Asilomar State Beach Office: (831) 646-6443. Our Mission The mission of the California State Parks is to provide for the health, inspiration and education of the people of California by helping to preserve the state’s extraordinary biological diversity, protecting its most valued natural and cultural resources, and creating opportunities for high-quality outdoor recreation. California State Parks supports equal access. Prior to arrival, visitors with disibilities who need assistance should contact the park office. This publication is available in alternate formats by request, and is also available in pdf format on the Asilomar State Beach and Conference Grounds website: www. parks.ca.gov/Asilomar ©2016 CA State Parks. All Photos ©2016 CA State Parks. Cover photo by K. Minerva Printed on recycled paper using vegetable-based ink. Asilomar State Beach & Conference Grounds A Unit of California State Parks Asilomar Coast Trail A Self Guided Tour Asilomar State Beach & Conference Grounds W elcome to Asilomar State Beach and Conference Grounds - where every day is a walk in the park! This guide highlights some of the interesting features of the Asilomar Coast Trail. Many of these features can be seen during your walk. Two Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary interpretive signs are located alongside the trail Sea Otter with information about the marine sanctuary. Sea lions, seals, and sea otters are some of the marine mammals frequently seen resting on rocks or feeding in the coves adjacent to the trail. Starting Out You can begin your walk from any location along the Coast Trail. The trail is fairly level; comfortable walking shoes are recommended. The trail distance is one mile, one way, from the Conference Grounds (2 miles round-trip). Allow approximately 60 minutes to complete the Coast Trail walk (round trip). Free parking is available in designated spaces located off the shoulder of Sunset Drive. The Asilomar Coast Trail is accessible to all visitors, including those with special needs. Please refer to the map for accessible parking adjacent to wheelchair accessible portions of the trail. An allterrain beach wheelchair is available for visitors with mobility limitations by contacting the Asilomar Conference Grounds front desk prior to your visit: (831) 372-8016. 

Our Mission The mission of the California State Parks is to provide for the health, inspiration and education of the people of California by helping to preserve the state’s extraordinary biological diversity, protecting its most valued natural and cultural resources, and creating opportunities for high-quality outdoor recreation. California State Parks supports equal access. Prior to arrival, visitors with disibilities who need assistance should contact the park office. This publication is available in alternate formats by request, and is also available in pdf format on the Asilomar State Beach and Conference Grounds website: www. parks.ca.gov/Asilomar ©2016 CA State Parks. All Photos ©2016 CA State Parks. Cover photo: P. Nichols Printed on recycled paper using vegetable-based ink. Asilomar Dunes Natural Preserve Asilomar State Beach & Conference Grounds Aerial view of Asilomar dunes - the last remaining area of undeveloped dunes in Pacific Grove. A walk along the Asilomar dune boardwalk will lead you through a living environment of a California sand dune landscape. With examples of native plants and wildlife, the Asilomar dunes illustrate what can occur when balance is lost and found once again. Historic Precedent The original dune system along the western edge of the Monterey peninsula spanned 480 acres, from Point Pinos in Pacific Grove to Point Joe in Pebble Beach. When Europeans settled in the area, logging and grazing removed many trees and damaged the delicate vegetation which held the dunes in place. Summer baseball in the Asilomar dunes, ca. 1917. Photo: P. Nichols Asilomar State Beach & Conference Grounds A Unit of California State Parks Non-native Ice Plant (Cape Fig) As time passed, sand mining, residential, and resort development reduced the area to the 25 acres that now remain at Asilomar. When the Young Women’s Christian Association (YWCA) founded Asilomar in 1913, they used the land for a summer camp and conference retreat. The dunes became an active playground with tennis courts, swimming pool, basketball court, and baseball diamond. In 1956, when Asilomar became a unit of the California State Park System, Park management continued to allow unrestricted activities in the sand dunes that broadened the trampling of the native plants and caused further erosion. Efforts to prevent the sand from shifting and engulfing the conference buildings were started in the 1960s and 1970s. Non-native plants, particularly ice plant which is native to South Africa, were introduced and unwittingly contributed to the problem. Ice plant provided neither food nor shelter to native wildlife and invaded the remaining native plant community. By the mid-1970s, the dunes had become a virtual wasteland of bare sand and exotic plants. Asilomar Dunes with Ice Plant A New Beginning and Restoration The State Park staff launched an ambitious project in 1984 to restore the condition of the dunes to their “pre- European influence.” Luckily, amidst the desolation, a few isolated pockets of native habitat remained. These areas became the model upon which guidelines were developed for the restoration project. In addition, the project’s goal was to allow restricted public use in the dunes. A boardwalk footpath was designed to offer the visitor a nature trail through the dunes habitat which would protect it from further destruction. The first phase in the restoration was to acquire a seed inventory. Most of the native plant seeds were collected from the dunes, utilizing the few 

Asilomar State Beach & Conference Grounds Native Plant Nursery Swimming Pool ©2016 CA State Parks All Photos ©2016 CA State Parks. Cover photo: Merrill Hall, 1928. Designed by Julia Morgan. Photo credit: P. Nichols Printed on recycled paper with vegetable-based ink. North Woods (Historic Name) View Crescent (Historic Name) • To access the mobile phone tour, dial (831) 998-9458 and follow the prompts. • Enter the stop number for the desired information. Asilomar stops are 801-890. • For QR code, scan here or dial stop number 899. Meadow (Historic Name) Director’s Cottage Scripps’ Lodge Annex Visitor’s Lot F Lodge Chapel Auditorium P.A. Hearst Social Hall ✩ 899 Pine Forest Bog Stone Pillars Lot E Viewpoint Crocker Dining Hall Merrill Hall Engineer’s Cottage Pirates’ Den Corporation Yard Lot C Sea Galaxy (Historic Name) Sunset Dr Sinex Ave Farr Forum Lot M Fireside (Historic Name) Forest Lodge Guest Inn Mott Training CA State Parks Center Ranger Office Lot N East Woods (Historic Name) Lot P © P. Nichols Asilomar’s YWCA days and Julia Morgan architecture are some of this State Park’s favorite stories. Learn more at the stops below. Julia Morgan and the YWCA • • • • • • • • • • • • Lot G Stuck-Up Inn Surf and Lot B Sand Asilomar State Beach & Conference Grounds A Unit of California State Parks Self-Guided Mobile Phone Tour Instructions Long Views Housekeeping Lot L California State Parks supports equal access. Prior to arrival, visitors with disibilities who need assistance should contact the park office. This publication is available in alternate formats by request, and is also available in pdf format on the Asilomar State Beach and Conference Grounds website: www. parks.ca.gov/Asilomar Lot J Cro cke rA ve A Self-Guided Tour iscover Asilomar State Beach and Conference Grounds on your time, on your schedule, with our self-guided mobile phone tour. ar Ave Asilom The mission of the California State Parks is to provide for the health, inspiration and education of the people of California by helping to preserve the state’s extraordinary biological diversity, protecting its most valued natural and cultural resources, and creating opportunities for high-quality outdoor recreation. D e Asilomar Av Our Mission Asilomar Mobile Phone Discovery Tour 801 802 803 804 805 806 807 808 809 810 811 812 Phoebe Apperson Hearst Social Hall Grace H. Dodge Chapel Auditorium Visitor’s Lodge Scripps’ Lodge Annex Director’s Cottage Viewpoint (Health Cottage) 801 Stone Pillars Stuck-Up Inn Engineer’s Cottage Merrill Hall Pirates’ Den Crocker Dining Hall Later Architecture Buildings Walking Paths Roads and Parking Lots • 820 Surf and Sand • 821 Sea Galaxy (Windward, Shores, Cypress, Triton) • 822 Mott Training Center • 823 Guest Inn 820 • 824 Fireside (Hearth, Embers, Afterglow, Kiln, Farr Forum) • 825 Long Views • 826 North Woods (Willow, Manzanita, Heather, Oak Knoll) 827 Swimming Pool 

asilomar S TATE B E ACH AN D CO N FE R E N CE G RO U N DS VISITOR GUIDE ISSUE 14 ©CA State Parks Welcome! ©CA State Parks 2 Thank you for enabling State Parks to preserve Asilomar for generations to come! arl Pe ob ©Jac On behalf of California State Parks and our concessionaire partner, Aramark, we warmly welcome you to Asilomar State Beach & Conference Grounds. One of the most unique parks in our state, Asilomar’s location is unparalleled. Situated at the tip of the Monterey Peninsula, Asilomar’s guest rooms are spread throughout the native Monterey pine and coast live oak forest, all within view and walking distance of the majestic Make the Most of Your Asilomar Visit Whether you are here to meet and confer with colleagues, reaffirm family ties, or are visiting as an overnight guest, there are many Eric Abma, ways to experience Asilomar’s Asilomar State Park Superintendent unique “spirit of place”: • Take a self-guided tour of Pacific Ocean. Julia Morgan’s Asilomar. Self-guided tours are signature Arts and Crafts style of available on your cell phone or architecture makes up the Historic from a brochure. Brochures are Core of this property, immersing found at the State Parks Desk in guests in the sense of place the Phoebe Hearst Social Hall, or experienced by Young Women’s from our website: https://www. Christian Association (YWCA) parks.ca.gov/asilomar - follow the campers of the early 1900s. “Self-Guided Tours” link. Asilomar State Beach and • Get to know Asilomar with State Conference Grounds was purchased Park staff on “The Asilomar by the State of California in 1956 Ramble”, a tour covering many with the intent of operating a topics unique to Asilomar, financially sustainable park – a goal including its beginnings as in which it has succeeded. Our the YWCA’s first West Coast partnership with Aramark enables conference grounds, star Asilomar to maintain financial architect Julia Morgan’s work independence: operating entirely here, the natural environment, free of state funding. Through and Asilomar’s history as a lodging costs and purchases at California State Park. Asilomar 100% of the park’s budget • Get Social! Tag, Tweet, Post, Pin, is generated by you, the park visitor. Contents Welcome 2 Aramark 4 YWCA Builds Asilomar 6 Restoration 11 Architecture 13 Habitats 16 • Stretch your legs! Walking or running routes are plentiful at Asilomar. Enjoy the raised vistas from the Asilomar Dunes Boardwalk, or head across the street, to find the sandy shores of Asilomar State Beach, or north on the Asilomar Coast trail which meanders along the rocky tide pools and quiet coves. ©CA State Parks This special length of coast is a California State Beach, and the off shore waters are protected by California as a State Marine Reserve, as well as Federal regulation as the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary. These protections ensure marine life is abundant here, so keep your eyes peeled! On a regular basis you can see Sea Otters, Gray Whales, Invertebrates (in the tide pools), and if you are lucky you may spot Orca or Blue Whales! ©CA State Parks, Peter Nichols etc. Asilomar… We would like to be part of your adventure! Please include Asilomar in your social life: https://www.facebook.com/ CaliforniaStateParks https://twitter.com/CAStateParks https://www.youtube.com/user/ CaliforniaStateParks https://castateparks.wordpress. com/ https://www.pinterest.com/ castateparks/asilomar-statebeach/ #InventYourAdventure Bird Life of Asilomar 24 10 Things to Know 28 Beach Mobility 29 Cover Artist 30 Short Drives 31 we would like to hear from you: California State Parks asilomar.beach@parks.ca.gov Asilomar State Beach Office, 804 Crocker Avenue, Pacific Grove, CA 93950. Aramark collects guest survey cards, which are available from the Park Store, the Front Desk, and the Crocker Dining Hall. Online surveys are available at MyGuestExperience.com We are pleased to have you here and hope you enjoy your stay! Eric Abma, Superintendent Asilomar State Beach and Conference Grounds Help Make Asilomar Better! Your ideas and feedback play a major role in determining just how successful we are at Asilomar State Beach and Conference Grounds, and 3 4 Enos Esquivel General Manager, Asilomar Conference Grounds our core mission of delivering experiences that enrich and nourish the lives of our visitors. Environmental Sustainability Environmental sustainability is at the core of what we do at Asilomar. We recognize that operating our business in a way that limits negative impact on the environment is critically important to the site, to Asilomar, the Monterey Peninsula community, ©Aramark Aramark would like to welcome you to the Monterey Peninsula and Asilomar State Beach and Conference Grounds. In September 2009, California State Parks awarded Aramark the concession to operate the Asilomar Conference Grounds. Aramark is proud to include this “Refuge by the Sea” among the treasured properties it manages throughout the U