"Only places of such wondrous character can fool you into thinking you are at home." —Sunset Magazine

Big Sur Inn: The Deetjen Legacy travels back in time to reveal the history, legends, and storied past of a California institution. Nestled on the magical stretch of Highway One is Deetjen’s Big Sur Inn. Its distinctive vernacular architecture, which visitors and locals alike recognize as the most authentically preserved along the coast, serves a waiting list of guests year round. In 1990, the Department of the Interior recognized Big Sur Inn by adding it to the National Register of Historic Places. Author Anita Alan traces the Inn’s history from the poetic inspiration that compelled Helmuth Deetjen to journey from his native Norway, to the fulfillment of a lifelong dream—to make his home in the California redwoods. With his wife, Helen Haight Deetjen, he created an intimate refuge, not just for two, but also for travelers, artists, and celebrities worldwide. Whether a casual guest, or a celebrity visitor such as Robert Redford, Mia Farrow, Peter Sellers, John Denver, or Joan Baez—all will find Big Sur Inn a haven from the brisk pace of city living. Color and vintage photographs from the Inn’s beginning to the present guide you through its natural surroundings, cozy rustic rooms, and enchanting restaurant. Deetjen’s kitchen shares coveted recipes with the reader. The poetry of Robinson Jeffers frames each chapter in this book—a volume designed to bring the warmth of Deetjen’s hearth into your home.