California's Highway 1

California's Highway 1. Pacific Coast Highway. , The Most Beautiful Drive in America , California's fabled road begins here in Dana Point and winds north along the scenic California coast linking waterside destinations, secluded stretches, and California's biggest cities. The road ends near Leggett in Mendocino County., New Cars Need a New Road , The sudden popularity of cars in the early twentieth century meant a sudden need for reliable roads. Highway planning began in 1919 and construction started in 1921. By 1937 crews hung up their pick-axes and California opened its first north-south corridor. , Same Highway, Many Names , This section of road has been known by different names and route numbers over the years. In 1941 the state officially renamed it Pacific Coast Highway (PCH), and in 1964, when California adopted its numbering system, it also became Highway 1., The highway follows Cottaneva Creek inland through redwood-forested mountainous terrain before terminating at US 101 just outside Leggett., The most difficult part of PCH to build was in rugged Big Sur, California., The road is only called PCH in Orange, Los Angeles, and Ventura Counties. North of Ventura people use its alternative name: California Highway 1., PCH was originally called Roosevelt Highway in honor of President Theodore Roosevelt who loved the West. He died in 1919 as planning for the roadway began., Construction of PCH in Dana Point began with mules and hand tools, as shown in this photo of roadway grading from the 1920s.