Deetjen's Big Sur Inn

Deetjen's Big Sur Inn is the oldest hotel in Big Sur. In the 1930s Helmuth Deetjen fled Norway and settled in Big Sur. He met his wife Helen Haight (Haight-Ashbury family) in Carmel. He and his wife moved to Big Sur. At first they lived in tents, then built a small house. They liked to welcome travelers and cook for them, so many people stayed with them for a night or two. This was before Highway 1, when the trip up the coast was very grueling. They bought a whole canyon (Castro Canyon) of 40 acres full of redwoods when the land cost very little. Helen had money from her rich family. They built small cottages in the Norway style in the canyon and a fine restaurant which was known for its great food. [1] Helmuth Deetjen died in 1972 and the hotel was sold to a trust so the hotel and land could never be cut up. In 1990 it was made a U.S. historic place. [2] A photo book on its history called Big Sur Inn: The Deetjen Legacy was released in 2006. [3]

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