The property was previously owned by Orson Welles and Rita Hayworth, who fell in love with the view while their driver was ferrying them from San Francisco to Los Angeles.
This stark photo of the Nepenthe restaurant in Big Sur, an iconic image of a mid-century modern structure, was taken in 1950, shortly after it opened. Photograph by Morley Baer, 2009 by the Morley Baer Photography Trust, Santa Fe.Lee Harbick Collection, California History Room, Monterey Public LibraryDepending on where you sit, on deck or inside at the edge of the world, it can feel like the bow of a boat.
As the Fassett family prepared to celebrate the 75th anniversary of Nepenthe, General Manager Kirk Gafill, a family owner and member of the third generation of Fassetts to take the helm, took some time to talk about the history of this legendary place. Here’s how it all began. “In the search for a place to live where they might be able to support their family,” said Gafill, “it was, perhaps, an odd choice for them to go away from developed areas and down into Big Sur. But my grandmother had visited what became the Nepenthe property as a child and had some notion of it as an adult.”
The view from Nepenthe on the Big Sur coast. The iconic restaurant turned 75 this year. performs at Nepenthe in front of the ABC televisions cameras during a filming of the show “Where the Action is” on June 20, 1966. The show produced by Dick Clark, was filmed in Monterey County at Fisherman’s Wharf, the Beach Club in Pebble Beach and Nepenthe.
“It’s a magical visual that really allows one to appreciate so much of the majesty and remarkable environmental qualities of the Big Sur Coast,” says Kirk Gafill says of the views from Nepenthe. “My grandfather met with the County,” said Gafill, “and the County Planner said, ‘Why would you build something on the highway, when you have such beautiful, coastal property? Put it on the hill.’ In 1947, this was well before the Coastal Commission and Big Sur Land Trust that created standards and guidelines for Big Sur.”
When the Fassetts were considering a name for the restaurant, Harris came up with Nepenthe, “That which surceases from or puts an end to sorrow.” Its source is “The Raven,” by Edgar Allen Poe, which said, “Quaff, oh quaff this kind Nepenthe” or “Come and forget your worldly care.” As they established their restaurant, Bill and Lolly Fassett had a shared notion of the guest experience they sought to create. They understood their guests, who’d stepped away from the hectic nature of their day-to-day lives, would come to this extraordinary place to forget their worldly cares.
In 1959, Hearst Castle opened, an event Bill Fassett called “a game changer.” With so many people traveling Highway 1, suddenly Nepenthe picked up business as a welcome way station between San Francisco and San Simeon. Nepenthe and its setting also lured a parade of famous guests, driving up the coast to enjoy the experience in the absence of paparazzi or intrusive fans. If neighbor Henry Miller wasn’t hanging out at the bar, he was playing ping-pong with Bill Fassett. Steve McQueen and Ali McGraw were regulars at the restaurant, as was Kim Novak, whose home was just up the coast.
Percy Sledge performs at Nepenthe in front of the ABC televisions cameras during a filming of the show “Where the Action is” on June 20, 1966. The show produced by Dick Clark, was filmed in Monterey County at Fisherman’s Wharf, the Beach Club in Pebble Beach and Nepenthe.
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