Modern Marvels: Construction of the Pacific Coast Highway (S10, E1) | Full Episode | History

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Remember when History Channel used to show history programs?

You know it's gonna be a good documentary when you hear this narrator's voice. He's the best.

Blast from the past. Back when the History channel made good content.

Between 1993 and2014, I drove the entire route from San Diego and North to nearly the Canadian border many times. Each trip only reinforced my sense of wonder and appreciation,not only of the unparalleled natural beauty , but also, the road, tunnel, and bridges.magnificent hardly begins to describe it all !!! Big Sur Is unquestionably, the most incredibly beautiful place in the USA. And I've seen most of this country!! I'm 79 years old now, and Big Sur is the only place for which I feel an intense sense of nostalgia. The PCH made these trips possible.

I drove that Hwy down to S. Cal from Seattle in "79" when I was 17, I was gonna be a Rockstar and I drove it back as a Sgt in the the army, so beautiful.

I am a truck driver, and I go through those impossible feats of engineering daily. Amazing technology and construction. Yes there is still an eerie feeling after the floods and torrential rains of this year, driving as a truck driver through Klamath, del norte, Humboldt county, San Francisco etc, not to mention a huge sinkhole at Richards grove about 50 feet across and 5-10 feet deep. They have a crew out there now. One way traffic control. I do see those slide barriers and frequent retrofit construction throughout Northern California. Beautiful scenery, trails and wildlife! Absolutely remarkable engineering!! Makes you love the pacific coast, Northern California highway experience!!

My grandparents were born in the mid-late 1800's and only knew this hard work. These men helped bless our country. Those who destroy our country will never comprehend hard work. This was hard core labor...

Could watch this kind of stuff all day long! A nice reprieve from all the negativity in the present day world. Excellent therapy. And it’s free! Edit: A big THANK YOU to all involved in making this happen!! 👍

I love how they gave Washington almost 35seconds of mention in the whole presentation.

The tunnel they built to replace the vulnerable Devil’s Slide area is quite impressive. I drove through it last year. I grew up near San Francisco and watched the annual slides and years of hand wringing over how to reroute the highway or build a tunnel around it. It was great to actually see it finished.

My dad used to drive our 15 passenger van like 75 mph around curves on the pch and I'm still scarred from it lol

Still dangerous. A few years back we had to take a detour because the side of a mountain came down on 101. And agree, it's the best road in the US when it comes to scenery.

I love California. Ever since I first saw the Pacific Coast Highway I Have loved it. Scenery and fresh ocean breeze!

There were large fires in Big Sur in summer of 1972, which burned off much of the vegetation. The winter rains washed out and closed Hiway 1, just like last year..2020. In March 1973, about a week after the road reopened, I happened to ride my bicycle from Mill Valley to Santa Barbara. On the segment thru Big Sur, for 110m, from Monterey to Cambria, I was perhaps passed by a total of 20 cars, since few people realized that the road had reopened. Once in a lifetime happenstance; I was so lucky.

I drove PCH from San Fran to Monterrey/Carmel in 1981 in my van using the hand controls, lots of steering & braking but breath taking views around every turn and hill. Go take that trip, you'll never regret it.

My grandfather moved to LA in 1920. My father worked at point Mugu. R&D Navy. Helping to develop such things as prestressed concrete. Many old concrete bridges along the coast still in use. Built in 1931, the bridge over Ventura River I use every day. The rail bridges are even older. The bridges over Gaviota and Refugio creeks are built in 1921. Steel beam and trestle. Heavily used by passenger and freight trains. Some of the retaining walls were built with 3’x 3’ blocks cut out of stone. Placed with such Percision and aesthetic value, truly a work of art

I remember riding in between Mom & Dad in Dad's "57" Corvette in 1965 down to Big Sur from Napa, across the Golden Gate through Monterrey. Great Memories of my Childhood.

My old man used to throw me on the back of his motorcycle and do part of HWY 1 from Astoria to the Hobbit Trails when I was a pipsqueak Today, I ride it on my Triumph at least once every year, whenever chuckholes and weather allow. The scenery is glorious, but to be saturated in the smell of that air is peace and the rebirth of your living soul itself.

Me and my dog Stormy traveled this highway in a van. Epic memories.