Clearing lines-of-sight at triangulation station. The large notch was cut and a a cross cut saw was used to make this large pine fall forward. L to R Winnie Pierce and Floyd Risvold working the saw.

Roy Bixby and the building party pack train. Probably in Palo Colorado Canyon, southernmost stand of redwood trees in California.

Lieutenants Charles Pierce and William Tucker setting up at Station Algers in the Big Sur area of the California coast.

Lieutenant William R. Tucker at Monterey.

The setup at Station Mount Manuel. Lieutenants Pierce and Tucker waiting for the fog to lift so they could conduct observations.

On the way up to Station Mount Manuel with fog filling the valley below.

The Big Sur coastline. Rocky beaches and mountains coming straight down to the ocean.

Lieutenant Charles Pierce coming down from triangulation Station Brazil.

A prison labor camp. Convicts from Folsom Prison were used to build Highway 1 between Pfeiffer, Big Sur, and San Simeon. The camps were fenced in and under guard. There was a north and south camp. We had our camp inside the enclosures.

California Coast Highway 1 under construction. This is one of the great construction projects accomplished during the Depression years.

A Coast Surveyor packing down the under construction California Coast Highway 1.

The pilot shovel breaking trail for the larger equipment to follow along California Highway 1.

Bixby Canyon Bridge under construction on California Coast Highway 1. After completion, this bridge is now one of the most beautiful bridges in the United States.

Station Molera south of Point Sur. Lieutenant Charles Pierce is trying in vain to set up an observation tent in order to protect the instrument from the wind. The next day the party erected a windbreak. The wind was very strong at Point Sur and blowing so hard it was almost impossible to stand up. Many days the wind is like this in this area.

Point Sur is connected to the mainland by a sandy beach. As seen from the vicinity of Station Molera.

Another view of Point Sur.

Floyd Risvold dressed up in Cowboy Roy Bixby's hat and wool chaps. This was at the survey party's first camp at Big Sur.

The wind break erected at Station Molera to allow finishing the observing tent.

Dining on the saddle below triangulation station Pico Blanco. L to R Silk Hat Harry, Lieutenant Charles Pierce, Cowboy Roy, and Lieutenant William Tucker.

Lieutenants Charles Pierce and William Tucker at Station Pico Blanco.

Lieutenants Charles Pierce and William Tucker on the way to Pico Blanco.

Cowboy Roy, the wrangler, holding an umbrella to shade the instrument for Lieutenant Charles Pierce at Station Pico Blanco. Pierce observing, Tucker recording angle observations. Mule taking it easy.

Triangulation station Pico Blanco seen in the distance. It was a 6 1/2 hour climb to the station.

Floyd Risvold at Station Pico Blanco.

On the way down from Station Pico Blanco. Cowboy Roy leading the mule carrying the theodolite.

Lieutenant William Tucker and a pack mule at Station Pico Blanco.

Packing into a station in the Santa Lucia Mountains south of Monterey. Cowboy Bixby leading the mule with Lieutenant Charles Peirce following.

The objective - a triangulation station is located on this high peak in the Santa Lucia Mountains.

Lieutenants Charles Pierce and William Tucker checking the results of triangulation observations.

Triangulation station on a rock south of Monterey.

Lieutenant Charles Pierce recording on a guano covered rock off the Big Sur coastline. The netting covering his head is to keep off the flies that covered the rock.

Lieutenant William Tucker observing at an offshore triangulation station south of Monterey.

A triangulation station just south of Hearst Castle.

A view of Hearst Castle.

Lieutenant Charles and Marion Pierce at an observing platform in southern California shortly after they were married.

Observing stand and platform in use during triangulation operations. Lieutenant Charles Pierce is observing, George Blair recording, and Floyd Risvold reading the "B" mike.

Building a wooden triangulation observing platform. The instrument stand is built first.

An instrument stand with observer's platform built around the instrument stand and signal placed for visibility from other triangulation stations.

The observer's platform is being built around the instrument stand.

The instrument stand being placed over the mark.

Jack Bachtel leading a mule down from a triangulation station in the Santa Lucia Mountains south of Monterey. This was the first station ever observed by Floyd Risvold.

Lieutenant Charles Pierce getting his bearings on the way to a triangulation station in the Santa Lucia Mountains.

George Blair setting up for triangulation observations somewhere on the Big Sur coastline.

Departing from station on Morro Rock in Morro Bay. Taking the boat for a walk to get back to shore at low tide.

Lieutenant Charles Pierce, chief of party, proceeding to triangulation station on top of Morro Rock. At high tide it was only a foot or two deep.

An offshore triangulation station location. The white is bird guano.

Jack Bachtel waiting for the boat to pick him up from an offshore triangulation station.

In southern California there were many stations on offshore rocks. An observing party is leaving a station with Lieutenant Charles Pierce in the boat and Ensign William Tucker waiting to jump on board.

Floyd Risvold and Lieutenant William Tucker packing into a station south of Monterey.

Station on the sand dunes on the southern California coast.