During the early development of the national parks in the 1920s, a design ethic emerged that emphasized an organic approach to architecture and landscape by designing in harmony with nature. Nature was the most important design element, and all design decisions were made subordinate to the natural environment. This era was characterized by curving roads that followed the topography, careful siting that responded to nature, and the use of onsite natural materials such as local stone and timbers. This philosophy gained momentum when the National Park Service and the Bureau of Public Roads formed a formal partnership in 1926, producing some of the best examples of road engineering and some of the most scenic roads in the United States. The construction of the Oregon Coast Highway exemplified this approach, as the road followed the contours of the mountain, highlighted natural landscape features, and incorporated elaborate stone walls and curbing. Designed to be both scenic and functional, it included ample pullouts where motorists and cyclists could safely stop and appreciate the surrounding beauty. The rock structures along this section of road, built between 1939 and 1941, extend almost 4,000 feet and represent the largest highway rockwork project in Oregon, symbolizing an era when nature provided the elements of design.