Andrew Molera State Park preserves a relatively undeveloped stretch of the Big Sur coast at the mouth of the Big Sur River, reflecting Frances Molera’s insistence that the land remain lightly developed when it was transferred for preservation. Part of the former Rancho El Sur grant, the property passed through the Cooper family before Andrew J. Molera and Frances Molera inherited it in 1918. Frances sold the coastal portion to The Nature Conservancy in 1965 on condition that it become a state park named for her brother, and later pressure to intensify development was defeated. The park is valued for varied landscapes, historic buildings, recreation, wildlife interpretation, and a broad conservation setting.