Description:
Car Week is here on the Monterey Peninsula and thousands of locals and visitors will enjoy driving down Seventeen Mile Drive in Pebble Beach. For decades, artist Jo Mora’s “Seventeen Mile Drive” Carte, his intriguing artistic and detailed storied map, has fascinated people, offering a colorful glimpse into the past.
Monterey History and Art Association’s Stanton Center and Theater is pleased to unveil a new exhibit, “Jo Mora: Cartographer,” the largest collection of Jo Mora’s Cartes ever displayed. Twenty-two cartes created by beloved artist Joseph Jacinto Mora (1876-1947) are now on display, including Mora’s “Seventeen Mile” carte, which has recently been re-dated to 1935. Highlights of this exhibit, curated by MHAA Board Member, Scott Gale, in association with Jo Mora expert, Peter Hiller and historian Neil Hoteling, also include four versions of the carte, “Evolution of the Cowboy,” and three versions of the “Yosemite” carte (black and white and two color). The exhibit will run through August 31, 2025.
The Stanton Center is located at 5 Custom House Plaza adjacent to Old Fisherman’s Wharf. Museum with adjacent parking in the Waterfront Parking Lot. Museum hours are currently Wednesday – Monday from Noon to 4:00 pm. Admission is $10 for adults. It is free for youth under 18 with a paid adult admission. It is $8 for seniors/military. Admission is free for Monterey History and Art Association members.
Gary Spradlin, President of the Board of Directors of the Monterey History and Art Association explains, “We are so pleased to offer this exclusive exhibit featuring a definite look at twenty-two Jo Mora cartes. Mora’s cartes shed a truly fascinating light on our past on the Monterey Peninsula and beyond. All ages will find something interesting to learn when viewing his Cartes currently on display. We are grateful to the generosity of Susan and Dennis Mar who gifted us many additional Jo Mora works that we can now share with the world.”
The Monterey History and Art Association hosts the largest collection of Mora’s artwork available for public viewing. Home to several exhibitions of Jo Mora’s artwork, the Monterey History and Art Association had a deep relationship with the Mora family and acquired an impressive representation of his paintings, drawings, cartes, prints, and bronze sculptures that remain at the Stanton Center and the Monterey History and Art Association’s Casa Serrano on Pacific Street, available for viewing by the public.
The Monterey History and Art Association is also planning a comprehensive Jo Mora Gathering and Symposium with many special activities on October 5-6, 2025, with more details to come. The Symposium at the Stanton Theater will have limited space and Monterey History and Art Association members will have the first opportunity to purchase tickets. For more information and to become a member of the Monterey History and Art Association, go to www.montereyhistory.org or call (831) 372-2608.
Authorized reprints of a number of Jo Mora’s cartes and other works are available in the store on site at the Stanton Center and also on www.jomoracollection.org.
Newly Redated Mora’s Seventeen Mile Drive Carte
For decades, Jo Mora’s Seventeen Mile Drive carte has been dated to 1927 – one year after Mora created the Monterey Peninsula carte. Stylistically, the two cartes look different. And, for various reasons, it wouldn’t make much sense for Del Monte Properties to commission two similar cartes one year apart. No copyright, contractual, or archival evidence exists to date the carte.
During preparations for the carte show at The Stanton Center, Monterey History and Art Association Board Member, Scott Gale, worked closely with Neal Hotelling, historian for Pebble Beach Company. Neal identified several items in the Seventeen Mile Drive carte that did not exist in 1927. The most obvious item is the Highway 1 sign toward the bottom right. The first numbered California State Route sign ever was placed on Carmel Hill for Highway 1 on September 10, 1934. Mora placed his Highway 1 sign in this precise location. Either Mora could see the future, or the carte was created after that sign was placed.
Based on these and other considerations, the Monterey History and Art Association is highly confident that the Seventeen Mile Drive carte was created in 1935. They continue to search for definitive proof as to precisely when Mora created the carte.
