Richardson Grove Redwood Highway Hartsook California 1920 Real Photo Postcard

The "Redwood Highway," officially designated in the 1920s, refers to the section of U.S. Route 101 traversing Northern California's ancient redwood forests. This route became a significant artery for early automobile tourism, offering travelers access to the colossal *Sequoia sempervirens*. Postcards like this, dating from the early to mid-20th century, often featured impressive tree formations, cut-out stumps, or tunnel trees that served as popular roadside attractions along the nascent highway.

Such images celebrated both the natural grandeur of California's redwood groves and the engineering feat of carving a roadway through them. The practice of modifying giant trees for passage or display was a common, albeit controversial, form of early tourism development, aiming to awe travelers and boost regional economies. These attractions underscored a period when the public was discovering vast natural landscapes accessible by car, preceding widespread national park development and stricter conservation ethics.