Just released by the National Archives on YouTube, this film shows Big Sur as it was in the 1930s, when they were initially establishing California’s state parks, including Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park and Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park. This historic Big Sur film footage shows Construction Corps and Conservation Corps engineers and laborers working to construct the trails, roads and buildings in our parks. Many of the workers are shown sleeping in tents for months at a time. At many parks, they were still bringing in supplies on horseback!

Fast forward to 14:26 to see the footage of Big Sur. It’s fascinating to see what has changed about the park (and about conservation techniques) -- and what has stayed the same. (They can’t resist the iconic shot of the waves cascading through the archway at McWay Falls.)

Other California state parks featured in this historic film include California Redwood (now either Big Basin Redwoods or Henry Cowell Redwoods -- please comment if you are sure which one this is) (2:46), Humboldt Redwood (now called Humboldt Redwoods State Park) (5:29), Calaveras (now called Calaveras Big Trees State Park) (7:17), San Jacinto Mountains (now called Mount San Jacinto State Park) (7:54), Rubicon (now part of D.L. Bliss State Park) (11:18), Prairie Creek (now called Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park) (13:14), Cuyamaca Rancho State Park (about 17 minutes in; the introduction is cut off), Morro Bay (now Morro Bay State Park and Morro Strand State Beach) (18:40) and Russian Gulch State Park (19:51). You’ll also see scenes of Conservation Corps workers boxing, playing baseball, washing dishes, and other aspects of daily life.

As the Monterey County Weekly reported Thursday, visitors may not have much of a chance to see the newly opened Discovery Center at Andrew Molera State Park in Big Sur. Recent state-level budget troubles have threatened to close 280 of California’s parks.

Here’s the list of Monterey County parks that would close due to state budget cuts:

• Andrew Molera State Park
• Carmel River State Beach
• the just opened Fort Ord Dunes State Park
• Fremont Peak State Park
• Garrapata State Park
• Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park
• hang glider favorite Marina State Beach
• paraglider haunt Monterey State Beach
• Monterey State Historic Park
• surfer favorite Moss Landing State Beach
• Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park
• Point Lobos State Natural Reserve
• Point Sur State Historic Park
• Salinas River State Beach
• Zmudowski State Beach

It’s easier to list what would stay open: surfer favorite Asilomar State Beach and Elkhorn Slough Natural Estuarine Reserve (which is run in part by the state Department of Fish and Game and is not technically a state park).

Get the full list of proposed closures throughout the state from the California State Parks Foundation.

This weekend, the California State Parks Foundation has organized “SOS Weekend” at parks around the state. (The SOS stands for “Save Our State Parks” – apparently the P is silent.) If you want to learn what to do about the state parks situation, visit Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park on Sunday at 2pm. In what amounts to a music-backed teach-in, volunteers will explain how to most effectively contact your representatives in Sacramento to ensure the park stays open. Folk singer Alisa Finerman will perform. If you’re not near Pfeiffer Big Sur, you can still participate; their website lists events at 17 other parks throughout the state.