Built by early Chinese fishermen in the 1850s, the historic Whaler’s Cabin at Point Lobos State Natural Reserve is one of the last remaining wood-frame buildings of its kind on the Monterey Coast. Tucked away on the cliffs of Carmel lies a humble pine cabin with a massive history.
The Whalers Cabin at Point Lobos has been a home to Portuguese whalers, Japanese abalone harvesters, and WWII soldiers. Today, it operates as a museum preserving the region’s rich maritime history.
Inside the Museum: Cultural Artifacts Revealed
When state archaeologists excavated beneath the cabin’s sub-flooring in 1986, they unlocked a treasure trove of multicultural domestic and industrial items. Visitors can explore these key historical displays at the Whalers Cabin Museum:
- Whale Vertebrae Foundations: Six massive gray whale vertebrae were discovered under the floorboards, used by early residents as makeshift structural joist supports.
- Chinese Domestic Life: Displays feature authentic 19th-century chopsticks, bamboo skewer sticks, and intricately patterned Chinese ceramic and pottery shards.
- Abalone Button Workings: Pre-industrial tools and discarded shells highlighting how early Chinese and Japanese settlers manufactured decorative clothing buttons out of iridescent abalone.
- Whaling Tools: Harpoons, heavy blubber-cutting knives, and vintage photographs documenting the treacherous operations of the Carmel Whaling Company.
- The Outdoor “Try Pots”: Located just outside the cabin, these massive iron cauldrons were used to boil down whale blubber into oil.
