Book excerpt: Carmel-by-the-Sea was established in the early 1900s and has been described as a quaint, European-like village among the trees along Central California's coast. The architectural styles that shaped the downtown character emerged predominantly in the 1920s and 1930s and were mostly Northern and Southern European-influenced Romantic Revival styles. The Court of the Golden Bough features Tudor Revival-style buildings, with medieval influence, while many of the larger buildings and hotels downtown are in the Mediterranean and Spanish Revival styles. Fairy-tale storybook designs add to the town's one-of-a-kind charm. A few Western false-front and Craftsman-style buildings from the start of the 20th century, some post-World War II modernist works in the Second and Third Bay Region styles, and ones inspired by Frank Lloyd Wright's organic architecture all add to the eclectic mix. Carmel-by-the-Sea has emphasized walking and the outdoors, with its courtyards and passageways, parks, gardens, and landscaping. Take a journey and discover the historic buildings that make up the downtown of this unique seaside town.