[7] Alexander M. Allan, a successful race track architect and real estate developer from Illinois, purchased 640 acres (260 ha) of Point Lobos from the Carmelo Land and Coal Company in 1898.

Allan and his wife Satie appreciated the natural beauty of the point and were concerned about the growing number of visitors who wanted to see the rare Monterey Cypress trees and scenic coastline.

They put up toll gates, prohibited camping, and charged visitors 50 cents a vehicle (about $10 today) to enter the point.

They hired the internationally known landscape architect, Frederick Law Olmsted, to research Point Lobos and report on the areas most noteworthy of preservation.

Olmsted's report described Point Lobos as "the most outstanding example on the coast of California of picturesque rock and surf scenery in combination with unique vegetation, including typical Monterey Cypress.