The Esselen were the Native American inhabitants of what is now known as Big Sur on the Central Coast of California. Native Americans (also Indians, Aboriginal Peoples, American Indians, First Nations, Alaskan Natives, Amerindians, or Indigenous Peoples of America) are the indigenous inhabitants of The Americas prior to the European colonization, and their modern descendants. ... View inland (east) from Route 1 Daily June fog in Big Sur. ... State nickname: The Golden State Other U.S. States Capital Sacramento Largest city Los Angeles Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger (R) Official languages English Area 410,000 km² (3rd)  - Land 404,298 km²  - Water 20,047 km² (4. ...

They resided from the Carmel River, and along the Sur River. There were also settlements in the coastal range. They lived in one of the most beautiful areas of the Pacific coast, among redwoods, plunging seacliffs and spectacular beaches. They lived off of hunting and gathering and resided in small groups with no centralized political authority. Carmel is the name of several places: Carmel, Indiana, USA Carmel, New York, USA Carmel Hamlet, New York, USA Carmel-by-the-Sea, California, USA Carmel, Western Australia, Australia Carmel features in the names of some people: John Carmel Heenan, 1905-1975, Cardinal, Archbishop of Westminster Carmel is also the...

The Esselen probably numbered about 500 in 1770. They were absorbed into the mision population, at Mission Carmel, and died from disease and overwork. They are now extinct.

The Esselen spoke a Hokan language. Very little data on this language has survived; there was one word list collected during the Mission era and John Peabody Harrington managed to collect some more data in the late 19th century. The Hokan languages are a group of languages spoken in North America by Native Americans. ... John Peabody Harrington (1884-1961) was an United States ethnologist and a specialist in the native peoples of California. ...

The Esalen Institute in Big Sur is named after this group. The Esalen Institute is a workshop and retreat center in Big Sur, California. ...

The definitive work on the Esselen is by Gary S. Breschini and Trudy Haversat (2004), titled "The Esselen Indians of the Big Sur Country: The Land and the People." It was published by Coyote Press, Salinas.