History
In 1952 Robert and Marian Ricklefs established a boarding school on the Monterey Peninsula which they named in honor of Robert Louis Stevenson, the well-known Scottish author who reportedly found inspiration for his tales of high adventure during his 1870s sojourn in the Monterey area. Many of the school buildings, the school newspaper, sports teams, and other features of the school are named for places or themes from Robert Louis Stevenson's life or writings.

In the early years, Stevenson was a boys' school offering education in grades 7-12, though grades 7-8 were discontinued when the high school expanded.

The Pebble Beach Campus has had an Episcopalian chaplain from the early days, though the school has always been open to students of all faiths.

The school considers itself to be non-sectarian and explicit religious instruction is not included in the curriculum. In 1987, theChurch in the Forest was established in Erdman Memorial Chapel on the Pebble Beach campus, initially with both Episcopalian and Methodist chaplains.[1] The chapel is used by some local residents and is where boarding students attend vespers.

Robert Ricklefs served as headmaster until he retired in 1970; he was succeeded by Gordon Davis, during whose term (1970–1982) the school opened its doors to girls as day students (1976).

Joe Wandke arrived in 1983 and during his administration the school has undergone a thorough renovation of the physical plant. In 1988 girls were first admitted as boarding students with the opening of the Silverado dormitory.

Also in 1988, the school was approached by the board of Briarcliff Academy, a private elementary school in neighboring Carmel, California, regarding a merger of the two schools. Stevenson then became a two-campus school comprising grades kindergarten through 12. The Carmel Campus (grades K through 8, adding Pre-K beginning September 2011) is located in Carmel, while the Pebble Beach Campus (grades 9-12) occupies the original school's location in Pebble Beach.

In 2003 the Rosen Family Student Center was opened. In the middle of the Pebble Beach campus, the building features a college center, photography lab, tech center, activities center, wilderness center, multiple classroom, and the new location of KSPB 91.9. The building is decorated with plush oriental rugs and also features an amphitheater stage, which hosts school assemblies and concerts.