HEARST CASTLE, SAN SIMEON, CALIFORNIA

This is my electronic photo album on Hearst Castle, one of the most popular tourist destinations in the Golden State. It is both a US and California landmark located in the town of  San Simeon,  in the Central Coast of California. 

In 1865, George Hearst purchased 40,000-acres of ranchland that included the Mexican Ranchos of Piedras Blancas, San Simeon and Santa Rosa. In 1919, his only son, William Randloph Hearst, inherited the land from his mother. By then the ranch had grown to encompass 250,000 acres.

Originally known as “Camp Hill,” its wilderness offered a place for family members and friends to “rough it” on camping trips, but Hearst envisioned more comfortable accommodations. His simple instructions to famed San Francisco architect Julia Morgan in 1919 were:

“Miss Morgan, we are tired of camping out in the open at the ranch in San Simeon and I would like to build a little something.”

Hearst renamed the hilltop on which his beloved house rested “La Cuesta Encantada” – The Enchanted Hill. By 1947, Hearst and Morgan had created an estate of 165 rooms and 127 acres of gardens, terraces, pools and walkways, still unaware that the Castle was destined to become one of the world’s greatest showplaces.

William Randolph Hearst, the man behind Hearst Castle, is an important figure from the twentieth century whose influence extended to publishing, politics, Hollywood, the art world and everyday American life. His power and vision allowed him to pursue one of the most ambitious architectural endeavors in American history.

Julia Morgan was one of the first women to graduate from the University of California at Berkeley with a degree in civil engineering and the first American woman to study architecture at the famed  Ecole Nationale et Speciale des Beaux-Arts in Paris. In 1919, Mr. Hearst hired Ms. Morgan to design a main building and guest houses for his ranch in San Simeon, California. Ms. Morgan’s classical training in Paris, her background in engineering, and her use of reinforced concrete, suited her well for the project. Over the course of the next 28 years, Ms. Morgan supervised nearly every aspect of construction at Hearst Castle including the purchase of everything from Spanish antiquities to Icelandic Moss to reindeer for the castle's zoo. She personally designed most of the structures, grounds, pools, animal shelters and workers’ camp down to the minutest detail. Additionally, Ms. Morgan worked closely with Mr. Hearst to integrate his vast art collection into the structures and grounds at San Simeon.. 

   

 

Thank you for visiting my photo blog. There are so many California tourist attractions, it’s hard to know where to begin. From Sea World-San Diego in the south to majestic Mt. Shasta near its northern border, California is without a doubt a vacationer’s paradise. I hope that my photos have given you a glimpse of the immense beauty and wonder of the Golden State.