Give Me a Cabin on the Water

I'm sure this didn't take 28 years to build.

When William Randolph Hearst became too old to sleep in a tent, he commissioned female architect Julia Morgan to design a modest home on the site of Hearst’s childhood camping trips with his father in San Simeon. The project, expected to take no more than two years, evolved into a behemoth requiring twenty-eight years of work for the talented architect and is now a California state park thanks to the messed-up heirs who wanted nothing to do with it. (Yes, Patty Hearst was a granddaughter.)

On our recent California road trip, we took a day to visit the Hearst Castle. I signed us up for two tours: the Grand Rooms Tour and the Kitchen and Cottages Tour. The tours are as much about Julia as about Hearst, and rightly so. One would have been enough.

All tours begin and end with narrated 40-minute bus transport from the visitor’s center at the bottom of the hill via a winding road to and from the mansion. Thus, having two tours, we sat through two identical bus tours. That said, the setting is stunning and repeating the trip gave us time to notice details overlooked on the first round.

The thought that nagged me was: this is not a summer home. The heavy, dark, elegant décor does not scream California beach. Some of the furniture appeared comfortable but contrasted with the tall ceilings, the ornate tapestries, and the thick polished woodwork. The so-called cottages, up to over 5000 square feet, mimic the main home in style. Hearst used the home to impress people from whom he could make money at a time when this décor was the rage. I tried to imagine the room as described by the guide: less furniture providing more space; the windows thrown open revealing the breathtaking views of the ranch and beach below.

The stories were interesting and motivated me to read more about Hearst and Morgan. Of course, like many ultra-wealthy people, he did not treat his employees well and left behind poorly raised offspring. That the state now benefits is reassuring. That this was a man with too much money was evident.

If the Hearst Castle is a manifestation of ostentatious wealth, the next mansion was a manifestation of eccentricity. The Winchester Mystery House in San Jose is not a state park but worth a visit for its originality and cache of fascinating stories. The attractive young guides appeared to be theater majors instructed to create a mysterious, spooky mood which was annoying. (The house speaks for itself; drop the theatrics, please. Also, get rid of the carnival games outside.)  

The grounds provided a setting for a relaxing stroll. For a few weeks, the attic and basement were open for self-tours allowing us to explore on our own after the formal tour. Unlike Hearst, Sarah Winchester, heiress to the Winchester Repeating Arms fortune, treated her employees well. This home is worth one visit.

Earlier beautied out by the central California coast, I was now wealthed out. I am definitely a middle-class gal who longs for a cabin on the water. With electricity. Indoor plumbing. Wi-Fi. Air-conditioning and heat. Amenities nearby. No snakes. Not much to ask for, is it?