Heart of Hearst
Few people are lucky enough to inherit a legacy; fewer still are blessed enough to share their legacies among the populous majority. This generous act ensures their place in history as well as in the hearts of those with whom they shared it. That is the story of William Randolph Hearst and the castle he and his family generously gave to the State of California for us — their visitors — to experience, drink in and renew every time we set foot upon these sprawling acres of land with vistas as far as the eye can see.
Historical accounts reveal that in 1865, George Hearst purchased 40,000 acres of ranchland that included the Mexican ranchos of Piedra Blanca, San Simeon and Santa Rosa. In 1919, his son, William Randolph Hearst, inherited the land from his mother, Phoebe Apperson Hearst. He eventually expanded it to encompass 250,000 acres.
As an only child, William Randolph Hearst got the best of what the world had to offer; at the age of 10, he toured Europe and was impressed with its Old World charm. His young mind started to toy with the idea of recreating the grandeur and scale of the castles, art and history of Europe for his own enjoyment. The power and vision of William Randolph — who grew up to be a powerful media genius with influence reaching far into publishing, politics, Hollywood and the art scene — allowed him to create one of the most ambitious architectural works in American history, the result of which can be seen in the magnificent grounds and structures of Hearst Castle.
Nestled on top of a hill, aptly known as “La Cuesta Encantada” (The Enchanted Hill), the Hearst Castle was built under the supervision of architect Julia Morgan. Originally designed to be a personal sanctuary on the land William Randolph Hearst camped upon as a young boy, he nevertheless added several cottages in order to host guests who socialized, wined and dined within the wonders of this castle. This estate has a sprawling landscape saved from developers when Hearst kept on acquiring lands made available to him. He had a vision of keeping the land as pristine as possible and, after its donation to the State of California in 1954, three years after his demise, his vision was realized.
Since then, the entire estate and its priceless collection of art, garden sculptures and other household treasures have been opened to the public. Thousands of feet have trudged upon its ground, and on May 11, 1976, the estate consisting of 250,000 acres and 14 miles of coastline became a United States National Historic Landmark.
My friend Yvette, a photographer in her own right, captured the very essence of Hearst Castle as we took the Kitchen & Cottages Tour. There were several other tours available, but to see the whole estate would either take the whole day from the time it opens until the time it closes; or, it would take at least several visits over a period of time to be able to drink in the vastness of La Cuesta Encantada. The entrance to the visitors’ area where we purchased our tickets for the tours was five miles from the main road entrance. The meandering asphalt road awarded us surreal natural panoramic sights even before setting foot inside the castle itself. When we stepped onto the premises, we felt like we had been transported to another time, into a place where arts and crafts of the highest standard from all over the world had been laid bare in front of our eyes. William Randolph Hearst was a keen collector and he developed his eye while traveling to Europe with his parents.
The tour included a stop in the kitchen that is equipped with industrial-sized ovens, mixers, roasters to cater to the flood of weekend guests. Though the cottages were comfortably decorated and offered views of either the mountains or the sea, there were no kitchens, so guests had no choice but to come to the main house to socialize during mealtimes.
He was a generous host and flew in many well-known visitors with Charlie Chaplin and David Niven as regulars. Although he wasn’t much of a drinker, his guests were provided with the best wines from his massive underground wine cellar. It still contains bottles in their original crates from the 1930s.
As we glided through the main house, we could almost hear the echoes of past festivities reverberating through its walls as our tour guide mentioned the extravagant parties, the lavish outlay of wine and culinary masterpieces for the Hollywood royalty and other famous people who set foot in the very same place we found ourselves in. It made us feel privileged to be in the same sanctum that had entertained the famous, infamous or ordinary visitors before us.
Aside from the lush and verdant gardens that Hearst and Morgan carefully planned and developed, there are other several historic areas and locations at the Hearst Castle. One of them is the pool area. The castle has two unique pools: the Neptune Pool and the Roman Pool. The pool area has been witness to spirited parties and social gatherings at the castle. The area was even used for exercise and recreation.
The wine cellar is also a focal point of a tour at the castle. It was said that in those days, the cellar was home to the most expensive bottles of wine from all over the world. Built during the Prohibition Era (in the early 1930s), the wine cellar featured secure vaults to protect Hearst’s collection.
The castle has its own Hearst Airport with its original airstrip, built in the 1920s, located behind what is now the Hearst Castle Visitor Center. The airport came in handy because it was the fastest and easiest way for Hearst, his loved ones and friends to reach his estate at San Simeon.
Of course, the zoo at the Hearst Castle is not to be missed. The Hearst Zoo, once upon a time, was the site of the world’s largest private animal collection. Although no longer in operation, the “bear pits” still bear an imposing presence that can be seen on the way down the hilltop when visitors depart. Still roaming around the Hearst ranchland are descendants of the owner’s original zebras, aoudads and Sambar deer.
Almost directly across from the entrance to the Hearst Castle is Elephant Seal Beach. Elephant seals were almost hunted to extinction during the 1800s for the oil that came from their blubber and, by 1880, they were thought to be extinct. However, a small colony of between 20 and 100 seals survived. All of the Northern elephant seals alive today are descendants of these.
The elephant seals were protected by the Mexican government in 1922; the United States quickly followed. As the seal population rebounded, they set up colonies in adjacent islands in Baja. It was when the islands became crowded that the seals moved to the mainland beaches.
We learned that it was in 1990 that the first small group of about a dozen was noticed just south of the Piedras Blancas Lighthouse. They increased in number each year, with the first pup being born in 1992.
By 1995, approximately 600 were born and thousands of these huge, furry mammals had spread themselves over the beaches along the stretch of Pacific Coast Highway near the lighthouse. This natural wonder made people stop for a look — and look they did. Parking cars illegally by the roadside and scrambling over fences and private property made for a dangerous situation, especially with cars whizzing down Highway 1. Fortunately, the government was able to realign the highway and trade land with the Hearst Corporation and was able to finally set up a designated parking area and viewpoint complete with a boardwalk and footpaths that not only allowed one a safe place to watch the seals but also meandered along the natural flora. The Piedras Blancas Elephant Seal rookery is the largest on the mainland. (There are larger ones in the Channel islands.)
The Hearst Castle, located at 750 Hearst Castle Road in San Simeon, California, is a legacy that sits majestically on 90,000 square kilometers of land with picturesque and wistful gardens, terraces, pools and walkways. The castle is an American heritage that has become a global showcase for William Randolph Hearst’s art collection as well as the genius of his imagination. Welcome to Hearst Castle.
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