Hearst Castle 50th Anniversary, CA
Palatial Showcase in San Simeon on California Coast Celebrates Fifty
Jun 5, 2008
Hearst Castle is one of the most popular tourist attractions of the California coast. Hearst Castle, in San Simeon, California, is celebrating is Golden Anniversary this year. The historic castle has been a California State Historical Monument, open to the public, for 50 years. Hearst Castle is part of the California State Park system on the San Luis Obispo Coast.
Hearst Castle is considered one of the world's great showplaces. The castle is situated on what had been a wilderness area on the San Simeon coastline, called "Camp Hill." William Randolph Hearst, who inherited the estate from his parents, collaborated with famed architect Julia Morgan to transform the wilderness into a castle.
William Randolph Hearst was born in 1883 and died in 1951. He was the only child of George and Phoebe Hearst. His father was a wealthy man with a variety of interests, When William was ten, his mother took him on a grand tour of Europe, where they spent over a year touring European castles, museums and cultural centers. This grand tour of Europe inspired many of the ideas for Hearst Castle.
William Randolph Hearst Builds a Castle
"La Cuesta Encantada," The Enchanted Hill, was an estate of 165 rooms on 86,000 acres of beautiful gardens, terraces, pools and walkways. According to the Hearest Castle website, the estate totals 90,080 square feet and has 56 bedrooms, 41 fireplaces, 61 bathrooms and 19 sitting rooms.
Hearst Castle became a playground for the privileged and elite of society. Guests of the magnificent Castle included Hollywood's A list of actors, politicians, powerful heads of state and successful businessmen.
William Randolph Hearst built a media empire. Hearst was one of the first print media companies to enter radio broadcasting and was an early pioneer of television. As Hearst built his empire he amassed a vast museum quality art collection. The collection included classical paintings, religious textiles, tapestries, oriental rugs, antiques, silver, sculptures and furniture. Much of this vast collection or art remains at Hearst Castle for public enjoyment.
Hearst Castle Tours
The Hearst Corporation donated the Castle to the People of the State of California in December in 1957. Dedication ceremonies were held on June 2, 1958.
2008 marks 50 years of this magnificent castle being open to the public. Tours of the palace on the California coast offer s glimpse into the lifestyles of the rich and famous or an earlier era. There are anniversary events planned throughout the year to commemorate the landmark.
There are five different guided tours offered are Hearst Castle. Guided tours include: Experience Tour, Upper Floors of Casa Grande, North Wing of Casa Grande, Garden Tour and Evening Tour. Tour prices from May 15 to September 15 are $24 to $30 for adults and $12 to $15 for ages 6-17. Tour prices are slightly less during the other times of the year. Reservations are recommended. Call 1-800-444-4445 or see the Hearst Castle website for information.
Central California State Parks
Hearst Castle is one of the attractions of the diverse State Park System in scenic Central California. The California State Parks on the Central Coast include beaches, waterfalls, redwoods, rugged coastline and sand dunes. State parks in Central California include Cayoucos State Beach, Estero Bluffs, Limekiln State Park. Los Osos Oaks State Reserve, Montana de Oro State Park, Morro Bay State Park, Morro Bay State Park Museum of Natural History, Morro Bay State Park Golf Course, Pismo State Beach, Oceano Dunes SVRA, San Simeon State Park and the W.R. Hearst Memorial State Beach.
