When you’re wealthy they call you an “eclectic collector,” when you’re not wealthy they call you a “hoarder.”

Imagine your parents giving you an allowance so great you could build your own mansion.

You're telling me she's the reason I had to sit through Parent-Teacher Conferences every year?

I grew up in the shadow of the hacienda...spent many hours playing there as a child, running up and down the hallways, the stairs, roofs, patios, gardens (landscaped by Luther Burbank) etc. I was there the night it burned to the ground. I felt like a part of myself died that night. My life rose in the flames, ascending like an incense into the night sky. Architecturally, it was actually quite a unified composition...a combinations of Spanish revival and pueblo styles. It was, in fact, a preliminary study for San Simeon...where much of the artwork that once adorned it now resides.

So she was mad that her son built the house instead of an orphanage. Then proceeded to redo the house and live there herself.

a wealthy friend of mine always tells me: "money buys you only comfort, never taste or happiness, my dear!" I am like...only rich people say that! lol

Anyone else find it funny that she didn’t just turn it into an orphanage but instead she spent time and money making her own mansion?.. 😂

Thought the rooms looked like a cluttered mess.

I think both mother and son were hoarders. Hearst Castle is a wild museum of hoarder proportions.

We lived a mile or so north on Foothill Road, when Castlewood Country Club burned down. Rather frightening, we thought the whole neighborhood might go up that night. The rolling hills were covered in oak trees with pastures in the valley back then. The actual "town" of Pleasanton was some distance away. The entire area has been developed since then and today is another endless urban sprawl.

I throughly enjoy your videos, its awesome how you find & bring these amazing photos & history to life again in such a lovely way! Thank you for all your efforts! 👍🏆🌟

Thank you for this video. I never knew that Phoebe Hearst owned a mansion in P-Town. I only knew about her house in north Berkeley, which still stands. W. R. Hearst owned a ranch in Paso Robles, which he stayed at while overseeing the construction of San Simeon in the 1920's, and sold it to the U.S. government in 1940. It is now part of Fort Hunter-Liggett, a minor military base. I stayed there 15 years ago. They may still rent out rooms. The kitchen was closed because a colonel or general set himself on fire when the kitchen stove blew up, but he insisted on cooking himself scrambled eggs anyway (he had been warned.) It may be refurbished by now. I hope so. If you can stay there, do so. It is worth it. They may be serving meals again.

It is fun to know the stories about these places. I liked the "different" look as well. Thank you, always a pleasure to relax and smile at these videos.

I would have loved to see the original. My three favorite types of architecture! And the eclectic furnishings are sweet! Not to mention the wood work! Wow!👍👍💕🇺🇸

Albert Schweinfurth was highly regarded by his contemporaries. I believe he died before he reached forty. He was only slightly older than Julia Morgan. The two were likely acquainted with each others work. I find the house fascinating and regret it no longer exists.

This answered the question of why Phoebe left much of her wealth to her niece and not her son.

Seeing those interiors: Oh, yes. Now I remember why I'm working toward minimalism. The outside in both forms: really not for me. Still, I say good for Mrs. Hearst for creating a house that was her own and for her wonderful philanthropic work.

I was at another Julia Morgan-designed home at the Castlewood Country Club about 40 years ago. It was obviously a Morgan house because of the Art Deco theme and statuary by the pool.

So many mansions full of art were lost to fire. Makes me curious to know when conscious efforts were begun to prevent loss by fire.

It is an architectural travesty.