Travel – The St. Louis Gateway Arch

Posted on October 28, 2013 by barbara

Traveling back and forth from the Midwest to the West Coast on our annual summer road trips, we have passed through St. Louis, MO and we have stopped several times to visit the Jefferson National Expansion Memorial. The last time we visited, my husband, son and daughter took the tram ride to the top of the Gateway Arch. (I passed on that experience, too claustrophobic!) Inside the visitor center is the Museum of Westward Expansion, which showcases the Lewis and Clark Expedition in exhibits and displays.

History of the Gateway Arch

The Gateway Arch is located on the west side of the Mississippi River near downtown St. Louis, MO. The 630 feet high cantilever arch is the tallest man-made monument in the United States and has become an iconic symbol of the city of St. Louis.

In 1933, a local St. Louis civic leader named Luther Ely Smith had a vision of a great memorial for the city and he sent a proposal to the mayor, Bernard Dickmann. The idea was to create a permanent memorial to commemorate the great western expansion of the United States, which was inspired by President Thomas Jefferson and later achieved by the Lewis and Clark Expedition. Eventually, with Smith as the chairman, the Jefferson Expansion Memorial Association was created to raise funds and build the memorial.

Improvement to the riverfront area of St. Louis had been discussed many times over the previous years but with the Great Depression this particular riverfront project would provide 5,000 jobs for the local economy. Eventually in June of 1934, both the Senate and the House passed bills in support of the project and later President Franklin Roosevelt signed the bills into law and additional funds were acquired to purchase 82-acres on the St. Louis riverfront located on the Missouri side of the Mississippi River.

The lands were acquired over the next several years and demolition of the dilapidated buildings and vacate warehouses along the riverfront began in 1939. By 1944, the Jefferson Expansion Memorial Committee and the National Park service Director determined that a memorial design competition should be organized. Finally in 1947, funds were raised and over a hundred applications were received for the competition and the committee narrowed down those entries and selected the five best designs for their review and then from those finalists the committee determined the winning design. The winner of the memorial design competition was Eero Saarinen & associates which had submitted a very simple and modern design of a large arch to symbolize the gateway to the west with a surrounding landscape of trees and an expansive park area to act as a buffer from the nearby downtown area.

In the following years, problems concerning the railroad soon developed and it took some time to resolve, the railroad tracks needed to be removed and redirected and a tunnel built near the riverfront. In addition, re-grading of the proposed memorial site was changed from the original layout to improve the view of the memorial from the river. New zoning regulations were also required near the area of the arch and it was determined initially that 275 feet was the maximum height for the buildings directly opposite the arch.

St Louis Gateway Arch - windows at the top

Finally, in 1959 there was a ground breaking ceremony for the memorial and in 1961 the foundation was laid. Construction on the actual structure of the arch began on February 12, 1963 when the first triangular steel section of the exterior of structure was set in place, 142 equilateral sections measuring from 54 feet at the base and narrowing to 17 feet at the top of the arch. From the base level to 300 feet, each stainless skin section covers two carbon steel sections with reinforced concrete poured between them. The arch is hollow in the upper portion to accommodate the tram system that takes visitors to an observation deck which has small windows that provide amazing views of the city of St. Louis on one side and the Mississippi River on the other side.

St Louis Gateway Arch - west view from top

St Louis Gateway Arch - east view from top

During the building process, in order to keep the opposite sides stable, a temporary truss was placed between them and later removed. Construction continued and over the next several years there were numerous delays due to safety concerns and lawsuits regarding union issues. The memorial arch was finally completed and a dedication ceremony was scheduled for October 28, 1965. Prior to the keystone being set into position there was concern that the legs would not align and meet properly, after several tense minutes and some minor adjustments the two sides were successfully joined together.

The underground visitor center located directly below the arch was opened in June 10, 1967. Inside the visitor center is the Museum of Westward Expansion, which opened on August 1977, has several hundred exhibits about the Lewis and Clark Expedition and displays about the 19^th century United States expansion into the western territories. Located to the left of the museum entrance are two theaters, one of the screens is four feet tall, that play movies pertaining to the building of the Gateway Arch. On either side of the large waiting area within the visitor center are two separate entrances that access the north or south tram ride to the top of the arch, the tram ride opened July 22, 1967 shortly after the building of the memorial arch was completed.

Things to know before visiting the Jefferson National Expansion Memorial

Tickets for the tram or movie can be purchased at the Visitor Center Ticket Counter; various combined ticket packages are also available and the cost of each ticket includes the National Park entrance fee to the memorial. The spring and summer months are very busy and the weekends can be crowded. Tickets can sell out and we would advise purchasing in advance online at www.ticketsforthearch.com or calling 877-982-1410.
Currently all visitors to the Gateway Arch are required to pass through security. If you have purchased tickets in advance, please arrive at least 30 minutes before your reservation time.
There are many other sites to see or things to do near the Jefferson Expansion Memorial, such as: a riverboat cruise, a horse drawn carriage ride or a visit to the Old Courthouse which was the location for the famous Dred Scott case.

For more information regarding hours, fees, etc for the Jefferson National Expansion Memorial and the Gateway Arch; please see the National Park Service website at www.nps.gov/jeff

Travel – Sequoia National Park, CA

Posted on October 24, 2013 by barbara

Our family has visited Sequoia National Park several times over the past years and we have enjoyed it every time. The majestic giant sequoia trees that grow within the park boundaries are truly a wondrous sight to see! My husband and son have also taken the Crystal Cave wild tour three times with a group of different friends each year and they truly enjoyed the experience of spelunking and being able to explore areas of the cave that the general public are never shown. (please see the end of the post for more information about the wild cave tour)

Located in central California, Sequoia National Park was established as a national park in 1890. The park covers over 400,000 acres in the southern Sierra Nevada mountain range including the highest point in the contiguous United States, Mount Whitney which has an elevation of 14,505 feet. The Sierra Nevada mountain range was formed over 10 million years ago in a series of earth shifts and later over long periods of extreme cold weather glaciers developed and would move slowly over the granite rock to create deep valleys and ragged peaks. These glacial forces also formed nearby Yosemite National Park.

This area in the Sierra Nevada mountains was originally home to the Monochee Native Americans who lived in the foothills but during the summer months they would travel into the high country and go through the mountain passes to trade with the other Native American tribes in the East. Throughout the park, the ancient Native Americans have left behind pictographs and at the Hospital Rock area there are bowl-shaped indentations carved into the rocks that they would use as mortars to grind acorns which were a main food supply for the Monochee.

When the European settlers arrived in this area, a homesteader named Hale Tharp built a home in a fallen giant sequoia that he hollowed out and it can still be seen today on the Crescent Meadow trail. Tharp became friends with John Muir, the naturalist and first president of the newly formed Sierra Club and together they saw the beauty in the giant sequoia trees and tried to preserve this region of California. By the 1880s, the logging companies started cutting down the large sequoia trees but this proved to be an unsuccessful business venture when the lumber was determined to be unsuitable for building material.

Then in 1890, Sequoia National Park was established and the giant sequoias fell under protection and all logging ceased within the boundaries of the newly formed park. Over the years additional areas were added to the park as it increased in size. The most recent expansion was back in 1978, when the Sierra Club succeeded in preventing the Walt Disney Company from purchasing property to create a ski resort. This area in the southern portion of the park known as Mineral King and it is a popular place and starting point for back-country hikers.

Most visitors enter Sequoia National Park by the southern entrance near the town of Three Rivers. (Travel Note: Before proceeding into the park, stop and fill your vehicle with gas as there is very limited availability within the park) Here in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada mountain range the scenery is mostly oak trees and yucca plants and as the road climbs through steep river valleys the scenery transitions into conifer forests of pine and fir trees. Once visitors reach the higher elevation between 5,500 and 9,000 feet the giant sequoia trees start to appear and they are some of the largest living trees in the world, such as the General Sherman tree.

After entering the park boundaries, the road becomes the General’s Highway. (Of course as written in previous posts, our family always stops to take a photo of the National Park sign and these photos are framed and placed on our travel wall in our home) The General’s Highway continues to climb higher and the curving mountain road can be a very challenging driving experience so take caution and observe the speed limits. The first group of sequoias trees visitors will see once they are inside the park are the “Four Guardians”. (Travel Note: We advise visitors to stop safely and pull completely off the road to see these massive trees up close; it is a humbling experience to stand among some of the largest trees on our planet!) For more information about Sequoia National Park, please see their website at www.nps.gov/seki.htm

Interesting sites to see in Sequoia National Park

Moro Rock / Crescent Meadow Road

Located in the southern portion of the park just off the General’s Highway is one of the most popular areas of the park and during the summer months it can be very congested so to avoid the crowds we advise going in the early morning hours. The road is very narrow with limited clearance and it is not recommended for RVs or trailers.

Moro Rock – This large granite dome is located at an altitude above 7,000 feet and the 400 steep climb to the top can be very strenuous. Once at the top, the views of the Great Western Divide on one side and the Central Valley of California in the distance on the other side are truly breathtaking! (Travel Note: The climb to the top is very difficult and is not recommended for visitors with health issues or fear of heights due to the steep drop-offs )

Tunnel Log and Auto Log – The Tunnel Log is a fallen sequoia tree that crosses the road with a section cut out for cars to drive through that measures 17 feet wide and 8 feet high, for vehicles that do not meet these restrictions there is a bypass road. (Travel Note: The Tunnel Log is a fun photo opportunity but please use caution when you exit the vehicle to take pictures and be courteous to other park visitors that are sharing the road with you) Located nearby is the Auto Log which is another fallen sequoia that once allowed visitors the unique opportunity to drive their vehicles onto the tree. The tree is still there but it is now closed because the increased decay of the tree has caused unstable conditions to hold the weight of vehicles safely.

Crescent Meadow – This High Sierra meadow is a beautiful sight to see at any time of the year, but in the summer it is especially lovely and filled with wildflowers. The Crescent Meadow trail is an easy 1.6 mile family-friendly hike, which takes visitors past Tharp’s Log and the Chimney Tree. The Tharp’s Log was the home of Hale Tharp who lived inside this hollowed out fallen sequoia tree, be sure to take a look inside. Located nearby is the Chimney Tree which is a burnt out sequoia tree, visitors can step into the tree for an unusual look inside a giant sequoia and it also makes a great photo opportunity. (Travel Note: When we visited several years ago we encountered a bear in this area of the park, so please be aware of the danger and use extreme caution)

The Giant Forest

Located near the center of the park is the Giant Forest area just off the General’s Highway. The Giant Forest area and the Congress Trail is a wonderful opportunity for visitors to walk among several groves of giant sequoia trees. It is truly an amazing experience to stand at the base and look up to realize just the massive size of these sequoia trees. (Travel Note: The parking lot for the General Sherman tree and the Congress Trail can get very congested, especially during the summer months, so visit early in the day. Also, please be aware that bears and other wild animals can be in this area of the park so use extreme caution)

The General Sherman Tree – Within a short distance from the parking lot stands the General Sherman Tree which was officially named in 1879 for the Civil War General William Sherman. This giant sequoia is approximately 2,500 years old and it is the world’s largest living tree when measured by volume and mass. From the base, the tree rises to almost 275 feet and over 36 feet in diameter.

The Congress Trail – The Congress Trail starts near the General Sherman Tree; look for signs that lead to the trailhead. After the congestion in the parking lot and at the General Sherman Tree in just a few minutes this popular paved trail takes park visitors away from the crowds to enjoy a leisurely hike through a forest that contains some very large sequoia trees. Notable sequoias along the trail are: The President Tree which was named in 1923 for President Warren Harding, The Senate Group which contains several sequoia trees that are over 1,000 years old and nearby several more sequoia trees called the House Group. Also along the trail visitors will notice signs of fire damage with several sequoia trees scarred by fires that occurred in this area over the years, a sequoia tree bark is very thick and contains tannic acids that is a natural fire retardant. Sequoia trees also have a very shallow root system and along the trail is the Fallen Sequoia tree which shows visitors the exposed root system of a giant sequoia tree.

Crystal Cave

Crystal Cave Tour Information –

Located in the southern portion of the park just off the General’s highway in a remote area is Crystal Cave. It is approximately a 1½ hour drive from either the Foothill or Lodgepole Victor Centers.
Guided cave tours are available from mid-May to November and visitors must purchase tickets at the Foothills or Lodgepole Visitor Centers. (Travel Note: No tickets are available for purchase at the cave)
Tours do sell out quickly, especially in the summer months of July and August. It is advised to purchase tickets in advance, but there are certain times of the year when tickets are available only on a same day of tour basis. Call ahead for information or additional questions. (Travel note: Tour schedules are subject to change at any time of the year due to weather and road conditions or park closures)
From the Crystal Cave parking lot to the cave entrance it is a strenuous ½ mile hike. Please be advised that cave is not accessible by wheelchair or strollers and cave tours are not recommended for visitors with health concerns.
Tours are recommended for school age children or older. Smaller children or infants may be frightened by certain aspects of the tour. Please be advised that during the cave tour, the guide will turn out all the lights and there will be a moment of complete darkness.
Temperatures in the cave are a constant 48 degrees, bring a jacket. Also, close toes shoes are recommended, no sandals or flip-flops.
Due to the remote area of the cave location, bring water or snacks because visitors will be hungry or thirsty after their cave tour and strenuous hike. Please be advised to keep food items in a bear-safe container when not in use.

If you are looking for something a little bit more adventurous then the 45-minute cave tour, try the Wild Cave Tour. As mentioned previously, my husband and son enjoyed this tour so much that they went three times over the course of a few years, always with a group of different friends and family. I must advise, the Wild Cave Tour is very strenuous and should be limited to those participants that are in great physical condition and not fearful of tight spaces. I am claustrophobic, so I have never gone on the wild cave tour, I know my limitations! (OK, please don’t call me a chicken!)

Wild Cave Tour information –

The Wild Cave Tour is a 4 to 6 hour tour limited to people 16 years or older and is only available on Saturdays from June through August. Lead by experienced guides, the tour group is usually very small in size and it is an extremely popular tour that sells out very quickly. For additional information and to register for the Wild Cave Tour experience, please call 559-565-425.

Participants in the Wild Cave Tour will explore remote areas of Crystal Cave not open to the general public. Experienced tour guides will explain the cave formations in detail and also teach correct caving techniques and they will also discuss current cave conservation issues. Over the evening, participants will go into some of the most remote and rarely seen areas of Crystal Cave and at certain times during the tour they will experience total darkness and complete silence only broke by the sound of water dripping through the cave. We would advised participants to wear old clothes and shoes because they will get very dirty exploring the cave, climbing and crawling through extremely tight and narrow passageways. An extra change of clothes to wear after the cave tour is also advisable because nobody wants to ride back to their hotel in dirty, dusty or muddy clothes. Water and a snack for after the cave tour would be a good idea, too.

Travel – Mammoth Cave National Park

Posted on October 17, 2013 by barbara

Our family loves exploring caves and we’ve visited several on our road trips across the United States throughout the years. There is something exciting about being in the dark underground caves. It is interesting to learn about how these caves are formed on the guided tours and there is always something to see inside, such as stalactites, stalagmites and other rock formations or bats, blind fish or sometimes even mummified animals that are found deep within the caves. A few years ago we planned a trip to see Mammoth Caves National Park in central Kentucky which is one of the longest cave systems in the world.

A brief history of Mammoth Cave National Park

Mammoth Cave National Park was established on July 1, 1941 and covers over 52,000 acres and has over 400 miles of surveyed interconnected cave passageways. The area of Mammoth Cave was formed more than several million years ago when water started to work through the limestone deposits by dissolving the rock and creating underground water passageways that connected with the nearby Green River. Over time the water level slowly worked further underground creating narrow horizontal tunnels, vertical shafts and large caverns that were interconnected. Eventually as the water continued to seep into the cave stalactites, stalagmites and gypsum crystal formations began to form.

In regards to the human history of Mammoth Caves, it has been determined that Native Americans had been in this area of Kentucky for over six thousand years. Several pre-Columbian Native American remains have been found within the cave and it has been determined that these burial were intentional. But in 1935, the remains of an adult male were discovered that indicate that the person, who became known as “Lost John”, became trapped when a large boulder shifted and fell on top of him. For a period of time his remains were on display to the public but when this became a sensitive and political issue the remains were buried in an undisclosed location with Mammoth Caves.

Mammoth Cave was discovered by one of the Houchin brothers in 1767 while on a pursuing a bear on a hunting trip he found a large cave opening near the Green River. The ownership of the land changed throughout the following years and during the War of 1912 the English blockage created a shortage of saltpeter which was used for the American military gunpowder. As a result, the saltpeter extracted from the cave became a very profitable business.

After the war the price of saltpeter fell dramatically and the mines were eventually abandoned. The cave became a local tourist attraction and tours were given. A slave tour guide was responsible for making many important cave discoveries and was responsible for making a detailed map and naming several of the cave’s features. When the remains of a Native American mummy were discovered in the cave the cave received international attention.

Eventually private citizens formed the Mammoth Cave Park Association in 1926. Donated funds were used to purchase local farms within the area for extremely low prices and unfortunately during the process thousands of people were displaced and relocated to other areas. Once the required minimum acreage was acquired to meet federal requirements, Mammoth Cave National Park was officially established and dedicated on July 1, 1941.

During the 1940s, the CCC was brought to Mammoth Cave to make improvements to cave passageways and build administration park buildings and additional staff housing. Throughout the 1950s to 1970s, the Mammoth Cave National Park grew significantly in size when the other caves in the area were officially surveyed and confirmed as being definitely connected to Mammoth Cave.

Mammoth Cave National Park visitor information and tips

Mammoth Cave National Park is located in central Kentucky, about 90 miles southwest of Louisville, and is open year-round, but the best time to visit is spring or fall. Summer months can be very hot and crowded.
Tours of Mammoth Caves are very popular and do sell out quickly, especially between April and October. Visitors are advised to make reservations in advance and tickets will be held at “Will Call” and must be picked up at least 30 minutes prior to trip departure. For more information on the tours, please see the Mammoth Cave National Park website at www.npsgov/maca.htm
There are several different tours to choose ranging from easy to very difficult, some last 1½ hours, the 3 hour lantern tour and the wild cave tour which is over 6 hours. The various tours explore different areas of the cave with interesting places such as Mammoth Dome, Bottomless Pit, Fat Man’s Misery, Frozen Niagara, Snowball Room and the Drapery Room.
There is a tour which is specially designed for children 8-12 years old, the Children Trog Tour. Parents accompany their children for the first part of the program and then the children explore the cave with their guide. Please see the Mammoth Cave National Park website for more information and restrictions, www.nps.gov/maca.htm
Visitors should wear comfortable shoes with non-skid soles and bring a jacket; the temperature inside the cave can be cool even during the summer.
SPECIAL TRAVEL NOTICE: Please be aware that a disease called White-Nose Syndrome is a potential threat to the Mammoth Cave bats. The park may restrict what visitors can wear or bring into the cave. Clothing, footwear and other items that have been worn in other caves or mines in specific areas of the country may not be brought into the Mammoth Cave. For more information, please see the Mammoth Cave National Park website at www.nps.gov/maca.htm

Travel – Hearst Castle in San Simeon, CA

Posted on September 25, 2013 by barbara

Hearst Castle was the home of newspaper owner William Randolph Hearst and the magnificent mansion he had built is located on the coast of Central California halfway between Los Angeles and San Francisco. I had the great opportunity to visit Hearst Castle several times over the years. The first time I visited was in the 1960s and as a child I was amazed at the size of the house and I thought it was absolutely fascinating to see the herd of zebras roaming over the mountains that surround the property. (Yes, I said zebras … Hearst had a small zoo on the property!) Later I visited with my son when he was small and again several years later with my husband for a unique evening tour which was a very unusual way to see Hearst Castle at dusk with the sun starting to set over the Pacific Ocean.

Hearst Castle is located near the small town of San Simeon about 43 miles from San Luis Obispo. The estate is known as La Cuesta Encantada (“The Enchanted Hill”) but Hearst usually called it simply “the ranch”. Hearst Castle is both a National and a California Historical Landmark and despite the relatively isolated area, the site attracts about one million visitors each year. Tours are available daily and there are several different ones to choose from including the evening tour mention above, more information about tours can be found at the end of this post.

A Brief History of Hearst Castle

George Hearst originally purchased the 40,000 acres property in 1865. The estate was located along the coast of Central California and had beautiful vistas of the Pacific Ocean as seen from the hills of the Santa Lucia Mountain Range. The property remained largely undeveloped with only a Victorian house built for George, his wife Phoebe and their son, William Randolph Heart. There were also stables and some outbuildings and the younger Hearst loved horseback riding and taking rustic camping trips on the estate. George died in 1891 and Phoebe, died in 1919. Their son, W.R. Hearst inherited the ranch which at that time had grown in size to include 250,000 acres.

As early as 1915, Hearst had contacted an architect named Julia Morgan to discuss plans for a home that he wanted built on the estate. He selected a site that was five miles inland and located on the top of a hill with an elevation of 1,600 feet. Hearst had explained to Morgan that he wanted something permanent built on the site because he loved the location which had spectacular views but was tired of camping in tents. The original plans for a modest and simple home quickly began to grow into a much larger Spanish Revival mansion. By the summer of 1919, Morgan had the site survey completed and had drawn the first plans. Later that year construction began with the three guest cottages known as Casa del Mar, Casa del Monte and Casa del Sol. When those were near completion construction then started on Casa Grande, the main building, which is 60,645 square feet. Construction steadily continued on the estate until 1947 when Hearst stopped living there due to his failing health.

Hearst Castle includes 56 bedrooms, 61 bathrooms, 19 sitting rooms, a movie theater with 127 acres of gardens, indoor and outdoor swimming pools, tennis courts, an airfield for guests to arrive by private planes and at one time the world’s largest private zoo. Morgan was a competent civil engineer and created a gravity-based water system that would transport well water from a location on the property to a reservoir that was built less than a mile from the main building. In addition, a private power plant was built on site to supply the electricity for the estate since at the time Hearst Castle was being built homes powered by electricity was a new technology.

Hearst was an eccentric art and antique buyer and he furnished his home with a collection of items gathered on his many trips to Europe and his warehouses were bursting with inventory. Hearst would buy entire ceilings and facades of old European buildings on these buying trips and Morgan was challenged to fit them into the design of the estate and as a result the architectural style is a variety several different periods and the floor plan can be rather chaotic.

During the time that Hearst owned the property, especially during the 1920s to the 1930s, he entertained lavishly with guest lists including Hollywood actors, directors and prominent political people. Guests would arrive by private planes or on Hearst’s private train that traveled from Los Angeles. Guests were free to use the estates facilities during the day while Hearst worked on his publishing and entertainment businesses, but at night they were expected to dress formally for dinner. Card playing, billards and films shown in the private theater were the main entertainment in the evenings for Hearst’s invited guests.

In 1947, Hearst left his beloved “La Cuesta Encantada” due to failing health and he never returned. He moved to a home in Beverly Hills and died on August 14, 1951 at the age of 88 years old. He was buried in the Hearst family mausoleum at the Cypress Lawn Cemetery in Colma, California. In 1957, the Hearst Corporation donated Hearst Castle to the State of California with the provision that the Hearst family would be allowed to come to the property whenever they wished. They usually stayed at the old Victorian house that was originally built by George Hearst, the house is located on the lower portion of the property and is screened by a grove of eucalyptus trees to offer privacy from the visitors to Hearst Castle.

Information About Visiting Hearst Castle

Since 1958, when Hearst Castle was first opened to the public there have been tours of Casa Grande, the guesthouses, pools and gardens. The new Visitor center is a great place to start a visit to “The Enchanted Hill” and is where visitors can purchase tour tickets. While you are waiting for the tour to start, there is a gift store and also a place to eat. Don’t miss the movie in the Visitor Center Theater that is included with the tour, “Hearst Castle – Building the Dream”, before boarding the bus for the 5-mile ride up the hill to the estate.

TOURS –

Knowledgeable guides take guests on informative tours of William Randolph Hearst private estate. There are several different tours that explore the various rooms of Casa Grande as well as other areas of the estate. The three different tours are described below and also the seasonal evening tour. All the tours visit three of the most photographed areas of the estate, the Gardens with beautiful flowers and lovely statues, the Neptune Pool which is a large outdoor pool with views of the Pacific Ocean in the distance and the Roman Pool which is a lavish indoor pool.

We would highly recommend making advanced reservations since it is a long drive to Hearst Castle and tours do sell out especially during the busy summer months. Visitors can reserve tickets online up to 56 days in advance at the Hearst Castle website, www.hearstcastle.org

The Grand Rooms Tour –

This tour is highly recommended for first-time visitors. The tour length is 45 minutes and takes visitors through Casa Grande, the largest house of the estate, and the rooms included in this tour are the Assembly Room, the Refectory, the Billiard Room, the Theater, Gardens, the Neptune Pool and the Roman Pool. These rooms and areas of the estate were where guests gathered to eat and be entertained.

The Upstairs Suites Tour –

This tour is 45 minutes and takes visitors into the upper floors of Casa Grande to see rooms such as: W.R. Hearst’s private rooms and opulent guest rooms – the Doge’s Suite, the Library, the Gothic Suite as well as the exterior Gardens, Neptune Pool and lastly the Roman Pool. Be sure to look out the windows for amazing views of the beautiful gardens with the coastline and the Pacific Ocean seen in the distance.

Cottages and Kitchen Tour –

This tour is 45 minutes and takes visitors into to two of the three guesthouses on the estate, also visited are the large Kitchen and the Wine Cellar in Casa Grande, the Gardens, the Neptune and the Roman Pool. While construction of the estate was ongoing for several years, Hearst and his family usually stayed in the Casa del Monte and the other cottage on the tour is the Casa del Mar.

The Evening Tour –

This 1 hour and 40 minute tour is available every spring and fall during designated evenings. The Evening Tour allows visitors to see Hearst Castle as the sun is setting over the Pacific Ocean. The stage is set in the 1930s as if visitors are attending on of Hearst’s famous weekend parties for Hollywood and Political guests. Living History Docents dressed in period clothing roam about the estate as visitors tour Casa del Mar and the several rooms of Casa Grande, such as the Assembly Room, the Refectory, the Kitchen, the Library, the Gothic Suite, the Billiard Room, the Theater, the Gardens, the Neptune Pool and the Roman Pool.

For more information about dates and times of the tours and additional details about visiting Hearst Castle, please see their website at www.hearstcastle.org

Interesting information about Hearst Castle

As I mentioned at the beginning of the post, when I first visited Hearst Castle during the 1960s I have a distinct memory of the zebras grazing on the hills surrounding the estate. It seems that Hearst had one of the world’s largest private zoos on the property. Below is information regarding that period of the history of Hearst Castle.

Animal Hill –

William Randolph Hearst owned a private zoo located on the property, this was not uncommon for wealthy men of the time who owned these private zoos with exotic animals to impress and entertain their guests who visited their large mansions in the countryside.

At the estate in San Simeon, Hearst kept some of his wild animals located in cages just north of the main buildings. Here in this area of the estate in cages of various sizes were several different species of animals, such as black bears, grizzly bears, lions, tigers, leopards, jaguars, cougars, chimpanzees, orangutans, monkeys, macaws, swans, storks and an elephant. The animals’ diet and exercise were carefully overseen by a veterinarian and staff.

Hearst also kept a small herd of 300 fallow deer which roamed the surrounding hills of Hearst Castle. Other exotic animals that grazed on the property were the American bison, Rocky Mountain elk, Alaskan big horned sheep, several different types of African and Asian antelope, camels, llamas, kangaroos, ostriches, emus, four giraffes that were kept in a small pen located near the road and of course those famous zebras.

In the late 1930s, as Hearst was experiencing financial difficulty he halted the construction on the estate and in the process of cutting expenses over the next several years he decided to sell or donate many of his exotic animals to public zoos. Two years after Hearst death, most of the animals were gone. By the time that the State received Hearst Castle from the estate, the only animals that remained were elk, goats, sheep, deer and zebra. Today, only a few of those animals survived but a herd of zebra is all that remain.

Travel – Solvang, CA

Posted on September 18, 2013 by barbara

Solvang is located about 50 miles from Santa Barbara, which is about a one hour drive through the beautiful scenery of the golden rolling hills of Central California. Our family has been visiting this delightful Danish town since the 1960s. It is a great day trip and the town is known for their shops, bakeries and restaurants. The architecture of the buildings are a traditional Danish style, be sure to look for stork figurines on the rooftops, and there are several windmills scattered throughout the town. There is even a copy of the famous Little Mermaid statue of Copenhagen and the bust of the famous Danish writer Hans Christian Andersen.

A Brief History of Solvang and the Santa Ynez Valley

The Chumash Indians were the earliest inhabitants of the Santa Ynez Valley. They were excellent fishermen and hunters that lived in harmony with nature in the beautiful surroundings of the Santa Ynez Valley.

Then in the early 19th century the Spanish missionaries were establishing missions along the coast of California. In 1804 the Mission San Ines was created to serve as a midway point from the Santa Barbara Mission and La Purisima Concepcion in Lompoc. The land where they built the mission was originally a 9,000 acre Mexican land grant known as Rancho San Carlos de Jonata. The missionaries converted the Chumash Indians to Christianity and life in the valley centered on the Mission San Ines. Today, the mission still stands near the town of Solvang. (Travel Note: Take the time during a visit to the area for a quick trip to the Mission San Ines to learn about the interesting history of the California Missions)

During a period of time between 1850 and 1930 a large number of Danes left Denmark due to the country’s poor economic conditions. The destination of a majority of the Danes was the United States, they settled mainly in the Midwest in the states of Illinois, Iowa, Nebraska and Minnesota.

By 1906, the Danes that had immigrated to the Midwest were looking to escape the cold winters and the church leaders were exploring the possibility of moving west to create a new Danish colony in California. In 1910, several Lutheran pastors along with other Danish immigrants formed the Danish-American Colony Company and started looking for land along the coast of California. In 1911, they had found and purchased 9,000 acres of the former Rancho San Carlos de Jonata Mexician land grant in the Santa Ynez Valley.

The pastor’s returned to the Midwest to encourage the other Danish immigrants to buy land in the new colony, this proved very successful. One of the first building to be constructed in the new town was a hotel where new arrivals could be housed and it was located not far from the old mission. Later a school was built at the end of 1911 and opened with 21 students. Soon, Solvang had a post office, a bank, several stores and a lumberyard.

Initially, for a number of years church services of the Bethania Evangelical Lutheran Church were held at the school. In 1928, a new church was built based on the rural Danish Gothic-styled churches found in Denmark. The exterior of the building is made of concrete with walls that are a foot thick and the interior features beautiful hand-carved woodwork on the altar, pulpit and altar rails. Originally services were held mainly in Danish, but currently they are held in English with the exception of the Lillejuleaften celebrated on December 23 every Christmas season.

After the church was built, the architecture of the buildings in Solvang began to slowly change to a more traditional Danish style. In the mid 1940s, the first of the town’s four windmills was built and the new buildings were built by a local architect in a new style called Danish Provincial and older buildings were redone to fit the half-timbered and artificial thatched roofs designs.

Visitation to the area increased steadily over the next decades. In 1939, Denmark’s Crown Prince Frederik and his wife Princess Ingrid visited Solvang because there were about 400 Danish people living in the area at the time and this created publicity for the town. Then in 1947, the Saturday Evening Post published a featured article on Solvang and even more tourists came. In 1960, Denmark’s Princess Margrethe visited and then again in 1976 with her husband Prince Henrik after she became Queen of Denmark. Solvang was now becoming a California tourist attraction with over one million visitors per year.

Things to do and places to visit in Solvang

Today, visitors to Solvang love the little “Danish Capital of America”. They enjoy the more than 150 specialty shops, restaurants and bakeries. The weather has mild temperatures year-round and the charming village is located in just a few short blocks so walking around is very easy. There is also a replica of a 19th century Danish horse-drawn streetcar known as the Honen (“the hen”) that take guests on sightseeing tours around downtown Solvang. Bicycling or a motorcycle ride through the beautiful rolling hills of Central California is also a favorite activity for visitors.

Elverhoj Museum of History and Art – This building was once the home of Viggo Brandt-Eichsen and his wife Martha Mott. He was a painter & sculptor and she was also a painter and art teacher. They built the home in 1950 and the style was inspired by Scandinavian architecture with a carved redwood front door, wrought ironwork and hand painted panel. Today the building has become the Elverhoj Museum which opened in 1988 as a museum dedicated to the Danish culture. For more information about the museum, please see their website www.elverhoj.org

Hans Christian Andersen Museum – This very small museum is located in a store called The Book Loft. This independent bookstore opened in 1970 and there is a small display dedicated to Hans Christian Andersen on of Denmark’s most famous writers. For more information about The Book Loft, please see their website www.bookloaftsolvang.com

Mission Santa Ines – Mission was founded on September 17, 1804 and is the nineteenth of the twenty-one Missions of California. The mission was once the center of life in the San Ynez Valley and it is a very interesting part of history in California. For more information, please see their website www.missionsantaines.org

Danish Days – The Danish Days annual event started in 1936 and it is usually held during the third weekend of September. At the event there is Danish music with singers and folk dancers, a Sunday morning breakfast features medisterpolser, a spiced pork sausage. It can be a little crowded during the festivities but it is a great way to experience Solvang! For more information about the event, please see their website www.solvangdanishdays.org

For more information about the town of Solvang, please see their website www.solvangusa.com

Interesting facts about Solvang

The Little Mermaid statue – Located near the center of Solvang, at the northwest corner of Mission Drive (Highway 246) and Alisal Road, is a bronze replica of the famous statue that sits in the Copenhagen, Denmark harbor. The two foot tall statue has stood surrounded by a fountain in Solvang since in 1976 and commemorates one of Hans Christian Andersen’s stories about a mermaid who gave up everything for the love of a prince. The original 50 inch tall bronze statue in Copenhagen was created by Edvard Eriksen in 1913 and was commissioned by Carl Jacobsen whose family founded Carlsberg Brewery.

The Rooftop Storks – When you visit Solvang, look up at the rooftops of the buildings that line the main streets and you will see life-size wooden replicas of the European White Stork. In Denmark it is said that if one of these birds land on your house it is believed to bring good luck and they would protect any home that they nest upon.

The European White Stork is a migratory bird that signals the arrival of summer in Denmark. Sadly, the stork has dwindled in population from 4,000 pairs in 1890 to only 5 pairs of storks in 1995 according to the Danish Ornithologist Society. The decrease in numbers has been linked to the drainage of their native wetlands, the use of pesticides, deaths due to collisions with overhead power lines and illegal hunting. In 2008, the European White Stork was declared extinct in the wild of Denmark.

The Enchanted Manor

a lifestyle blog by Barbara Jones

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