"I ride over my beautiful ranch. Between my legs is a beautiful horse. The air is wine. The grapes on a score of rolling hills are red with autumn flame. Across Sonoma Mountain, wisps of sea fog are stealing. The afternoon sun smolders in the drowsy sky. I have everything to make me glad I am alive."
Jack London
The docent-led hike to the Beauty Ranch includes a visit to the museum, the various barns on the ranch, Jack London's cottage, the "Pig Palace" and the silos. The hike is approximately 2 hours in duration. The trail is mostly dirt, uneven in places, and includes some uphill portions. Almost all of the trail is in the open, exposing the hikers to the sun. During the hot summer months, an early start by 10 a.m. is recommended.
The docents will talk about the life and work of Jack London - the writer, the socialist, the farmer - and his innovative approaches to ranching and farming. We will also talk about the natural environment of the park - the trees, flowers and animals.
The Museum was built by Charmian London in 1919 after Jack London's death in 1916. Charmian called it "The House with Happy Walls" and it was designed to be a museum as well as a home for Charmian. She lived in the house from 1934 until 1945. Today, it serves as a museum and a small gift shop.
The museum is a two-story building. Item on display include a scale model of the Snark, a complete set of first-edition books by Jack London, Charmian's Steinway piano, many of the items Jack and Charmian brought back from their travels around the world and several displays depicting the life and adventures of Jack London.
The Barns of the Beauty Ranch
Several stone barns remain on the Beauty Ranch. The barn on the left was part of the Kohler-Frohling winery, built by Chinese laborers in 1884. The small building in the center was built by Jack London's Italian stone masons to serve as a manure barn, where animal waste was stored for later use as fertilizer on the fields of the ranch. The barn on the right was built by Jack London's Italian stone masons to serve as a barn for his horses.
Jack London's Cottage
Jack London and his wife Charmian lived in the cottage from approximately 1911 until his death in 1916. The cottage and its adjacent stone kitchen building were originally built by the Kohler and Frohling winery company about 1862 and used as winery office and headquarters. The cottage has been restored and furnished with artifacts and furniture to make it appear as it might have appeared when the Londons lived there. The cottage is open to the public only on week-ends from noon to 4 p.m..
Guided Beauty Ranch tours may include the cottage if docents can be arranged in advance. Due to limited space, groups of more than 40 can not be accommodated.
The Pig Palace
When Jack London built an efficient facility in 1915 to house and feed his prized pigs, neighbors derisively called it the "Pig Palace" and the name stuck.
The round structure in the center was the feed storage tower. Each sow and her brood enjoyed their own "apartment" with a sun porch in front, which served as their dining room, and an outside run in back. One man could easily care for over two hundred Jersey Duroc hogs. The opening of one valve filled all the water troughs in each suite.
The Silos
Jack London's workers built the first concrete silo in California in 1914 and filled it with silage grown on his and neighboring ranches. He had plans for several silos but built only two.
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The hike to the Grave Site and Wolf House
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Thank you for visiting Jack London State Historic Park