Hearst Castle in central California was the residence of newspaper magnate William Randolph Hearst, where he lived from 1919 to 1947.
Hearst had his hands in dozens of business ventures – from starting the nation’s largest newspaper, to communications and production companies – which gave him plenty of spending money for his flamboyant and extravagant tastes.
He was particularly fond of the Hollywood elites of the Golden Age, and the door was always open for their visits.
From parties to formal balls and dinners, the likes of Cary Grant, Bob Hope, Greta Garbo, and Jimmy Stewart passed through these hallways.
Hearst also hosted political figures of the day like Franklin Roosevelt, Calvin Coolidge, and other U.S. Presidents, even foreign dignitaries like Winston Churchill.
Not only could they fly into the estate’s private airfield away from the spying paparazzi, but they could also be fetched from Los Angeles on Hearst’s very own train car.
The estate boasted numerous facilities that provided plenty of opportunity to lounge in the sun, ride horses, explore the gardens or pool, view a private screening in the mansion’s movie theater, or simply take in the huge collection of antiques collected by the family over the years.
When Hearst died in 1951, the house and grounds became part of the state park system and was opened to visitors in 1958. It is a National Historic Landmark and entertains millions of visitors from all over the world annually.