Hearst Ranch: Family, Land, and Legacy

Hearst Ranch offers readers an exclusive behind-the-scenes tour of the stunningly beautiful 82,000-acre cattle ranch surrounding William Randolph Hearst’s legendary Hearst Castle. Much of this spectacular landscape is still privately owned and has never been seen—but this book changes that. Through historical images from the vast Hearst archive and full-color photography commissioned for this volume, the Hearst Ranch and its many century-old ranch buildings and residences designed by Julia Morgan are revealed for the first time. Kastner’s engaging and insightful text shares new tales of the Hearst family, of the talented Morgan and her staff, of the many colorful ranch employees, and of the countless Hollywood movie stars who joined Hearst and Marion Davies as they went roughing it out on the ranch. Featuring stunning vistas of the California coastline and dramatic scenes of the Hearst cowboys in action, this book tells an unforgettable story and provides an in-depth look at a remarkable family and their love for one of the most beautiful places on Earth. Praise for Hearst Ranch: “This handsome and lavishly illustrated book gives readers a behind-the-scenes look at the famous estate.” —Chicago Tribune

Victoria Kastner is Hearst Castle’s historian and has written and lectured about San Simeon’s land and buildings for nearly thirty years. She is the author of Abrams’ Hearst Castle: The Biography of a Country House (2000) and Hearst’s San Simeon: The Gardens and the Land (2009). She lives in Los Osos, California. Stephen Hearst, the great grandson of William Randolph Hearst, is vice president and general manager of Western Properties in the Hearst Corporation.