Nit Wits???
Picture Perfect Place to be Married
The Inventors Labratory
In the town of Cambria rest a little house on the hill that goes by the name of Nitt-Witt Ridge. It was created by the town eccentric Art Beale, better know around these parts as Captain Der Tinkerpaw. The Captain was for some time the town*s garbage man as well as the garbage man for Hearst Castle. He had a hard time parting the garbage though, so most of it went to his own land. There he tinkered and toiled. With his idiot stick in hand (a pick) he dug into the side of the hill and began to build himself a house. Not of the regular fashion mind you, but one out of scraps from the garbage he had collected from around town, Hearst Castle, and anything that floated in from the ocean. Tire rims stacked up that had concrete poured over them made the pillars for the house, the stair rails were also the pipes that carried water about the place; abalone shells lined the stairs that gave off a magnificent light when the house was lit up. Toilet seats lined the walls as picture frames for his heroes, and in the restroom there were two toilets so that Captain Tinkerpaw could have someone to talk to if need be.
Mansion on a Hill
Picture Frames
Garden Fountains
I have to admit that I thought the place would be more admirable, more moving. Interesting, but not what I had hoped it would be. On the other hand, Kellee was very intrigued by the place and enjoyed the tour very much.
I found that I was more interested in our tour guide than the house or the history of Captain Tinkerpaw. He looked a little like a squatter himself, though his new truck in the driveway said otherwise. I asked myself though, why would this person who has never met Captain Tinkerpaw be so interested in the man. Our tour guide owned the property and has tried to find out as much as he could about Art Beale. He has spent much of his time restoring the decaying and crumbling hobo pad. Why? I mean while the land might be worth money, it*s a Historical Landmark, so he can*t change anything without a permit, and the tour business cannot be that profitable. So, why would he take so much time and care for something so unprofitable. Why does this young man care so much about the life of a grouchy, feisty, old trash man turned hermit?
I wish I could give an answer; It*s remarkable though. I suppose he just fell in love with the Nitt Witt Ridge and it*s previous owner. I could only hope that I leave behind that kind of impression on people that they for no apparent reason would want to continue my legacy whatever that may be...
Guest Rooms
Night Lights
Rimmed Archways
GRRRR!!!
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3 comments:
I recently saw Huell Howser's PBS review & loved this place! Remarkable what a man could accomplish in his lifetime....he was a fella I wish I could had known! Thank you to the new owners for being so caring of the old fella's dream place & is deserving of the CA historical placard in history.....Clarice Werner, Sacramento, CA
I completely agree with the previous comment. Thank god for the new owner who realizes that even a "squatters" home could be equally as beautiful to some, as the hurst castles are to others. I can't wait to get back up to cambria to see it. I have noticed it on prevous trips but it had been abandoned then.....Renee',
bakersfield, CA
I met Tinkerpaw back when I was in college up in the bay area in 1964. It was on my drives from up north to visit my family in So. Calif. that I discovered Tinkerpaws castle in Cambria which was a regular stop for lunch after coming off the Big Sur part of the drive. He was always welcoming, warm and friendly even though we just barged in on him.
The first thing he always did was offer us some of his "famous" hot chocolate. The pot he heated the milk in looked like it had never been washed. My girlfriend always declined, but I never got sick.
We would always come bearing some gifts of food or imported hot chocolate powder, but if I recall he said he prefered only Hershey's.
He liked to show us pictures of celebrities especially the crew that apparently spent nights (on occasion) at his castle when they discovered his place during the making of the movie Sandpiper with Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton.
He invited me and my girlfriend to sit awhile in his "smoochin parlour" which was an adendom to the main house; just a swing with a bunch junk all around it.
I never thought much of his craftsmanship, but that didn't matter. Remember this was a time when many of my generation were trying to break from our parents conservative ways and here was this man of their generation that was breaking all the rules and getting away with it. His wild imagination was what it was all about. You had to admire that.
I will never forget Tinkerpaw.
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