Happy Earth Day! This is one of the most intriguing cases of DIY that has ever crossed my path. I hope you check it out some day.
I wrote earlier about how I preferred staying in Cambria over staying in San Simeon, and a large part of the reasoning was that Cambria wasn’t as saturated with Hearst Castle merch as San Simeon – at least across from the Castle – is. Cambria’s pace is a much sleepier town. I think it’s safe to say it’s somewhat desperate for tourism and commerce. A sign for the local theater read “It’s not funny!” and then described how they’re going to close unless they can scrape up $2,000. Its shops are filled with the type of stuff you’d find at any oceanside town, metal art in the shape of marble-eyed birds, carved wooden puzzle jewelry boxes, and kitschy books aligning illustrated women with cats and chocolate. At least when it comes to Billiam‘s and my interests, the walks and hiking were more interesting. (Did I mention we saw a skunk?)
This isn’t to say Cambria is without its must-see sites, though. After a super hearty brunch, very much on a whim because it just so happened to be fifteen minutes away from Michael O’Malley’s next scheduled tour, we headed over to Nit Wit Ridge. It was the best spur-of-the-moment decision of the weekend. You really have to see the place and read its lore to appreciate it, but in so many words:
Nit Wit Ridge (with various spellings) is a pretty remarkable house built out of refuse by Cambria’s old trash collector. It is now a landmark heralded for its folk art and industrious creativity. Arthur Harold Beal, the solo builder, owner, and eccentric, was also known as Captain Nit Wit or Tinkerpaw – “Cause I tinker with my paws!” He started the work in 1928. Fifty-one years later, it became his unfinished project as the state of California moved him into a nursing home. He passed in 1996.
The guy was obviously skilled and had an interesting affinity for…toilets. But again, this poor man’s castle truly needs to be No. 2 on your list of Things to Do in the Central Coast, right after Hearst Castle. And I really mean it. Both buildings had an equal effect on me and couldn’t have been constructed through more opposite means. I ended up taking more pictures at Nit Wit than I did at Hearst. I only list Hearst above Nit Wit because that’s what the masses tend to appreciate more, but even so, Nit Wit actually includes a bit of Hearst’s runoffs in it as well.
And now, Nit Wit pics:
This is just the beginning.
House of refuse.
What'd I say? Handmade abalone staircase.
Every bit of this place was salvaged from the junk yard.
The beautiful arches of Nit Wit Ridge!
OG foodstuffs, foreal.
The Great Wall of Busch.
One of Tinkerpaw's work spaces.
Absolutely experience Nit Wit Ridge. It’s just so creative and abundant with interestingness:
881 Hillcrest Dr.
Cambria, CA
805 927-2690
This is crazy; I definitely need to visit one day. Wonder how this place would hold up in an earthquake.
It’s fascinating! I should have asked about its earthquake durability. At least it’s withheld decades of looters so far…
We visited today, and the guide said it had actually survived an earthquake a few years back. Apparently the structure is quite sound because it’s built right into the hillside. Very impressive, and absolutely bizarre in person — definitely worth a visit.
It’s such a funky place – I was just in Italy a few weeks ago, and one of my reactions to the Vatican/all the old structures was, “I wish someone made a Nitt Witt Ridge out of the marble that didn’t make it into these buildings.”
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It was May of 1977. I was 18 years old and hitchhiking around the country. Stopped in S.F. for about 3 months and head south toward San Diego, nothing but a green suitcase in my hand. Pitch black along coastal highway when she pulls her woodsided stationwagon over and asked where I’ headed. I said San Diego, she say cool het it. Her name was Michaela and she said if i have gas money she,ll go to San Diego. Eventually we got tired from the Gallon of Gallo she had and the hash I had and it was time to stop for the night. I was ready to split the cost of a room but she said she knew where we could crash. A guy she knew by the name of Capt. nit Wit. She told me a few things about him and It sounded cool. Besides, Michaela and I were not at any intimate stage yet. We pulled up to this strange looking house and Michaela walked up steps and knocked, no answer so Michaela yells, “Captain Nit Wit, Captain Nit Wit. The door opens and Michaela is greeted with a hug and inveted in. I need a book to describe the next 48 hours but let me assure you that the plot would include: the cleanest acid on the face of the earth (remember it was 1977), Jefferson Starship, and wisdom bestowed upon me by one of the wisest men I ever knew. It was an incredible experience. And it all happened in THIS house with Michaela, Captain Nit Wit and Me!
That is fascinating, Timothy! Write that book, because I want to read it!