Jack’s cottage at Beauty Ranch, where he died on the porch. What an Oak!
Happy Birthday to one of my favorite writers, Jack London! Last summer, leaving the Bay Area, heading north across the Golden Gate Bridge on Highway 101, I saw an exit for Napa Valley and took a last second detour. Pulling over to consult my Adventure Atlas, I noticed I was near the Valley of the Moon, home of Jack London’s Beauty Ranch, now open to the public.
Hiking paths at Beauty Ranch, walking in London’s footsteps
When I was young, my friend Jessie’s dad published a biography about Jack London. Somehow, I thought that meant Mr. Claflin knew Jack London, whom I revered from his Alaskan dog stories Call of the Wild and White Fang. I remember being struck when I learned that Jack was dead, and had been dead for some time.
Jack London was only 40 when he went to sleep on the oak-shaded porch at his cottage and never awoke, a victim of kidney failure due to alcoholism. His was a short life but a life lived well. London’s travels to Alaska and to Hawaii and Australia at the helm of his yacht the Snark fueled no less than 23 novels, 5 collections of essays and dozens of short stories.
Jack London wrote 1,000 words a day, six days a week, longhand. His wife Charmain then typed up the stories.
In 1905, London purchased 1,000 acres of land in the Valley of the Moon, one valley over from Napa Valley, and named it Beauty Ranch. Jack threw all his efforts into running his ranch and building himself and his wife Charmain a palace. Nicknamed “the Wolf House” the volcanic rock and redwood log 15,000 square foot mansion would have 26 rooms and 9 fireplaces. “I am building my dream home on my dream ranch,” London wrote. “My house will be standing, act of God permitting, for a thousand years.”
Wolf House Ruins, still standing
Two weeks before moving day, God struck and the just-finished house burned to the ground. After watching his dream go up in flames, London was never the same and though he vowed to rebuild, his alcoholism overtook him and he died less than 3 years later, still convinced it was arson. Forensic investigations in recent years pinpointed a less sinister culprit: spontaneous combustion started in a pile of oily rags.
Wolf House Ruins
I first heard of Beauty Ranch – now preserved as Jack London State Historic Park – last year, when California announced it would close 70 of its 276 state parks due to budget cuts. Not just closed as in unmanned or unkempt, but closed as in if you go there you’re trespassing. I was outraged. State Parks are public land, meaning those places belong to the public, to you and me. How dare they shut us out.
London’s Gravesite at Beauty Ranch. His grave is marked by a chunk of native volcanic rock rolled up from the ruins of the nearby Wolf House.
Jack London’s ranch was on that list. In the year since, it has been rescued by a nonprofit group called the Jack London Park Partners, a project of the Valley of the Moon Natural History Association. Theirs is the first nonprofit to take over one of the doomed parks and hopefully it will become a model for others on the list. I happily paid $10 to enter the park and bought a $7 triplex edition of White Fang, the Call of the Wild and To Build A Fire in the gift shop. A small price to pay tribute to one of my favorite writers.
RIP Jack
When I called home the next day to wish my dad Happy Father’s Day, I told him I had been to Jack London’s place and it turned out, I had been walking in my own father’s footsteps. My dad visited Beauty Ranch on a whim back in the 1970’s! The Wolf House may not be standing in the manner that Jack envisioned, but more than 40 years apart, my dad and I both stood before those magnificent ruins. Long live Beauty Ranch!
Wolf House, shaded by immortal Redwoods
Travels with the Blonde Coyote 
I am a big admirer of Jack London’s books, all of them. Thank you very much for your beautiful story.
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I found you blog through Mrs Carmichael, who posted to my blog. Fascinating story telling and love your photos as well.
I know where it is but never have been there. Your post was just the nudge I needed to get this summer. Thanks for sharing. -Max-
what a beautiful tribute …
thank you
I grew up with Jack London, I loved his work.
It is a shame that parks created with public funds are routinely being closed under the guise of budget cuts. You never hear of them laying off someone such as a politician, it is a downright shame.
Nice post, I enjoyed it throughly.
Thanks,
LDS
I realize these are public properties, but without attendants and/or rangers, they would be ruined if left unattended and the public was allowed to run wild. I am sure you have seen as I have the irresponsible actions of an unsupervised public. One example is Petrified Forest in AZ, before it came under stewardship, millions of pieces of petrified wood were taken as trophies, if this was allowed to contimue unabated, the property would be stripped and you and I would not be able to enjoy this property. Same with Carsbad, visitors were allowed to snap off stalactites as a souvenir, what would it look like now if this were allowed to continue. I could go on and on, but I think I have made my point.
I wasn’t suggesting a free-for-all, though plenty of incredible places in this country survive without constant surveillance. BLM lands and National Forests and Monuments are often unmanned. My intention was to highlight alternatives to sealing state parks: non-profit organizations (like the one that took over Beauty Ranch), volunteers, artist residency programs, grounds keepers, caretakers. I’m saying California should think outside the box before they start padlocking gates.
True, but a private organization will not be motivated to take over (a “wait and see” attitude) until it is 100% sure that the facility will be padlocked, and legally they probably can’t until something like this happens. It takes a ton of money to manage any facility, even with a large volunteer group helping out and even being non-profit.
And as far as the unattended areas that you mentioned, we both know that many areas are not huge attractions and the number of visitors is small and hopefully nature wise and conscious of what “carry in carry out” is all about, although I still find enough trash left behind by insensitive slobs.
Jack London’s books have accompanied me my whole life. Thanks for the beautiful story and the photos!
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