By Khalida Sarwari
Hearst Castle historian Victoria Kastner will discuss her second book on the Hearst family and the famous ranch at San Simeon at the Saratoga Foothill Club on Nov. 12.
Kastner, who had access to an archive of private family records as well as personal correspondence, will speak about her latest book regarding the extensive Hearst Ranch that surrounds the legendary castle. The 82,000 acres are still privately owned, and never-seen photographs reveal Julia Morgan-designed bunkhouses, residences and buildings still in use today. The images come with newly uncovered stories of the Hearst family, their cowboys and the various celebrities who enjoyed a rustic lifestyle on the ranch.
Kastner has a master’s degree in architectural history and cultural resource management from UC-Santa Barbara and another master’s in museum management from George Washington University.
The lecture, titled “Hearst Ranch: Family Land and Legacy” after Kastner’s book, will be presented as part of the Saratoga Foothill Club’s public lecture series. The organization wanted to highlight the book because of the Julia Morgan connection to the clubhouse, which recently celebrated its 100-year anniversary.
The lecture is at 7:30 p.m. at the Saratoga Foothill Club, 20399 Park Place, Saratoga.
The next lecture in the series is at 7:30 p.m. on Jan. 29, when Linda Lexotte is scheduled to give a presentation titled, “Valley Water Supply–The Best Deal in Town.” On March 26 at 7:30 p.m., the Saint Michael Trio will present “Music: Classic to Contemporary,” and on April 28 at 7:30 p.m., George Matsumoto will talk about “Open Oceans and Deep Sea Communities.”
The fee for each lecture is $10. For more information, call 408.867.1835.
