Jack London State Historic Park
Encyclopedia
Jack London State Historic Park, also known as Jack London Home and Ranch, is a California State Historic Park
near Glen Ellen
, California
, United States
, situated on the eastern slope of Sonoma Mountain
. It includes the ruins of a house burned a few months before Jack London
and family were to move in, a cottage in which they had lived, another house built later, and the graves of Jack London and his wife. The property is a National Historic Landmark
.
The Jack London home, called the Wolf House, is a sizable stone structure, which was destroyed by fire and whose ruins are visible within the state park property. The sloping terrain of the park has a considerable occurrence of Goulding clay
loam
soil
s, particularly in the lower reaches.
purchased the property when it was abandoned in 1905 with hopes of becoming a rancher. While London was there, he expanded the small cottage to 3,000 square feet (279 square meters) and converted the stone house next to it into a study where London would write his works. Between 1909 and 1911, Jack London bought more land to expand his ranch. In 1910, he began work on his mansion on his ranch called the Wolf House. Jack and Charmian London
spent more than $80,000 in pre-World War I
money on the house. It was to be 15,000 square feet (1,393 square meters), have custom made furniture and decorations and was to have a reflection pool stocked with Mountain Bass
. On August 22, 1913, while the Londons were away from their ranch, they got word that their new mansion was on fire. By the time they got there, the house was completely overtaken by the fire and was too late to save the house. Jack London was devastated after the fire burnt down the house that he never got to live in. This put London in debt and forced him to literally work to death. He tried to earn enough money to run his ranch and have a good lifestyle. On November 22, 1916, Jack London
died of a cause that is still disputed today. He wished that he would be cremated and he ashes interred on the property. He also stated that he wanted to be buried near the pioneer children on a hill underneath a rock from the Wolf House, which was just down the road. After London died, his wife Charmian inherited the property. During that time she built a house on the property called the House of Happy Walls, which in a way is a smaller version of the Wolf House. Charmian lived there until her death in 1955. In her will, she wanted the house she built become a museum
in honor of her husband. This was eventually the start of the Jack London State Historic Park, which opened four years later to the public in 1959. Today it's an attraction to many Jack London fans and people who enjoy the nature of the property.
On May 13, 2011, California State Parks officials announced plans to close the Jack London State Historic Park to the public due to the state's fiscal crisis.
The Winery Cottage is where many of Jack London's guests stayed with him. It was the main living quarters throughout his time on the ranch. It was bought by London in 1911 and expanded later that year. London then expanded by adding a west wing to the cottage, which served as a study where Jack London wrote many of his stories. Jack London died in this cottage on his sunporch on November 22, 1916.
Jack and Charmian London are both buried on the property not far from the Wolf House. They were both cremated and buried under a rock that belonged to the Wolf House next to some pioneer children. These were the wishes of Jack London and his funeral took place on November 26, 1916 with only close friends, relatives and workers of the property. Charmian London was then buried with her husband in 1955 in the same simple spot that her husband chose.
in 1962.
It was featured in the 2010 novel The Lost Hero
by Rick Riordan
. According to the novel, the Wolf House is where the Roman demigods are claimed by Lupa
.
California State Historic Park
The State of California operates and maintains about fifty California State Historic Parks, ranging from Shasta State Historic Park, a California Gold Rush-era ghost town in the northern part of the state, to Old Town San Diego State Historic Park in downtown San Diego in the southern part of the...
near Glen Ellen
Glen Ellen, California
Glen Ellen is a census-designated place in Sonoma Valley, Sonoma County, California, USA. The population was 784 at the 2010 census, down from 992 at the 2000 census. Glen Ellen is the location of Jack London State Historic Park , Sonoma Valley Regional Park, and a former home of Hunter S....
, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, situated on the eastern slope of Sonoma Mountain
Sonoma Mountain
Sonoma Mountain is a prominent landform within the Sonoma Mountains of southern Sonoma County, California. At elevation of , Sonoma Mountain offers expansive views of the Pacific Ocean to the west and the Sonoma Valley to the east...
. It includes the ruins of a house burned a few months before Jack London
Jack London
John Griffith "Jack" London was an American author, journalist, and social activist. He was a pioneer in the then-burgeoning world of commercial magazine fiction and was one of the first fiction writers to obtain worldwide celebrity and a large fortune from his fiction alone...
and family were to move in, a cottage in which they had lived, another house built later, and the graves of Jack London and his wife. The property is a National Historic Landmark
National Historic Landmark
A National Historic Landmark is a building, site, structure, object, or district, that is officially recognized by the United States government for its historical significance...
.
The Jack London home, called the Wolf House, is a sizable stone structure, which was destroyed by fire and whose ruins are visible within the state park property. The sloping terrain of the park has a considerable occurrence of Goulding clay
Clay
Clay is a general term including many combinations of one or more clay minerals with traces of metal oxides and organic matter. Geologic clay deposits are mostly composed of phyllosilicate minerals containing variable amounts of water trapped in the mineral structure.- Formation :Clay minerals...
loam
Loam
Loam is soil composed of sand, silt, and clay in relatively even concentration . Loam soils generally contain more nutrients and humus than sandy soils, have better infiltration and drainage than silty soils, and are easier to till than clay soils...
soil
Soil
Soil is a natural body consisting of layers of mineral constituents of variable thicknesses, which differ from the parent materials in their morphological, physical, chemical, and mineralogical characteristics...
s, particularly in the lower reaches.
History
Jack London State Historic Park was occupied by a winery called Kohler & Frohling. Jack LondonJack London
John Griffith "Jack" London was an American author, journalist, and social activist. He was a pioneer in the then-burgeoning world of commercial magazine fiction and was one of the first fiction writers to obtain worldwide celebrity and a large fortune from his fiction alone...
purchased the property when it was abandoned in 1905 with hopes of becoming a rancher. While London was there, he expanded the small cottage to 3,000 square feet (279 square meters) and converted the stone house next to it into a study where London would write his works. Between 1909 and 1911, Jack London bought more land to expand his ranch. In 1910, he began work on his mansion on his ranch called the Wolf House. Jack and Charmian London
Charmian London
Charmian Kittredge London was an American writer and second wife of Jack London.-Biography:...
spent more than $80,000 in pre-World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
money on the house. It was to be 15,000 square feet (1,393 square meters), have custom made furniture and decorations and was to have a reflection pool stocked with Mountain Bass
Bass (fish)
Bass is a name shared by many different species of popular gamefish. The term encompasses both freshwater and marine species. All belong to the large order Perciformes, or perch-like fishes, and in fact the word bass comes from Middle English bars, meaning "perch."-Types of basses:*The temperate...
. On August 22, 1913, while the Londons were away from their ranch, they got word that their new mansion was on fire. By the time they got there, the house was completely overtaken by the fire and was too late to save the house. Jack London was devastated after the fire burnt down the house that he never got to live in. This put London in debt and forced him to literally work to death. He tried to earn enough money to run his ranch and have a good lifestyle. On November 22, 1916, Jack London
Jack London
John Griffith "Jack" London was an American author, journalist, and social activist. He was a pioneer in the then-burgeoning world of commercial magazine fiction and was one of the first fiction writers to obtain worldwide celebrity and a large fortune from his fiction alone...
died of a cause that is still disputed today. He wished that he would be cremated and he ashes interred on the property. He also stated that he wanted to be buried near the pioneer children on a hill underneath a rock from the Wolf House, which was just down the road. After London died, his wife Charmian inherited the property. During that time she built a house on the property called the House of Happy Walls, which in a way is a smaller version of the Wolf House. Charmian lived there until her death in 1955. In her will, she wanted the house she built become a museum
Museum
A museum is an institution that cares for a collection of artifacts and other objects of scientific, artistic, cultural, or historical importance and makes them available for public viewing through exhibits that may be permanent or temporary. Most large museums are located in major cities...
in honor of her husband. This was eventually the start of the Jack London State Historic Park, which opened four years later to the public in 1959. Today it's an attraction to many Jack London fans and people who enjoy the nature of the property.
On May 13, 2011, California State Parks officials announced plans to close the Jack London State Historic Park to the public due to the state's fiscal crisis.
Winery Cottage
House of Happy Walls
The House of Happy Walls was constructed after Jack London's death by Charmian London in memory of him in 1919. It's a smaller and a more formal version of the Wolf House in a way. Much of the furniture in the house was to be used for the Wolf House. Charmian lived in this house until her death in 1955, which she instructed that the house be used as a museum for Jack London. Today it serves as the visitor center and a museum for Jack London State Park.Wolf House
The Wolf House began construction in 1910 and was to be 15,000 square feet (1,393 square meters) and to include only native materials of the area, a reflection pool and custom made furniture. The house was completed in 1913, but before the Londons got to move in, the house burnt down. The ruins still stand today.Jack and Charmian London's grave
Other
It was declared a National Historic LandmarkNational Historic Landmark
A National Historic Landmark is a building, site, structure, object, or district, that is officially recognized by the United States government for its historical significance...
in 1962.
It was featured in the 2010 novel The Lost Hero
The Lost Hero
The Lost Hero is a 2010 fantasy-adventure novel written by Rick Riordan and is based on Greek and Roman mythology. It is the first book in the series The Heroes of Olympus, the next series about Camp Half-Blood. It was preceded by the Percy Jackson & the Olympians series, which focused solely on...
by Rick Riordan
Rick Riordan
Richard Russell "Rick" Riordan, Jr. is an American author best known for writing the Percy Jackson & the Olympians series. He also wrote the Tres Navarre mystery series for adults and helped to edit Demigods and Monsters, a collection of essays on the topic of his Percy Jackson series...
. According to the novel, the Wolf House is where the Roman demigods are claimed by Lupa
Lupa
Lupa can refer to:* a female wolf * the wolf in the story of Romulus and Remus, or the Lupa Capitolina , a bronze statue representing the wolf...
.