History of Nitt Witt Ridge
Nitt Witt Ridge stands on a 2 1/2-acre hillside parcel near Cambria’s West Village, backed by a pine forest. When Art Beal acquired the house in 1928, it was a shack with only one room. But as he added on to it both vertically and horizontally, Art grew the house to comprise nine levels. Amazingly, he did so with found objects and what most people would consider trash. Favorite materials included rocks, abalone shells, tires, other car parts, electronics, beer cans he had emptied, and toilet seats, all held together with concrete. He even had a toilet installed on the roof, where, according to myth, he regularly sat and talked with passersby, sometimes completely nude.
Art was incredibly resourceful, spending next to nothing on the construction of his home (other than the cost of that beer, of course). Understandably, visitors often compare Nitt Witt Ridge to nearby Hearst Castle, where William Randolph Hearst also built a rambling, unorthodox home. That’s where the comparison ends, though. Interestingly, Art Beal once worked in construction at Hearst Castle, and, unsurprisingly, pilfered cast-off materials from the job site for his own ‘enchanted hill.”
For its peculiarity, Nitt Witt Ridge includes many practical and artistic choices. For instance, though he never married, Art built a “woman’s room,” finished with lace and a floral rug. He also used toilet seats as picture frames on the wall. And, because his kitchen lacked a refrigerator, he placed perishable foods in the stairwell of the house because he claimed it never passed 55 degrees.
Though Art Beal lived to see 96 years, the decline of his health late in life reflected the decline of Nitt Witt Ridge. At one point, a pine tree fell into the kitchen and living room, never to be repaired. The floorboards started to decompose and wallpaper started to peel. Late in his life, Art said that vandals also hurt the property, stealing bits and pieces of the home.
After Art’s death, Nitt-Witt Ridge sold to the O’Malley family in 1999. Michael O’Malley repaired some of the house for safety purposes, but left nearly everything else intact. He offers tours by appointment, and Art’s clothing, boots, photos, decor – even his canned vegetables – remain in place for the public to see.
Nitt Witt Ridge, a California Registered Historical Landmark #939