Broughton Quarterly - Summer 2008 - (Page 23) abode is made completely of driftwood, abalone shells, electrical ffff white-bearded founder—discovered in his garbage heap or on the beach. to O’Malley, many visitors chuckle at the sight of the toilet seat frame hung on the entrance wall. Beal loved old movie stars, so he would put their photos right in the center of the seat. When he was finally done putting together his dream house, Beal had single-handedly completed a kitchen, dining room, an outdoor bathroom with two toilets facing each other (for conversation), a bedroom, and another smaller house in the back with a bedroom, bathroom, and small kitchenette. Beal is said to have liked animals more than people, and statuaries of small rodents and fossils are strewn about the property, stuck haphazardly or purposely onto arches and steps with cement or baking soda and flour. Unlike Hearst Castle, where visitors are not allowed to use flash from their cameras either inside or out, at Nitt Witt one can use flash photography anywhere. And on the Hearst tour, visitors are warned not to step on the expensive carpets but to stay on the runners. At Nitt Witt, O’Malley isn’t fussy about tourists tromping on the splintered wood and cement flooring. He does tell them to be careful not to slip over any of the rocks or loose beer cans or chipped ceramic figures. While Nitt Witt is registered as a California historical landmark, it receives no funding from the state. In fact, O’Malley admits that the venture hasn’t yielded a profit yet, and says he is continuing his plumbing work because he and his wife and family “barely get by.” Yet he is still passionately committed to keeping Beal’s legacy alive. “I never met him, but I feel connected to him somehow. I wouldn’t do this if I didn’t believe in him and what he stood for. To me he feels like a universal grandfather, and when he was alive no one was fighting for him. He represented the people of the Depression, people who had to do with what little they had.” At the end of the Nitt Witt tour, visitors will either leave shaking their heads or wanting more info. Says a teenage boy who completed the tour, “I liked it more than Hearst Castle. It wasn’t commercial. It Q was cool.” ViSiT Nitt Witt Ridge $10 per adult, $5 for children 881 hillcrest drive, Cambria Call 805.927.2690 for reservations STAy Orchid inn at San Simeon offers ocean views and proximity to the Central Coast’s finest attractions. the breathtaking coast here is ideal for sunsets and mellow strolls. Nitt Witt Ridge is an easy 15-minute drive away, and hearst Castle is even closer. From $179, 800.451.9900, OrchidInnAtSanSimeon.com. www.BroughtonQuarterly.com 23 http://OrchidInnAtSanSimeon.com http://www.BroughtonQuarterly.com
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