Few figures of the American Gilded Age left a mark as indelible—or as literal—as William Randolph Hearst. He possessed a rare gift for transformation: A single newspaper became a media empire; a remote and windswept stretch of California coastline became one of the most storied estates in the country.
Born in 1863 to George and Phoebe Hearst, he grew up as the only child of a successful prospector and businessman and a well-educated former schoolteacher. His privileged upbringing included private schooling and extensive travel. At age 10, he embarked on a year-long European tour with his mother, visiting castles and museums that would later shape his vision for Hearst Castle. After briefly studying at Harvard University, Hearst took control of the San Francisco Examiner at just 23 years old, using his family’s vast resources to launch a powerful media empire that would reshape American journalism. He remained deeply drawn to the arts throughout his life and spent much of his time in galleries. He once wrote to his mother that he had “the art fever terribly,” wandering among the works and wishing they were his own.
