Did you know we almost had our very own Hearst Castle in Sausalito?

In April of 1890, a young William Randolph Hearst began constructing a castle on a Sausalito hillside overlooking the southern end of Bridgeway (called Water Street back then). Hearst dreamed of building a grand home, filled with art like the palaces he saw in Europe with his mother as a child.

Despite his wealth and status, the residents of Sausalito gave him a cold shoulder and did not invite him to be a member of the local yacht club. This snub might have stemmed from the fact that Hearst lived openly with his mistress.

No worries. He stopped work on the would-be castle and decided to build on a lovely hilltop above San Simeon. The rest is history, as they say.

And, yes! The remarkable Julia Morgan was the architect for the proposed palace in Sausalito.

You can see her elevation drawing of this project. For additional information, visit the Marin Historical Archive.

Julia Morgan with William Randolph Hearst, making a dream come true.