The Adventure Continues… Nitt Witt Ridge

Arthur Harold Beal was a true California character, the creator of a one-of-a-kind house that in 1986 was designated California Historical Monument #939. Huell’s visit to the site originally aired on September 25, 2002. Unfortunately, the house was sold in 2022 and is currently listed as permanently closed. But because it was such a popular and quirky attraction, searching online will bring you to many photos and videos of the house during the time period when Huell explored the house, such as the great blog post from California Through My Lens. It’s also mentioned in my book of California Historical Monuments, which records the house as a Twentieth Century Folk Art Environment (Thematic) and continues that its builder “sculpted the land using hand tools and indigenous materials, remarkable inventiveness, and self-taught skills. A blend of native materials and contemporary elements, impressive in its sheer mass and meticulous placement, it is a revealing memorial to Art’s unique cosmic humor and zest for life.”

Huell Howser travels to the Central Coast in search of Nitt Witt Ridge, an unusual state historical landmark in Cambria Pines. Built from cement and found objects like bottle caps, toilet seats and abalone shells, this folk art home was lovingly built by self-taught artist Art Beal over a period of fifty years.

(Click on the linked image below to see the video.)