Today’s episode of California’s Golden Parks is one I very nearly overlooked, and although it seems to be a bit of an undertaking to visit the Eugene O’Neill State Historic Site, Huell has me convinced that it’s worth the effort. I wasn’t even really sure where Danville was located, and learning it’s in Contra Costa County was a surprise to me. In addition, I have to admit that while I’ve heard of Eugene O’Neill and I’m familiar with the titles of his most famous works, that’s as far as my knowledge goes. This beautiful and secluded house was built in 1936-37, and O’Neill referred to it as his “final home and harbor.” This episode originally aired in February 2009.

America’s only Nobel Prize winning playwright, Eugene O’Neill, chose to live in the hills above Danville, California at the height of his writing career. Isolated from the world and within the walls of his home called Tao (dow) House, O’Neill wrote his final and most memorable plays; The Iceman Cometh, A Moon for the Misbegotten and Long Day’s Journey Into Night. Today the home and grounds are a National Park and Huell gets the tour of this lovely and isolated park.

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