Expert: Steve Summers - 5/16/2005

Question
As a writer, I've drawn a lot of fictional locations from a variety of sources, so you can imagine how surprised I was to learn that there really was a location called Mount Madonna in California. Unfortunately, I can't find any history on the location beyond a description of the area. What can you tell me on the history of the area on how it got its name and when it was discovered?

Answer
Hi Will,

This was an interesting search. I am very familiar with the area, and presumed that the mountain was named for Alex Madonna, the local San Luis Obispo tycoon who controlled a few million acres in the area and built the highway from Buellton to Salinas. I was wrong. I found the answer at http://www.mnn.net/madonna1.htm:

Surrounding the 1897-foot southernmost high point of the Santa Cruz Mountains, Mount Madonna Park's 3,219 acres offer a pleasant compromise between civilization (paved roads and well developed facilities) and rustic simplicity (quiet leaf-covered trails and subtle signage). Facilities include an amphitheater, large pavilion, three horse trailer staging areas, restrooms and showers, public telephone, an archery range, a small interpretive center, deer pens (complete with fifty or so deer), 117 camping sites (with 29 RV partial hook-ups) and many picnicking areas. (In fact, I've never seen another park in our area with so many picnic tables. Perhaps this is where they go to mate.)

Speaking of mating, the deer are the descendants of a pair of white fallow deer, Dama dama, donated by William Randolph Hearst in the thirties. Since they are non-natives, they are kept in large pens, so that they don't compete with local black tailed deer. When I visited the park, the deer were kept in three pens—one for males (stags), one for females (does) and one for others (?). Perhaps this third group consists of those who won't conform to recognized deer society.

If you continue east past the deer pens, it's only a short walk to the ruins of the Henry Miller home. Henry Miller (Heinrich Alfred Kreiser) emigrated from Germany in 1850 with six dollars in his pocket. He first worked as a butcher, then began buying land in 1858. He must have done a good job. In a matter of years, he controlled 14.5 million acres of land in California, Oregon and Nevada. A million head of cattle and 100,000 sheep grazed his land. When he died in 1916, his assets were valued at more than 50 million dollars.

Mr. Miller and his family began camping at Mount Madonna in 1879. They “roughed it” in brightly colored, fully furnished and carpeted tents. From the mid-1890's to 1901, he built four houses at Mount Madonna. First, he built a two-story redwood cabin, then houses for each of his two children. In 1901, he built his grandest structure—an elaborate home with seven bedrooms and baths, a living room with a veranda on three sides and a 3,600 square foot ballroom. Some say that the Italian woodcutters employed by Miller gave the place its name: “Madonna.” Others credit a visiting poet, Hiram Wentworth.

Not much remains of this mountain palace—a few stone walls, a foundation and stairs that lead nowhere. But these remnants spark the imagination. What was it like to live in this mysterious mansion, far from the valley and other people?

How imposing was the grand entrance to this giant estate? Why did this great project fall into disrepair? Is it simply a sad but telling monument to the passage of time?

For children, the old ruins are a fun place to play. Adults may find its mysteries a bit disquieting but more fascinating.

The children also may enjoy fishing in their own pond, exclusively reserved for ages five through twelve. Or perhaps they might prefer the archery range. (William Tell reenactments are not allowed.)

Most visitors, however, come to Mount Madonna to hike the trails—20 miles hiking, 13 miles also open to horses. Dogs are permitted, on leash.

The narrow footpaths are especially appealing. Covered in most areas with a heavy cushion of leaves and needles, the paths are soft and subtle. Although you occasionally lose the trail, you can't walk too far without meeting another trail, finding the small marker and reorienting yourself.

I divide the park into three areas. The visitor center area along Pole Line Road offers most of the facilities and many short trails through Banks Canyon with elevation gains to 420 feet. The upper park area has longer trails and a more “wilderness” experience. Elevation gains are a relatively easy 300 feet. The lower park area includes Blackhawk Canyon and little Sprig Lake. Elevation gains as great as 1100 feet make round trip hikes of this area relatively strenuous.
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I hope that will give you the information you need.

Steve