California has long been a place where creatives, misfits, and spiritualists have flourished. It’s also the place where I grew up. My novel, The Colony of Lost Souls, takes place in early 1930s California, and explores an occultist society on the coast, where the heroine, May, goes searching for her missing sister – before getting drawn into the mysterious and dangerous goings-on herself. While the Kinima Theosophical Society in my book is my own invention, I did find inspiration from reading about The Blackburn Cult, which operated in Southern California in the 1920s and was in some ways even darker and weirder than the cult in my book, as well as Moorcrest, a mansion in Los Angeles where the Utopian Krotona Colony operated in the 1920s. But there are countless more places in the state that played a role in my research, and that sparked my imagination.
For those of you whose summer travel plans include the Golden State – and who enjoy learning about the occult, storied, and strange – consider some of the destinations below.
Crystal Cove State Park, Orange County
Any Angeleno will tell you that snagging a reservation at one of the historic beach houses within Crystal Cove State Park is a small miracle. So it’s fitting that this setting inspired the “place of miracles” in my novel. I was lucky enough to get to stay here a handful of years ago and (although I didn’t know it then) the seed was planted. My great-grandmother, Helen Lewis Cassel, was a plein-air painter in the Laguna Beach art colony, which had been located nearby, and it was exciting for me to get to see the landscapes from her paintings in real life. The Kinima Theosophical Society in my novel is part art colony, a small nod to her and her work.
If you’re not able to stay in one of the cottages here, you can still visit the park’s beaches, tide pools, and hiking trails, take in the stunning views, and observe the local wildlife.
The Winchester Mystery House, San Jose
I visited The Winchester Mystery House as a kid, and my love of big haunted mansions was solidified. Designed over many years by the highly eccentric Sarah Winchester, The Winchester Mystery House is in fact quite mysterious – with a labyrinthhine layout, oddities such as doors that open into thin air, and according to legends, a number of ghostly inhabitants. Although some of the myths about the house have been arguably debunked, such as the theory that Sarah continued to build the house’s many rooms to appease the spirits of those killed by Winchester rifles, and her guilt over inheriting a gun fortune, they’re fun to learn about anyway.
The Crocker Art Museum, Sacramento
For those interested in California art, The Crocker Art Museum offers a worthy collection. It was founded by the parents of famous bohemian Aimee Crocker as a private collection that was later donated. Aimee Crocker is easily the most infamous member of the family, known for her five husbands (two of them princes), countless lovers (including a long-term affair with occultist and magician Alistair Crowley), and scandalous memoir, And I’d Do It Again, chronicling her exploits. Some aspects of Aimee show up in the character Ruth in my novel: for example, her affinity for younger men and dangerous pets; Aimee was extremely fond of snakes. If you take a guided tour at the Crocker you might get to hear about the wealthy heiress.
Moorcrest, Los Angeles
This grand mansion in Los Angeles has a real-life history that reads like it was ripped from the pages of a gothic novel. It was built to house a utopian theosophical society in the 1920s, before becoming the home of Charlie Chaplin and later actress Mary Astor, who was essentially imprisoned there by her parents while they lived off her earnings. Its architecture and history played a large role in inspiring the mansion in The Colony of Lost Souls. Today, it’s a private residence, so you can’t visit—but if you’d like to tour an even more elaborate estate from the same era with an equally storied past, consider the next stop…
Hearst Castle, San Simeon
Hearst Castle is a must-visit for anyone touring the California Coast. There are multiple guided tour options, such as the grand rooms tour, or the cottages and kitchen tour. Visitors can expect to learn about the estate’s many glamorous guests, including film stars from the Hollywood Golden Age and presidents. The house itself is jaw-dropping, as is the art collection. Make sure to carve out some extra time to take in the pools and sprawling grounds. If you can’t visit in person, consider watching the classic film Citizen Kane, which was based on William Randolph Hearst and his home.
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