Jack London State Historic Park (Images of America)

Famed novelist Jack London became America’s highest-paid author in 1905, writing about adventures in the Klondike and the Russo-Japanese War and about sailing his self-designed boat halfway around the world. Yet perhaps one of London’s finest legacies is his 1,400-acre ranch on the slopes of Sonoma Mountain in California. Sometimes called “Beauty Ranch” or the “Ranch of Good Intentions,” the land, buildings, and house museums exemplify both early-20th-century life and London’s passionate pioneering efforts in agriculture and architecture. Descendants of Eliza Shepard (London’s stepsister and ranch manager) operated the ranch for decades. In 1959, Irving Shepard deeded 39 acres to California to create Jack London State Historic Park. Eventually, 1,400 acres were acquired. Today, more than 80,000 visitors annually enjoy the park, hiking, picnicking, horseback riding, and attending events and touring London’s home, gravesite, and farm buildings.