Near the little village of Glen Ellen in Sonoma Valley, the famous author, Jack London spent the final years of his adventurous life trying to build and manage a sustainable farm. This was quite a revolutionary idea in the early twentieth century, and it, unfortunately, was not very successful in financial terms. On the property, he worked with an architect to design and build his dream home, the Wolf House. So named for London's classic works featuring wolves, The Call of the Wild, White Fang, and others.
Construction began in 1911 on a four-story, 15,000 square foot mansion that overlooked Sonoma Valley. It was to be London's castle, but fate intervened. Just one month before he and his wife were scheduled to move in, the home was destroyed by fire, leaving only the husk made from local volcanic stone. London intended to rebuild, but pass away before the work was finished.
Today, California has designated the ranch and surrounding area as a state historic park in London's honor. As I'm staying in the area, I wanted to check it out. The hike to the ruins of the Wolf House is about 1.8 miles round trip and a short side trail leads to the cornerstone placed over London's remains. Walking this trail, I can't help but think of the inner longing experienced by the lupine characters in his great novels. I read them as a young teenager and they lit a spark of adventure in my soul that still burns brightly thirty years later.
It's also quite tragic to see this husk of a dream standing through the ages. A fantasy almost realized, but then taken away by a cruel twist of fate. It's a reminder to all of us of the fleeting nature of life and the need to treasure each second. Rest well, Jack. May you answer the call.
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