A Castle with a Pick and Shovel
In 1928, Arthur “Art” Harold Beal bought a steep hillside lot in Cambria, California. Over the next five decades, using only a pick and shovel, he carved terraces into the slope and constructed a sprawling, eccentric home he called Nitt Witt Ridge.
Built from Trash and Treasure
Working as a garbage collector in the 1940s and 1950s, Beal salvaged discarded items from the town’s trash—washer drums, car parts, stoves, beer cans, abalone shells, and concrete. He also used local materials from forests and beaches. Some elements reportedly came from Hearst Castle.
Life on the Ridge
Beal, known locally as Der Tinkerpaw or Captain Nitt Witt, lived alone on the property, which he constantly expanded. When he died in 1992 at the age of 96, his ashes were scattered beneath a redwood tree on the land he shaped by hand.
A Landmark of Oddity
In 1999, Michael and Stacey O’Malley took ownership of the site. Despite some deterioration, the structure remains intact. In 1986, Nitt Witt Ridge was designated California Historical Landmark No. 939 as part of a group honoring folk art environments.
In Cambria, California, Arthur Harold Beal spent 50 years turning a hillside lot into a handmade home called Nitt Witt Ridge.
Starting in 1928, using just a pick and shovel, he carved terraces and built a sprawling structure from trash, shells, and found materials…🧵👇 pic.twitter.com/HC9bQnwTQH
— Detective Tiger's Stories (@TigerDetective) April 30, 2025