Nitt Witt Ridge — Cambria’s ‘anti-Hearst Castle’ — is for sale again
Nitt Witt Ridge, Cambria’s “anti-Hearst Castle,” is back on the market again, according to Zillow.
Owner Michael O’Malley has been listing the property, a state historical landmark, for sale on the real estate website off and on since 2018.
The 1,200-square-foot structure, located on a large lot at 881 Hillcrest Drive, has two bedrooms and one bathroom.
It’s currently listed at a price of $275,000. Zillow estimates the value of the property, which has been on the website for 275 days, at $564,960.
However, buyers couldn’t live there because there’s no electricity and no water meter. It’s not known if a new owner could buy a meter for the property at a cost of $250,000 and up, “drag” a water meter from another property onto the Ridge or get even get the necessary approvals to install one.
For any sort of development or residency, county and services district regulations would apply, and there would be permit, construction and other costs.
Nitt Witt Ridge is the creation of Arthur Harold Beal, also known as Captain Nitwit (or Nitt Witt) and Der Tinkerpaw.
Beal, an eccentric garbageman, artist and craftsman, came to the area in the late 1920s and reportedly paid $500 for his property. He built his home and reputation out of a mind-blowing array of unusual elements, both natural and recycled.
That assortment includes toilet seats, some used as picture frames, as well as bathtubs, abalone shells, tire rims and lots of beer cans. Most of those large cans once held Busch beer that Beal, of course, consumed first.
Current owners Michael and Stacey O’Malley bought Nitt Witt Ridge in 1999 for $42,000. They listed the property on Zillow for as much as $525,000 since October 2018, with a couple of pending sales that apparently didn’t finalize.
Nitt Witt Ridge has been a popular tourist destination for decades.
The folk art installation frequently draws visitors who take hour-long tours guided by members of the O’Malley family. Tours are offered on the hour from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. most days, for a requested donation of $10 per person.
Zillow shows listings for 135 properties and homes for sale in the Cambria area, including a two-bedroom, two-bath home on Main Street listed for $395,000.
Realtor and honorary mayor emeritus Kim Maston said via social media Monday that there are 51 homes for sale in Cambria and 19 homes in escrow.
