NationalGeographicPersonalExplorer

In the late 1800s, Frederick H. Rindge, a native of Cambridge, Mass., inherited more than $2 million dollars. His search for "a farm near the ocean, and under the lee of the mountain, with a trout brook, wild trees, a lake, good soil, and excellent climate" took him about as far West as he could go. In 1892, Rindge established his Shangri-la by purchasing the 13,000-acre Rancho Malibu, which he described to friends as the "American Riviera,” and where he later wrote the book Happy Days in Southern California. After his death in 1905, Rindge’s wife, Rhoda, carried out his plans for the ranch, and within a couple of decades, it was considered the most valuable single real estate holding in the United States. The Adamson House, now a National Historic Site, was completed in 1930 by Frederick’s daughter Rhoda Rindge Adamson. The Spanish Moorish-style home is famous for the colorful Malibu tile that covers the walls and floors. The home is also celebrated for its impressive ironwork, murals, and lead-framed bottle glass windows.