Built in 1903, the San Simeon schoolhouse was intended for the education of the crews working at the behest of William Randolf Hearst in the building of his now famous “Hearst Castle”. Occupying some of the most breathtaking real estate on earth, Hearst Castle and its environs – right down to the beach, dominates the landscape. The castle, sitting high atop La Cuesta Encantada (The Enchanted Hill), is roughly more than 3 miles away from the tiny schoolhouse.