The Eugene O'Neill National Historic Site, located in

Danville, California The Town of Danville is located in the San Ramon Valley in Contra Costa County, California. It is one of the incorporated municipalities in California that use "town" in their names instead of "city". The population was 43,582 at the 2020 census ...

, preserves Tao House, the Monterey Colonial hillside home of America's only

Nobel Prize The Nobel Prizes ( ; sv, Nobelpriset ; no, Nobelprisen ) are five separate prizes that, according to Alfred Nobel's will of 1895, are awarded to "those who, during the preceding year, have conferred the greatest benefit to humankind." Alfr ...

-winning playwright,

Eugene O'Neill Eugene Gladstone O'Neill (October 16, 1888 – November 27, 1953) was an American playwright and Nobel laureate in Nobel Prize in Literature, literature. His poetically titled plays were among the first to introduce into the U.S. the drama tech ...

History of Tao House

Eugene O'Neill had won the

Nobel Prize for Literature ) , image = Nobel Prize.png , caption = , awarded_for = Outstanding contributions in literature , presenter = Swedish Academy , holder = Annie Ernaux (2022) , location = Stockholm, Sweden , year = 1901 , ...

in 1936, and used the prize money to build what he named Tao House above Danville.McKinney, John. ''California's National Parks: A Day Hiker's Guide''. Berkeley, CA: Wilderness Press, 2005: 135. O'Neill and his wife lived in the home from 1937 to 1944. By the time he moved here, O'Neill had already lived in over 35 places, but he called this secluded house his "final home and harbor".Schmidt, Shannon McKenna and Joni Rendon. ''Novel Destinations: Literary Landmarks from Jane Austen's Bath to Ernest Heminway's Key West''. Washington, D.C.: National Geographic, 2008: 13. At this home, O'Neill wrote his final plays: ''

The Iceman Cometh ''The Iceman Cometh'' is a play written by American playwright Eugene O'Neill in 1939. First published in 1946, the play premiered on Broadway at the Martin Beck Theatre on October 9, 1946, directed by Eddie Dowling, where it ran for 136 perf ...

'', '' Long Day's Journey Into Night'', '' Hughie'', and ''

A Moon for the Misbegotten ''A Moon for the Misbegotten'' is a play in four acts by Eugene O'Neill. The play is a sequel to O'Neill's '' Long Day's Journey into Night'', with the Jim Tyrone character as an older version of Jamie Tyrone. He began drafting the play late in ...

''. Due to a degenerative condition in his hand, he was unable to complete another play after 1943. O'Neill and his wife, actress Carlotta Monterey, showed their interest in Asian art, decor, and thought in preparing the home. The two personally designed the two-story, three-bedroom home from the ground up. The ceilings were dark blue to mimic the sky with dark wood floors representing the earth, as well as

Noh is a major form of classical Japanese dance-drama that has been performed since the 14th century. Developed by Kan'ami and his son Zeami, it is the oldest major theatre art that is still regularly performed today. Although the terms Noh and ' ...

masks, Chinese guardian statues, and Chinese lacquerware furnishings throughout the interior.Boeck, Raynell. ''Peaceful Places San Francisco: 110 Tranquil Sites in the City and the Greater Bay Area''. Menasha Ridge Press, 2010: 61. Outside, Carlotta installed a garden in a zigzag pattern which Chinese tradition indicated would keep away evil spirits. They also planted several trees, including pine, almond, and redwood. The O'Neills moved to Boston after

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposing ...

. The house was saved from demolition in the early 1970s. Several women formed the Eugene O’Neill Foundation, including president Darlene Blair and executive vice president Lois Sizoo, in order to raise money to buy Tao House, which had been named a National Landmark in 1971. They did so through several fundraising projects, including benefit performances of Eugene O’Neill's play ''Hughie'' featuring

Jason Robards Jason Nelson Robards Jr. (July 26, 1922 – December 26, 2000) was an American actor. Known as an interpreter of the works of playwright Eugene O'Neill, Robards received two Academy Awards, a Tony Award, a Primetime Emmy Award, and the Cannes ...

. Through their efforts, Tao House was declared a

National Historic Landmark A National Historic Landmark (NHL) is a building, district, object, site, or structure that is officially recognized by the United States government for its outstanding historical significance. Only some 2,500 (~3%) of over 90,000 places listed ...

in 1971, a National Historic Site in 1976, and passed into the management of the

National Park Service The National Park Service (NPS) is an agency of the United States federal government within the U.S. Department of the Interior that manages all national parks, most national monuments, and other natural, historical, and recreational propert ...

in 1980. The Foundation has produced an annual festival of O'Neill's works since 1999, including performances on site.

Legislative History

Congressman George Miller and Senator Alan Cranston introduced companion bills to have Tao House recognized as a National Historic Site in 1975. AB 4539 was signed into law in Sacramento in September 1976, making the site California State property. George Miller's HR 9126 passed in Congress and, on October 19, 1976, President Gerald Ford signed SB 2398 into law. Tao House and the property were designated a National Historic Site. Finally, on June 12 of 1980, ownership of Eugene O'Neill NHS officially transferred to the federal government, making it exactly under the NPS. The establishment of Eugene O’Neill National Historic Site is justified by two reasons. First, the site is needed to commemorate Eugene O’Neill, one of the greatest writers in American literature. Eugene O’Neill lived in Tao House from 1937 to 1944, and wrote his most brilliant playwrights. Preserving Tao House will provide public memorial of the works of Eugene O’Neill and his life. Second, the site will serve education and opportunity of performing arts to public. Providing proper cultural sources to society is one of the important missions of National Park Service.

Administrative History

Past Superintendents

Current Situation

Eugene O'Neill Foundation is looking fo
subscribers

Visiting the house

The National Park Service does not publish the address of the property, but it is widely known that it is located near Kuss Road in Danville. A locked gate prevents unauthorized vehicles from reaching the site. The Site occupies accessible via car only by private road, so advance reservations are required to visit. Private vehicles are not allowed. Transportation to the site is provided by a twice-daily free shuttle from Danville at 10am and noon on Wednesdays to Sundays and also at 2pm on Saturdays. Reservations are required except on Saturdays when tours are self-guided.
/ref> Trails from Las Trampas Regional Wilderness also lead to the site. Reservations are also recommended for those arriving for a tour via horseback or on foot.

References

External links

Eugene O'Neill National Historic Site
NPS website
Eugene O'Neill Foundation
* {{DEFAULTSORT:O'neill, Eugene, National Historic Site Historic house museums in California Houses in Contra Costa County, California Museums in Contra Costa County, California Danville, California Biographical museums in California Literary museums in the United States National Historic Sites in California National Historic Landmarks in the San Francisco Bay Area Houses on the National Register of Historic Places in California Protected areas established in 1971 Houses completed in 1937 1971 establishments in California History of Contra Costa County, California Colonial Revival architecture in California National Register of Historic Places in Contra Costa County, California Homes of American writers