Avalon, CA

Avalon is a small town located in Santa Cruz County, California. The population was 2,812 at the 2010 census. Avalon is known for its beautiful beaches and lush green hills. It is also home to some of the most expensive real estate in the world.

The town of Avalon was founded in 1875 by George Hearst and his father, William Randolph Hearst. The elder Hearst had purchased an area of land on the Pacific Coast that he called San Simeon Rancho. He hired a group of workers to build a small cabin and start a dairy farm. In 1876, Hearst built a larger cabin on the property and invited friends and family to come visit him. He named his new settlement after King Arthur's legendary land of Avalon.

In 1881, Hearst built an even larger cabin on the property and invited more guests to join him. He renamed his new settlement Avalon Bay after the mythical land of Camelot. The influx of visitors turned San Simeon Rancho into one of California's most popular tourist destinations. By 1886, there were enough tourists visiting Avalon Bay that Hearst decided to build a hotel there instead of continuing to rent out his cabins for vacation rentals. The first hotel in Avalon was called the White House Inn and it was owned by George Hearst's brother-in-law, James Flood McCracken Jr..

Avalon became known as "the playground of millionaires" because so many wealthy people from around the world chose to live there during the late 1800s and early 1900s. Some well-known residents include John D Rockefeller Jr., Leland Stanford Jr., Andrew Carnegie, Jules Verne, Mark Twain, Walt Disney, Orson Welles, Eleanor Roosevelt and Franklin D Roosevelt Sr.. Many famous Hollywood movies have been filmed in or around Avalon including "The Lost Weekend", "The Big Sleep", "Sunset Boulevard" and "The Godfather".

Today, much has changed since those days when millionaires ruled Avalon Beach like kings and queens reigning over their private kingdoms with no concern for anyone else but themselves (except maybe their dogs). The town now has a population that is mostly made up of working class families who are trying hard to make ends meet while living in one of California's most expensive real estate markets (according to Forbes magazine). However, despite all these changes (and some unfortunate ones), there is still something special about living in this little town located just north of Santa Cruz County's beautiful coastline...