The Secret Service won’t be doing security, but otherwise, buyers can convincingly play the U.S. the role of the president.It’s listed for a reported $39 million san francisco chronicle.
Nicknamed the “White House of the West,” the building was designed by architect Julia Morgan of Hearst Castle in San Simon. George Hearst, son of newspaper mogul William Randolph Hearst, built Hillsborough House in 1930.
A replica of 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, the main building offers an exact replica of the Oval Office and East Room, often used for award ceremonies and press conferences.
The house also hosted George Hearst’s political ambitions. The newspaper heir has dreams of becoming president, said Alex Buljan, a listing broker with Compass Corp.
“He aspires to be president and this is his way of getting his foot in the door,” Burjan told reporters. san francisco chronicle. “His idea was to gift it to the government as the ‘White House of the West’ and at the same time a way of getting his name out there.”
George Hearst never lived at the property. There is also no evidence that it has been formally provided to the federal government. Past owners include the developer of Foster City. John Lennon and Yoko Ono reportedly considered buying the home in 1972 when the U.S. government was working to deport the activist celebrity couple.
Shailesh Mehta, the former chairman of Providian Financial, is one of the latest occupants of the Western White House. He listed the home for $31 million in 2021. The “White House of the West” moniker is also used more broadly to describe Richard Nixon’s San Clemente residence, which is on the market in 2021 for $65 million.
– Andrew Ash
