Legend has it, there are “voices” in The Valley of the Moon. The Miwok and Pomo heard them as spirits or ghosts, visible in the illusion of multiple moons, a legend retold by author Jack London in his 1913 novel of the same name. Contemporary listeners cite the voices as echoes of nature.
In either case, if voices do whisper through this valley of rolling hills, wildflowers, and scattered oaks, Sonoma’s Westerbeke Ranch would be the place to hear them. A family homestead for five generations, its wooden beams and adobe walls were drawn from the surrounding earth more than 80 years ago. In its storied evolution from family home to retreat and conference center, it has hosted notable visionaries such as Joseph Campbell, Stan Grof, Werner Erhard, and Elisabeth Kübler-Ross.
With its smooth archways, weathered beams, and ceramic-tiled roofs, the ranch feels like an authentic early Californian hacienda. Comfortable gathering spaces surround a central patio and a pool. Well-tended, but unfussy gardens wrap around pathways that lead through dappled shade to the property’s guest cabins. From furnishings and artifacts to artwork and plantings, everything has been curated to flow in harmony with the natural surroundings.
The 11-acre property on Grove Street is overseen by owner and CEO Wendy Westerbeke, who still makes her home here. She credits the rustic ambience and authenticity of the place to her grandparents, Muriel and “Dick” Van Hoosear, who purchased and built on the property in the 1930s…