Eugene O'Neill National Historic Site

Address:Danville, California
Tel: (925) 838-0249

Visit the home of the father of modern American drama! Explore Tao House in Danville, California, and experience firsthand the isolation that inspired the famous playwright! The Eugene O'Neill National Historic Site preserves the 5100 square foot hillside home of America's only Nobel Prize winning playwright, Eugene O'Neill. It was at Tao House, a mixture of Spanish and Chinese architecture with a mostly Oriental style interior, that O'Neill isolated himself and was inspired to write his final and most memorable plays: The Iceman Cometh, Long Day's Journey Into Night, and A Moon for the Misbegotten. Known for the new, uniquely American style of tragedy he created, Eugene O'Neill lived at Tao House for about seven years—the longest period of time he lived in any single residence.

Since 1980, the National Park Service has been restoring Tao House, the courtyard, and the orchards, and telling the story of O'Neill, his work, and his influence on American theater. The Visitor Center at the site has rotating exhibits and guests can enjoy plays, sea chanteys, staged readings, seminars and lectures throughout the year. Make sure you spend some time admiring the 8 foot bronze sculpture of Eugene O'Neill's words from Long Day's Journey Into Night. Visitors can take a guided tour of Tao House or hike and bike the 13 acre grounds of the site. The 13 acres are accessible via car only by private road. Advance reservations are required to visit the site.

Transportation to Eugene O'Neill National Historic Site is provided by a free shuttle service from Danville, twice daily, Wednesdays to Sundays. Be sure to allow about 2.5 hours to experience all aspects of the Eugene O'Neill National Historic Site. Enjoy this taste of literary history!