It’s one of the country’s most iconic properties. Located in the hills above Highway 280 minutes south of San Francisco is a mystical wonderland, a home with striking bulbous and colorful features, and… dinosaurs.
If you’ve seen the home during your commute you know it right away: The Flintstone House.
In this special Stark Insider Presents video feature, new owner Florence Fang talks about the history of the home, her love for The Flintstones television show from the 1960s, and why she believes the mushroom adds essential mystique to the impressive property.
You can watch the Flintstone House video on YouTube, or at the embed below right here on Stark Insider.
Watch: Touring the Iconic Flintstone House
The Flintstone House
Featuring:
Florence Fang
Shot on location:
Hillsborough, California (San Francisco Bay Area)
Video description:
Documentary Short Film
A tour of the iconic San Francisco Bay Area property inspired by The Flintstones TV show
With Loni Stark (host) and Clinton Stark (camera, editor)
Transcript
[Mellow techno music plays]
Fred Flintstone (voice-over):
It wasn’t my fault!
Fred, how could you?
But I tried to tell him!
(static buzzing)
Loni Stark (voice-over):
As a kid, I had many friends — Batman, the Jetsons, and of course the Flintstones. Growing up, I realized I would never meet them for real. But what if you could bring the Flintstones, dinosaurs and all, to this world? If anyone could do it, it would be Florence Fang.
Loni (voice-over):
The retired media mogul took a home nobody else wanted and made it her canvas for creativity.
(cheerful music)
Fred Flintstone (voice-over):
Yabba-dabba-doo!
(cheerful music)
Loni:
Amazing decorations — really embracing Fred Flintstone. I love that rooster as well. So now we need to figure out where the doorbell is… ah, here it is.
Loni (at door):
Hi, Florence!
Florence Fang:
Oh, hello, Loni. It’s so nice to see you.
Loni:
Great to meet you as well. Thank you for inviting us over.
Florence:
Every time I pass by, I can’t help but smile when I see that house. Yes, it makes me feel like a kid again. Everybody driving by says, “I start smile.” I start smiling, even while I’m driving. I think of this place as a piece of art you simply can’t replicate.
Loni:
It really is one-of-a-kind. The kitchen’s just like a galaxy.
Florence (laughs):
Like a galaxy! And you can see, all the artists finished every detail by hand.
Loni:
That is fascinating. It’s not just that domed wall — an artist literally built it right into the structure.
Florence:
I also decorated the front and backyard with mushrooms. They’re simple but meaningful. Here’s the fun part: next time you visit, pick a mushroom, paint your own color on top, sign your name and date it. Then vine it somewhere in the yard—your very own mushroom!
Loni:
So we’ll each have our own piece of the art.
Loni (voice-over):
While mushrooms have a special meaning for Florence, this fantastical property is full of whimsical surprises.
Florence:
Here’s the first thing you see: Bigfoot. (laughs) He’s in charge of all the dinosaurs.
Loni (voice-over):
And speaking of dinosaurs… did I mention there are five of them here, all the way from Mexico?
Florence:
By helicopter, of course — you’d never forget that sight on the freeway.
Loni (voice-over):
For the record, nobody flew these dinosaurs in. They all arrived by truck for a more discreet entrance.
Loni:
All right, what’s your secret to staying so spry at 80-plus? I need that training! (laughs)
Florence:
My son Teddy asked me that today. I don’t exercise or diet — I just thank God for the blessing.
(jubilant music)
Fred Flintstone (voice-over):
Now he’s really made me mad! Tennis anyone? (banging, cymbal crash) I guess tennis isn’t Fred’s racket.
Wilma (voice-over):
It’s fine with me, Fred, as long as we’re together. (Dino barks) Excuse me — I mean the three of us! (laughs)
Loni (voice-over):
I always wanted my own fantasy world. Watching the first Flintstones episode — Fred and Dino — gave me the idea. Then they introduced aliens on Mars, so why not add a saucer, an astronaut and even more dinosaurs?
Florence:
Exactly! I combined past and future into one theme: “Over the Rainbow.”
Loni:
Over the Rainbow!
Florence:
I love that. I even bought a small globe and nailed up a sign that reads: “Where Are We?” The universe is so big, Earth is so small… where are we in it all?
Loni (voice-over):
Florence Fang is as fascinating as the home she inhabits. Understated like her favorite mushrooms, her house reveals countless surprises when you venture inside.
(cheerful music and wind sounds fade out)
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Florence Fang?
Florence Fang is a Chinese-American businesswoman, publisher, and philanthropist active in the San Francisco area. She’s the former owner of the San Francisco Examiner and currently owns the Flintstone House in Hillsborough, California.
What media outlets did she own?
Early in her career, Fang and her husband acquired Chinese-language papers before expanding into English-language titles such as AsianWeek and the San Francisco Independent. In 2000, she purchased the San Francisco Examiner from Hearst for $100 (plus subsidy), becoming the first Asian American to own a major U.S. daily, and later sold it in 2004.
How did she become owner of the Flintstone House?
In 2017, Fang bought the whimsical, domed “Flintstone House” in Hillsborough—a property originally listed at $4.2 million—then decked it out with large metal dinosaurs and Flintstones memorabilia.
Why does she have a dinosaur obsession?
As Fang puts it, “I see any dinosaur, I buy it.” She’s adorned her property with life-size Dino sculptures, metal Triceratops, and even Heli lifted T-Rex figures to capture her childhood fascination.
Was there ever a legal dispute over the Flintstone House?
Yes. In March 2019, the town of Hillsborough sued Fang for creating a public nuisance by installing unpermitted sculptures. The lawsuit was settled in 2021: Fang received $125,000 for legal costs and was allowed to keep all her modifications.
What philanthropic causes does she support?
Fang has donated heavily to education—$1 million to the “100,000 Strong Foundation,” $2.5 million to Peking University’s School of Chinese as Second Language, and $3 million to UC Berkeley’s East Asian Library. She’s also a prominent political fundraiser and serves on U.S.–China exchange boards.