Mystery Castle by Boyce Luther Gulley — Attraction in Phoenix

The reality of dying was thrust upon Boyce Luther Gulley in his prime. Choosing not to live a life of quiet desperation awaiting the end, he ran away from home, family and friends. Those were sad but wondrous times of soul searching and physical activity. In his heart was permanently etched the vision of those precious moment in time when he and his little girl, Mary Lou, built sand castles on the beach in Seattle, Washington. How she would cry when the tide washed them away. "Please, Daddy, build me a big and strong castle someday that I can live in. Maybe you ought to build it on the desert where there is no water." He would smile and wonder perhaps it's no coincidence that he migrated to Arizona, where he gradually regained his health. So he built her a native stone castle: 18 rooms, 13 fireplaces, parapets and many charming nooks and crannies, then furnished it with southwestern antiques.

The "king" died in 1945, before he could send for his family. The little girl now an aged "princess", dwells in her "sand" castle, and is living the last fairytale. By conducting tours, Mary Lou Gulley maintains the castle and...

I think the real mystery is how the builder's daughter and widowed wife lived there for decades in Phoenix, AZ with no electricity or plumbing until 1992! Still this place is really cool to see, you could spend months there discovering all the hidden treasures built in to the homes structure, 18 rooms, 13 fireplaces, a wedding chapel, bar, hidden rooms and so much more all made from reclaimed and discarded materials, windows made from tire rims, glass bottles in the walls, ceilings made from wood from old train cars, etc.! All built by one man dying of tuberculosis in the 1940s as a tribute to his daughter's childhood dream of living in a sandle castle. I was enchanted with the Mystery Castle, as well as my two kids ages 7 & 9. The tours are guided and you learn about the history of the castle, tours move quickly and are enjoyable. They only accept cash or checks, $10 adults, $5 kids. It is not a wheelchair or easily...

I love history and this is an awesome place to experience and learn some pretty cool history. The Mystery Castle is amazing! Tons of thing to see.... look in every corner, on the floors, on the ceiling... I'm sure you will miss things... And want to go back again... You will want to take your friends to see this. I'd love to live in a place like this even now. A chapel and a bar? Yes! Not really that you can use, but they were at one point in time. Please visit this place and help support an awesome landmark and piece of or history. The tour guides are very knowledgeable, and have so many things to tell you, but you will still ha e questions. Don't be afraid to ask, there wasn't one question they weren't able to answer, but so many things there they can't possibly tell you about everything, or it might take days! I loved this visit. Check the hours on their webpage, and have cash for the...