It's been featured in The National Inquirer, New York Times, HGTV Extreme Homes, Life magazine and other impressive publications like AZCentral, which called it one of the Valley's must-see hidden gems. It's a historic home located in the foothills of South Mountain Park known as Mystery Castle and architecture lovers all over the nation come to see it when visiting the Phoenix area.
The story of Mystery Castle is as intriguing as the site's structural design. It was built singlehandedly by Boyce Luther Gulley, who moved from Seattle to Phoenix in 1929 when he was diagnosed with tuberculosis. He left his home, friends and family to embark on a soul searching journey and, in the process, he constructed a three-story, 18-room castle with 13 fireplaces, multiple patios, and several interesting nooks and crannies.
His daughter loved castles and he vowed to build one for her one day; it took 15 years, but he fulfilled his promise, endlessly working on the house until he died of cancer in 1945. Shortly before his death, Gulley wrote a letter explaining to his family that he left because he didn't want to expose them to tuberculosis and didn't want them to have to watch him suffer a painful death. Gulley's daughter, Mary Lou, moved into the castle the same year and shared the fairy tale-like home with the community by hosting guided tours until her death in 2010.
Tours of the 8,000-square-foot castle come to an end on June 1 due to the heat, so if you would like to visit, CLICK HERE to schedule an appointment soon.
Mystery Castle Information
Mystery Castle is a designated Phoenix Point of Pride. The structure is composed of adobe, stone and several items that Gulley salvaged from a local dump, including old telephone poles, glass and auto parts; it also features John Wayne memorabilia and some original Frank Lloyd Wright furniture. The site received its name from a Jan. 26, 1948, five-page feature story in Life magazine titled, "Life Visits a Mystery Castle: A young girl rules over the strange secrets of a fairy-tale dream house built on the Arizona desert."
Tours are offered from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Thursday through Sunday
Admission is $10 for adults and $5 for children ages five to 15
800 E. Mineral Road, Phoenix, AZ 85040
