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| - Since I had wanted to do at least one touristy thing and had two friends tell me to visit the Mystery Castle in Phoenix, I found myself here on my last visit to AZ. Not sure what to expect based upon what friends had told me, it was hard to fathom what was beyond the gates leading up to the man-made structure. We arrived when it opened. Parking in the dirt area leading up to the castle, I used the Porta-Potty outside the gates as it denoted outside of it, that this was the only public restroom available as there were no restrooms inside the castle.
When the gates opened and we were let in, we were instructed by a friendly staff member to explore the base of the castle and that the tour would be starting shortly as more guests arrived. I was in awe of this castle. I am not sure what I had expected in my head but it was impressive upon being up close to it. After being assembled on the upper patio area and lead into the house, our tour guide gave us a history to the castle's beginnings. We learned that the builder was Boyce Gully, and that he started building this castle after being diagnosed with tuberculosis in Seattle. He had made a promise to his young daughter, Mary Lou, who was distressed about her sandcastles being washed away by the ocean on a Seattle beach, that he would someday build her a castle that was strong and she could live in. With that, after his TB diagnosis, he left his wife and daughter without word in Seattle and ended up in Phoenix, getting a parcel of land and building away from 1930 to 1945. Sadly, his wife and daughter did not find about the castle and start living there until after his death.
What stands is testament of his love for his daughter and may be a bit of eccentricity that kept him building for so many years, this castle has so many unique features built into it A bar in the basement, a trap door to store treasures and gold and minerals mined on the property,fireplaces galore, a well on the patio, handmade stairwells, furniture made out of cactus fossils, a kitchen with all the amenities. So many wonderful things he created with materials he found or purchased for very little money. It is truly awe-inspiring. The patio of the castle has a beautiful view of downtown Phoenix as does the windows in the kitchen of the castle. Mary Lou had lived in the castle and conducted tours until the time of her death in 2010. She loved animals which is apparent through ALOT of animal collectibles throughout the castle which adds some quirkiness to this place and kinda cements the fact that this girl was truly her father's daughter. Staff here are friendly, warm and have such a wealth of information about the property. Our tour guide, Manuel, was fantastic. Reservations are not necessary. Adult admission is $10 and children 5-12 are $5, cash only. There is a small gift shop in the castle, also, where you can buy souvenirs. Glad we made it to the foothills of South Mountain Park to explore this true hidden gem in Phoenix.
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