The Mystery Castle

Last Saturday we had a girls day. My mother in law (love her!) planned THE cutest activity!

She wouldn't tell us where we were going, but she gave us cute little tiara's and lollipop sabers.

When we arrived we were so excited! We had no idea that we had a cool castle in Phoenix?!

Here is a little summary about the Mystery Castle, about how it came about and why it is here. :)

A man named Boyce Luther Gulley built the castle. He came here to Arizona from Seattle, Washington. Why? Because he thought he had tuberculosis and that he was gunna die. He left his family (Wife and Daughter) because he couldn't bare to have them watch him die. It was a very sad time for him, he longed for his family, and for the memories he had with his daughter, Mary Lou.  One of his fondest memories with her was when they would build sand castles on the beach. He recalled how she would cry when the tide washed up the sand castles they made. She told him one time "Please Daddy, build me a big and strong castle someday that I can live in. Maybe you ought to build it in the desert were there is no water." And that is what he did. When he migrated to Arizona he gradually regained his health and built her a stone castle. The Mystery Castle has 18 rooms, 13 fireplaces and fun nooks and crannies throughout. Boyce Luther Gulley died of cancer in 1945, (15 years after he left his family) before he could send for them to come live with him. His wife and daughter were shocked when they found out that they had an inheritance in Arizona. They had no idea what had happened to him. In the will it stated that they had to live in the castle for 2 years before they could ever sell it. So they did and continued to live in it until they both passed away. Boyce had a time capsule built into one of the rooms that he had them open after the first 2 years of living there, it had pictures of him, so his daughter could see what he looked like, and also contained the deed and some money. Mary Lou maintained the castle and conducted tours until she passed away in November of last year. The Castle is still open for tours and I would HIGHLY recommend going. It is a very cool place and something fun to do with family and friends.

Here are some pictures from our trip :)