“come relive a true fairy tale”
The reality of dying was thrust upon Boyce Gully 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 creativity. In his heart was permanently etched the vision of those precious moments when he and his little girl, Mary Lou, built sand castles on the beach in Seattle. 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 just smile. Perhaps, it wasn’t a coincidence that he migrated to Arizona. He built Mary Lou a native stone castle - eighteen rooms, thirteen fireplaces, parapets and many charming nooks and crannies, then furnished it with southwestern antiques. Boyce Gully died in 1945 before he could send for his family. His “princess” was an adult when she moved into her “castle” and began living her fairy tale, perpetuating her dream. She shared her “home” by giving guided tours of her beloved Mystery Castle until her death in 2010. Today, the castle remains open for tours from October through June. The Mystery Castle Foundation, a 501c3 organization maintains the property so that future generations can share in the history and magic that is My Mystery Castle.
Reviews
Got there and found out it was only open October thru May 11am-4pm Thur-Sun
I have been here several times over the past 25 years and have always loved it.
We went to the Mystery Castle today and were charmed by the thoughtful staff and the whimsical venue! A must-see!
If you have spare time, this would be a nice place to visit. It's basically a house that looks like a castle. We had the quick tour which were guided by fairly nice staff. They were friendly and all but it didn't seem like they wanted to entertain their guests the right way. I meant it like they just toured you around but they were never into answering your queries about the castle. The place was interesting in itself but not really worth the price.
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Mystery Castle
Hours
- Sun, Thu - Sat: 11:00 am - 4:00 pm
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Parking
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Pets Allowed
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Wifi
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Wheelchair Accessible
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Credit Cards Accepted
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