Mystery Castle
Boyce Luther Gulley always dreamed of building his own
castle (800 E. Mineral Rd., 602/268-1581, 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Thurs.-Sun., closed June–Sept.,
$5 adults, $2 children 6-15). One fine day in 1930 he disappeared, leaving his wife
and daughter behind. His whereabouts remained unknown until his death in 1945, when
both Gulley and his castle were identified. Gulley's daughter, Mary Lou, now presides
over the castle. She and assistants lead tours through the main house (decorated
with Native American baskets and rugs), the caretaker's room (with its "Stairway
to the Rainbow"), the Saguaro Room (built around a saguaro skeleton), the wedding
chapel (with a Grand Canyon North Rim fireplace), and the Dug Out bar. Everything
from Stutz-Bearcat wheels to discarded bricks went into the imaginative and whimsical
architecture.
The castle is seven miles south of downtown
Phoenix near the entrance to South Mountain Park. Drive south on Central Avenue,
turn left on Mineral Road, and continue eight blocks. Alternatively, you can drive
south on Seventh Street to its end at Mineral Road, then turn left and proceed one
block.