It’s called My Mystery Castle, although once you hear the story it’s not so mysterious. Boyce Gully built this native stone castle at the foot of South Mountain in Phoenix for his daughter, Mary Lou. It was fulfillment of a promise made when she was little.
My Mystery Castle features:
- 18 rooms
- 13 fireplaces
- Parapets
- Numerous charming nooks and crannies
- Furnished it with southwestern antiques
Hear is how the story of the mystery castle is told on its official website:
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.
The father died in 1945. Mary Lou lived in the castle and opened it up for tours until she died in 2010. It’s listed in the Arizona Historic Register and is a Pride of Phoenix Award winner.
Today, the castle remains open for tours from October through May. The Mystery Castle Foundation, a non-profit organization maintains the property so that future generations can share in the history and magic that is My Mystery Castle.
For details and tour info visit mymysterycastle.com.
Here it is on the map:
