Scotty’s Castle - Death Valley, California
Take a Living History Tour at Scotty’s Castle in Death Valley
If you’ll be spending time in Death Valley on your next trip to California, you won’t want to miss visiting Scotty’s Castle, also known as Death Valley Ranch. This beautiful Spanish Villa is located in Grapevine Canyon in the northern part of Death Valley.
Scotty’s Castle is an impressive desert compound designed by Frank Lloyd Wright. It is a desert dream home built in 1927 that makes an intriguing subject for anyone interested in architecture. There is plenty of intrigue and mystery in the story behind its construction for those who just love a great tale.
Death Valley Ranch was built by wealthy businessman Albert Mussey Johnson, but it was Walter Scott who brought Albert here in the 1920s. Albert was an investor in an alleged gold mine owned by "Death Valley Scotty." After investing thousands of dollars without seeing an ounce of gold, Albert decided to accompany Scotty on a tour of Death Valley to see his gold mine in person.
Although he never saw the non-existent gold mine, Albert Johnson was enamored with Death Valley and very fond of Scotty. At his wife’s suggestion, Johnson built Death Valley Ranch as a vacation retreat.
Scotty claimed to have built the 2 million dollar desert compound with riches obtained from his gold mine, and Albert Johnson didn’t deny the claim. This is how his vacation home became known as Scotty’s Castle. Eventually the Villa became a tourist attraction. It was a popular destination for the rich and famous who came to see the house built by one of California’s richest gold miners.
There is much more to the intriguing story behind Scotty’s Castle, and the full details of this fascinating tale are revealed in living history exhibits and museum displays inside the house. Guided tours that provide access to the interior of the house are available daily, on the hour.
You can also take a second tour beneath Scotty’s Castle during your visit. The Underground Mysteries tour focuses on the technology that was used in the construction of the home. You’ll visit the basement and tour part of a ¼ mile underground tunnel system that runs beneath the Castle. You’ll also see a Pelton Water Wheel that furnished the Castle with electricity at the time of its construction.
The technology that made this desert compound livable for the Johnsons is surprisingly advanced considering its remote location and the time at which it was built. During the underground tour, you will also see technology used by the National Park Service today to preserve Scotty’s Castle.
Scotty did not reside at the Castle, and Lower Vine Ranch is the home the Johnsons built for him. Lower Vine Ranch is usually closed to the public, but ranger-led tours are held on select dates.
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