Part 7:  Scotty's Castle

20120323

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The Trip

After a windy night at Mesquite Springs, we broke camp and headed out to see Scotty's Castle and Ubehebe Crater.  From there, the plan was to go to the Racetrack and then Hunter Mountain.

The Photos

The photos below are what we saw.

Our first view of Scotty's Castle.  Quite a place particularly since it was totally in the boondocks when it was built.  Actually, it is STILL in the boondocks

The park service offers paid tours of the castle.  Above, the group assembles outside prior to the "inside" tour.

Note the fine stone work and the hand carved wooden door.

The original name of the place was the Death Valley Ranch.

The courtyard of the castle.  Note the detailed iron work in the gate and the window guards.  The clock tower in the rear was part of the power house building.

Inside, our guide starts his description of the internals of the castle.  The guides were dressed as 1930's reporters.

A detail of the furniture in the living room.

Hand carved beams in the ceiling and and hand made iron chandelier.

The NPS had contractors fabricate braces for the main beams in the ceiling.

Leather couches and intricate iron work on the door.

Another view of the living room.

There was a nice collection of antique firearms at he castle.

Furniture in one of the sitting rooms.

This device was a joke: it was described as a method of diverting buckshot from a shotgun to kill attackers at the windows and doors with one shot.

One of the many nice fireplaces.  This one had nice intricate tile.  The photos on the mantle were Walter Scott (Scotty) and Mr. Johnson the owner of the castle.

This room was originally the library, now it is billed as the dining room.


Another view of the dining room.

The warming kitchen.  The actual food was prepared in another building and carted to this kitchen.  This stove was propane powered before propane was popular.

Via the balcony, you could get a nice view of the living room including the massive fire place.

Another special purpose room.

The theater area that also has a piano, and a pipe organ.  Note the hand carved beams.

A nice hand carved door.


The organ in the theater.

Another massive fireplace.

A parting shot of the clock tower at Scotty's Castle.


From Scotty's Castle, we headed north to Ubehebe Crater, the Racetrack and Hunter Mountain.

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Photos and Text Copyright Bill Caid 2012, all rights reserved.
For your enjoyment only, not for commercial use.