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  Welcome to Backcountry Explorers

Scotty's Castle


Scotty's Castle, Death Valley

GPS:  37.032211°​, -117.340951°

Front of Scotty's Castle
Picture
Walter Scott "Death Valley Scotty" Courtesy of California State Library
Scotty's Castle also known as Death Valley Ranch, is a two-story mission revival and Spanish colonial revival style villa located in the Grapevine Mountains of northern Death Valley. "Scotty's Castle" is named for gold prospector Walter E. Scott, although Scott never owned it, nor is it an actual castle. The ranch is located about 45 miles north of Stovepipe Wells, California, via California State Route 190 to Scotty's Castle Road, or about a three-hour drive from Las Vegas, Nevada.

​Special Alert:​ The property is currently closed, due to flood damage in October of 2015 and is planned to reopen in 2020.
History
Construction began on Scotty's Castle in 1922, and cost between $1.5 and $2.5 million. Prospector, performer, and con man Walter Scott, also known as “Death Valley Scotty,” convinced Chicago millionaire Albert Mussey Johnson to invest in his gold mine in the Death Valley area. Though initially angered when the mine turned out to be fraudulent, Johnson was fascinated with the colorful Scott and the two men struck up an unlikely friendship. By 1937, Johnson had acquired more than 1,500 acres in Grapevine Canyon, where the ranch is located.

It was Mrs. Johnson's idea to build something comfortable for their vacations in the area, and the villa eventually became a winter home. Unknown to the Johnsons, the initial survey was incorrect, and the land they built Death Valley Ranch on was actually government land; their land was farther up Grapevine Canyon. Construction halted as they resolved this mistake, but before it could resume, the stock market crashed in 1929, making it difficult for Johnson to finish construction. Having lost a considerable amount of money, the Johnsons used the Death Valley Ranch to produce income by letting rooms out, upon the suggestion of Scott.

​The Johnsons died without heirs and had hoped that the National Park Service would purchase the property, and in 1970, the National Park Service purchased the villa for $850,000. Walter Scott, died in 1954 and was buried on the hill overlooking Scotty's Castle next to a beloved dog.

Water and electricity
The springs of Grapevine Canyon provided the water supply for the ranch and were used to generate electricity. The springs, located about 300 feet (91 m) higher than the villa, generated enough water flow and pressure to turn a Pelton wheel, which ran the generator that furnished the villa's electricity. The power was regulated and backed up by the large bank of nickel–iron batteries in the house's tunnels. The springs provided enough water to meet all the needs of the ranch, with enough left for other uses.
A water fountain was constructed in the Great Hall, where water dripped down a rock face creating evaporative cooling and into a catch basin for recirculation. A 1930s solar hot water heater, much larger than today's solar water heaters, is near the main house, and a large stock of railroad ties salvaged from the Tonopah and Tidewater Railroad is in the area.

Tours
Approximately 100,000 people tour the villa each year. The Johnsons' original furnishings and clothing can still be seen today. The U.S. National Park Service gives guided tours of Scotty's Castle for a fee. Park rangers dress in 1930s style clothes to help take the visitor back in time. During the tour, guests are treated to the sounds of a 1,121-pipe Welte theater organ. An underground mystery tour is also available for those wishing to see the inner workings of the building. One-quarter mile of tunnels run under the building, where visitors can visit the powerhouse and see thousands of tiles that were to be used for the never-finished swimming pool. The tunnels also contain hundreds of nickel-iron battery cells, used to regulate power and provide backup power.


This text taken in part from Scotty's Castle by multiply authors and is licensed under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License


Scotty's Castle view from overlooking the pool
Scotty's Castle with pool in for ground
Gate into inner court yard
Gate into inner courtyard
Owners initials on court yard gate
Welte Theatre organ used to entertain guests
Welte Theatre organ used to entertain guests
Main living area of Scotty's Castle
Main living area
Main living room freplace
Main living room fire place
Ornate sea horse exterior door handle.
Ornate sea horse exterior door handle.
Scotty's 1936 Dodge commercial car
Scotty's 1936 Dodge commercial car
Hulk oldsmobile
railroad ties salvaged from the Tonopah and Tidewater Railroad
Railroad ties salvaged from the Tonopah and Tidewater Railroad
Park ranger in 1930's uniform
Park ranger in 1930's uniform
Relic automobiles sitting outdoors
P.T. Barnum photo in Scotty's room with Scotty's hat and ties.
P.T. Barnum photo in Scotty's room with Scotty's hat and ties.
Hand crank sewing machine
Hand crank sewing machine
Picture
Castle clock tower from the distance.
Castle clock tower
Courtyard gate hinge at Scotty's castle
Court yard gate hinge
Looking up at stairwell inside clock tower.
Stairway inside clock tower of Scotty's Castle
Bed Room
Bedroom
Lighting in castle
rifle collection
Rifle collection
Large wooden door going into power house
1933 Packard
1933 Packard
1933 packard from front
1933 Packard
Picture
Abandoned truck
Electrical room
Electrical room
Dining area with dishes
Dining area with dishes
Curved tile roofline in black and white.
Desk and typewriter
Resources:
Death Valley National Park (National Geographic Trails Illustrated Map)

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  • Home
  • Our Adventures
    • Death Valley >
      • Artist Drive, Death Valley
      • Badwater, Death Valley
      • Ballarat Ghost Town, Death Valley
      • Broken Pick mine, Death Valley
      • Charcoal Kilns, Death Valley
      • Charles Manson Hide Out Barker Ranch, Death Valley
      • Chloride Cliffs, Death Valley
      • Corona Mine, Death Valley
      • Crater Sulfur Mine, Death Valley
      • Devils Golf Course, Death Valley
      • Geologist Cabin, Death Valley
      • Harmony Borax works, Death Valley
      • Ibex Springs Talc Mine, Death Valley
      • Inyo Mine, Death Valley
      • Keane Wonder Mine, Death Valley
      • Keystone Mine, Death Valley
      • Lost Burro Mine, Death Valley
      • Marble Bath, Death Valley
      • Mesquite Flat Sand Dunes, Death Valley
      • Morning Glory Mine Camp, Death Valley
      • Racetrack, Death Valley
      • Rhyolite, Nevada
      • Russell Camp, Death Valley
      • Ryan, Death Valley
      • Scotty's Castle, Death Valley
      • Skidoo Ghost Town, Death Valley
      • Stella's - Mengel Cabin, Death Valley
      • Teakettle Junction, Death Valley
      • Titus Canyon, Death Valley
      • Ubehebe Crater, Death Valley
      • Warm Springs, Death Valley
      • Zabriskie Point, Death Valley
    • California Gold Country >
      • Alleghany, California
      • Big Springs, highway 49
      • Downieville, California
      • Forest City
      • Kenton Mine
      • Kentucky Mine and Museum
      • Love Falls Yuba River
      • Mountain House Henness Pass
      • Oregon Creek Covered Bridge
      • Poker Flat
      • Sierra Buttes Mine
      • Sierra City, Ca
      • Young America Mine
  • Story Blog
  • Our Company
  • Support