Scotty's Castle (5 pix)

[thomascanty]

In northern Death Valley.

On the walkway between the two castle wings. The cross on the hill above the roof marks the grave of Death Valley Scotty.
http://www.ldphotography.net/cdpf/scottyscastle01.jpg
Canon EOS 20D, Canon EF 17-40 f/4L @ 17mm, 1/250s, f/10, ISO 100

A cart of some kind, just west of the bell tower:
http://www.ldphotography.net/cdpf/scottyscastle02.jpg
Canon EOS 20D, Canon EF 24-70 f/2.8L @ 24mm, 1/320s, f/9, ISO 100

Ashley, next to a collection of abandoned cars:
http://www.ldphotography.net/cdpf/scottyscastle03.jpg
Canon EOS 20D, Canon EF 24-70 f/2.8L @ 24mm, 1/320s, f/9, ISO 100

Looking through a car window at the bell tower:
http://www.ldphotography.net/cdpf/scottyscastle04.jpg
Canon EOS 20D, Canon EF 24-70 f/2.8L @ 28mm, 1/125s, f/9, ISO 100, Canon Speedlite 580EX and Lumiquest Softbox

The view of the castle from the bell tower:
http://www.ldphotography.net/cdpf/scottyscastle05.jpg
Canon EOS 20D, Canon EF 24-70 f/2.8L @ 24mm, 1/250s, f/10, ISO 100

[stoneylonesome]

Beautiful shots; When was this built, and when did Death Valley Scotty die, I think I remember seeing something about this castle. :confused:

[freddycr]

Very sharp ;)

[ssim]

I really enjoy your posts. The images of the old buildings, cars, etc are very good. Thanks for sharing them. They're great.

[Mills]

Great shots. If you have a chance, could you please tell us a little about Death Valley Scotty? Just curious as I share his name.

[thomascanty]

Thanks for the comments, everyone!

Sandy and mills:
Walter Scott, known as Death Valley Scotty, lived from 1872 to 1954. He's buried with his dog Windy on the hill overlooking the castle that bears his name. He didn't build it though, and never owned it. It was built by a man named Albert Johnson.

Scotty was a con-artist and sometimes cowboy in Buffalo Bill Cody's Wild West Show. He claimed to have found a gold vein in Death Valley and convinced a few rich people back east to invest in it. There was no mine. He was fleecing them. He would keep writing back asking for more money saying a flash flood had wiped out his equipment or a landslide washed it away. If they wanted to see a sample of the ore he would claim to have sent it to them and that the wagon was attacked by Indians and everything was stolen.

One of his investors, Albert Johnson, an insurance magnate, finally decided to go there and see the mine in person. He found out that it didn't exist, but he also fell in love with Death Valley and for some reason befriended Scotty, who had been ripping him off. Albert and his wife Bessie visited the area every winter, but Bessie didn't like camping or the cramped quarters in Scotty's cabin, so she asked Albert to build her a house.

He ended up spending $2,000,000 (during the depression!) building this mansion until one day in 1931 when there was a knock at the door. It was a government agent who informed him that a surveying party had just discovered that the land Mr. Johnson had bought was actually a mile southeast of there. He had built his mansion on government property because his maps were screwed up. Construction stopped immediately. Six years later he finally managed to acquire the land under his mansion via a "landslide grant" quietly passed through Congress for a fee of $1.25, but he never resumed construction, so there are some incomplete parts of the estate (like the enormous swimming pool and the garden area).

The house came to be known as Scotty's Castle because Scotty, ever the con-man, told everyone it was his and that he had built it with the proceeds from his (non-existent) mine. Mr. Johnson didn't care if anyone knew the truth so he just played along with Scotty's story. If anyone asked him who he was he would just reply "I'm Scotty's banker."

[thomascanty]

I guess, since I have a thread about the castle, I should actually have a picture OF the castle's entrance in here... Here it is:

http://www.ldphotography.net/cdpf/scottyscastle06.jpg

[sparker1]

Very enjoyable thread, as were all the other DV posts. Thanks again, Lonnie.

[Michaelmjc]

Great color, nice shots.

[MarkoPolo]

Wow, great pictures and a history lesson too!