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Show -Y : jYH( v : Y . "" ' YYx ' , ; YY - Y-f w:A Y' ' A fc YY!y fSw Aa Y- jY k ... f "I'f Y' -i' Y WiH Y 1 ; Photo by Jack Hill , SCOTTY'S CASTLE Located in Grapevine Canyon in Death Valley, Calif. Get to see it. Death Valley ... Scotty Didn't Build Castle tinkering and so the Castle includes in-cludes numerous examples of his inventive mind. One of the first solar water heater sits on a south facing hill. He designed the power plant, had three organs installed, including a player pipe organ in a special music room and designed an elaborate landscape layout to enhance this oasis in the desert. FIREWOOD In 1928 when the Bullfrog Goldfield Railroad went out of business, Johnson bought 100,000 cross ties for $1,500 dollars and then paid $25,000 thousand dollars to have them trucked to the ranch ran-ch where most of them are still stacked. Escaping the horrible winters win-ters in Chicago, Johnson loved to spend several weeks at the ranch and his favorite way to spend the evening was sitting with Scotty in two big leather chairs while the master storyteller entertained the group. When the Great Depression struck, Johnson, like many other millionaires suddenly found himself of modest means. Hence the swimming pool and much of the landscaping lan-dscaping were never finished. Up to 1960, a motel was operated at the ranch, but demand became so great that the motel 'operations were suspended and the Castle is operated today by the National Park Service. On a hill, a few hundred feet above the Castle, Death Valley Scotty is buried. A brass placque gives the following that is attributed to Scotty. "I have four things to live by. Don't say nothing that will hurt anybody. Don't give advice, no one will take it anyway. Don't complain. Don't explain." by Jack Hill Dressed in a blue shirt, red tie and white stetson, Death Valley Scotty (real name, Walter Scott) became the best known prospector in Death Valley. His ability as a storyteller was second to none, although he frequently failed to distinguish between truth and fantasy. By chance, Scotty met Albert Johnson, insurance millionaire from Chicago and convinced Johnson that he would "strike it big" in Death Valley. Johnson staked him to several thousand dollars that the salty prospector promptly "blew" in the minning camps, claiming he had "struck it." When word got back to Johnson of what Scotty was up too, the Chicago millionaire insisted that Scotty show him the "strike." Thinking that a week in Death Valley would discourage the city dude, Scotty took him on 'a wandering journey through that hostile area only to have Johnson ask for more. That was in 1909. For several years after, Scotty and Johnson spent weeks each winter exploring the Valley that got its name in 1849 when a group of immigrants perished there. A favorite spot was Grapevine Canyon that runs downhill from the Nevada border. Johnson fell in love with the spot, acquired 1500 acres downstream from a 200 gallon a minute spring and named it Death Valley Ranch. Using his millions from the insurance business, Johnson began construction in 1922 of what is known today as Scotty 's Castle. It's an ornate Spanish Mansion with a huge, unfinished swimming pool flanked by a chime tower and castle like power plant. Water was piped from the spring to turn a Pelton wheel, providing electricity and running water to the house. This included water running over rock walls in the house to help cool it during the summer. A solarium, with windows designed to capture the suns rays all day, was built for winter win-ter use. Johnson was trained as an engineer but a back injury forced him to turn to insurance. insur-ance. He never lost his love for |
