The Bradshaw Mountains

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Located in central Arizona in the Sonoran Desert sits the harsh black rock terrain known as the Bradshaw Mountains.  Named after William Bradshaw, this mountain range consists of an interior forest, to an exterior desert grassland and shrubbery from the Sonoran Desert surrounding the rocks.

(From Wikipedia)  “The first known settlements in the Bradshaw’s were a group of Yavapai Indians called the Kwevkapaya who built forts and mined copper from around AD 1100 to 1600.  Apaches occupied the area around 1800 as a means of keeping white settlers out.  But by 1863, a party led by William Bradshaw was in the area, followed by the Walker party.  In 1864, a group of five white settlers was attacked by Apaches at what is now called Battle Flat.  One of the settlers went for help, but upon his return found the Apaches had left.  The Walker party found gold, and within a few years, the Bradshaw’s were filling up with settlers mining for gold, silver, and copper.  In the early part of the 20^th century, most of the towns that had sprung up were little more than ghost towns.”

Today there are over 40 ghost towns that surround the Bradshaw Mountains.  Along with the cacti, several creatures such as javelinas, mule deer, wild turkey and short-horned lizards make the black rocks and surrounding desert their home.

The Abandoned Dog Track

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As we got off the highway to Black Canyon City, this abandoned dog track caught our eyes.  I wanted to take photos so we drove around to see if there was an entrance to the grounds.  After being harassed by a buzzard and couldn't find an entrance, we went back to the start of the road, parked the car, and got as close as we could to the building.

This once was a thriving greyhound dog racing track.  In 1982 it was closed and has sat abandoned, deteriorating from the harsh Arizona climate.  I just saw it as another beautiful photo opportunity.

That Darn Buzzard

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While cruising the back roads in Black Canyon City, we had a buzzard that appeared to be following us.  We stopped the car and tried to get pictures and a video but he wasn't cooperating.  He finally flew away and got bored of the crazy human ladies.

Mayer's White Cemetery

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Sharon and I had to wait at the cemetery in Mayer for the cemetery crawl contestants to show up.  It snowed most of the time while we were there and the wind was chilly.  This is the first time taking photos of a cemetery with snow on the ground.  It was breathtaking.

Also, don't forget my RedRock Giveaway.

White Tanks

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I was excited to hear that the mountains near my house not only have petroglyphs but are haunted as well.  The White Tank mountain range is located west of Phoenix near the city of Surprise.  They get their name for the white granite near the base of the mountains and its many depressions also known as “tanks”.   It is believed that the range was formed about 30 million years ago by earthquake activities and detaching from a fault line.  Although the peaks of each range are approximately the same altitude, the tallest is Barry Goldwater Peak at 4,083 feet.  The rocky terrain is beautiful but dangerous.  The mountain range consists of jagged ridges, and bottomless canyons where after a rainfall water will build up and run swiftly down the sheer canyons.

 In the mountains you will find the White Tank Mountain Regional Park, an area where many like to visit and hike.   Many of the areas in this park are undeveloped wilderness with many indigenous species roaming around the desert grounds.  Some of the critters you might see while visiting the park are mule deer, coyotes, javelina, small rodents, and on rare occasions, mountain lions.  Some of the birds found in the park are roadrunners and cactus wren, which is the Arizona state bird.  Since the park is in the desert, many reptiles can be found wandering the area as well.   You can take a guided tour and learn all about the animals and plants found in this natural desert preserve.

One of the main reasons I want to visit the mountain range is the numerous petroglyphs found scattered around the mountains and may predate the Hohokam people.  Approximately 11 archaeological sites were recognized along with 7 Hohokam villages.  There are various trails leading to these sites and villages dispersed and marked for your interests.  You can take as many pictures of the sites and petroglyphs, but all they ask is that you don’t touch them.

The mountains also have stories of paranormal activity.  There have been several UFO sightings over the mountain range, but since the White Tanks are located near Luke Air Force Base, many have been dismissed as being something military.  Some people believe that what they saw was not manmade, but something unexplainable.   Along with the UFO sightings, people have reported ghostly figures and other strange phenomena while hiking the mountains.

Tovrea Castle: The Wedding Cake

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On the east side of Phoenix and sitting in the center of several acres is an unusual structure known as “Tovrea Castle”. The shape of the castle resembles a three-tiered wedding cake which could have been constructed by Buddy (Cake Boss) or Duff (Ace of Cakes) and earned the moniker “The Wedding Cake”. Instead of being constructed with cake mixes and fondant, the castle’s materials consist of wood and stucco in an ornate medieval fashion, imitating the styles from the home country of its builder.

In 1928 an Italian immigrant named Alessio Carraro had purchased 277 acres of barren desert land and began the construction of Tovrea Castle. He had great visions of an extraordinary resort with a plush desert garden surrounding the locality and the castle as its centerpiece. With the vision of Russian gardener, Moktachev, they began converting the desolate desert into an amazing desert garden.

It took two years for the creation of the castle to be completed. Soon after construction was finished, Edward Tovrea, who owned land surrounding Carraro’s, opened a meat packing plant nearby. Not happy with Tovrea and other adjoining landowners bring in livestock; Carraro sold the property, along with its remarkable structure, to Tovrea and his wife Della in 1931.

In 1932 Edward Tovrea passed away and Della decided to keep the castle as her permanent home. After she married William Stuart, it became a winter home until after his death. She again lived at the residence full-time until her death in 1969.

After her death, the Tovrea family trust was in charge of the property but neglected any maintenance that was needed causing the place to simply diminish over time. The once beautiful desert gardens were now dying and ignored with the cacti suffering the most damage. Also the deserted castle was in poor shape making the structure unlivable.

In 1993, the City of Phoenix obtained the land and its wedding cake building deeming the place as a historical structure. In 1990, Tovrea Castle and its surrounding land were listed as a historical property and in 1996 added to the National Register of Historic Places.

The castle has been going through restoration while the gardens are being restored to their former glory. Tovrea Castle was to be giving tours and opening its doors to the public in 2009, but because of the economical issues, it has been delayed. Sharon and I are looking into touring the place. As soon as we do, we will share our pictures, videos and story. BTW, I hear the place may be haunted.

Keep Out!

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On the outside...

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Inside Mystery Castle

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If you thought the outside had a bizarre mix of materials making up the facade of the castle, check out the wacky rooms inside.

unusual guests

desert critter shoes

creepy bunny costume

guest bedroom

Lady of the house

child size armor

the alter

the music room

the bar

antiques in the bar

apparently they partied too much

the bar

have a seat

Humm, I don't recall seeing a bathroom.

Mystery Castle: A Bizarre Find

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From the foothills of South Mountain an odd looking structure is seen perched above. We drove down a small dirt road to find a bit of a scattered parking lot. After parking between a rock and a cactus, we walked up the path towards the remarkable entrance.

One of the things you will take note of is the attention-grabbing way it looks somewhat like a castle, a fort, and cabin all rolled into one amazing structure. You can’t miss the long wood balcony, and the peculiarly placed turrets and parapets. The first thing you see is an old wooden wagon wheel built into a wall. You just know that this place is going to more than some boring tourist trap.

I have to say I was blown away by all the materials that were used to create this place known as “Mystery Castle”. We waited a few minutes before the guide whisked us upstairs for the tour. They started with the history of this rather unique place.

In 1930, Boyce Luther Gulley was diagnosed with tuberculosis, left his wife and daughter in Seattle, Washington, and headed southwest to Arizona. Selfishly, he never told them of the disease and disappeared without a trace. It would be 15 years before Mary Lou Gulley and her mother would find out what happen to their missing loved one. An Arizona lawyer sent them word that Boyce had passed away. Imagine their shock to find out that he had been living in Arizona this whole time when they assumed he was dead.

One of Mary Lou’s vague memories of her father was when she was a small child at the beach and making sand castles together. She asked him to build her a large castle that was strong and one she could live in. It would be many years later before she would see that promised fulfilled. He built the strange castle on the mountain near his mining claim with his little girl in mind.

As soon as Mary Lou and her Mother found out about the castle, they moved to Arizona to live there. According to her father’s will, they had to live in the castle at least three years. After the three years, they were able to open the trapdoor which had some interesting treasures hidden there. To their surprise, buried under the floorboards were two $500 bills, gold nuggets, and a Valentine’s Day card. Mary Lou was touched because she made the card for him when she was a little girl and he saved it all these years. It wasn’t long before she fell in love with her castle. She still lives in a small house behind the castle and gives tours during the time of year when the weather is cooler in Arizona.

Not only is the story of how this castle came about interesting, but all the unusual materials the castle was constructed from is out of the ordinary too. The castle is approximately 8,000 square feet with 18 rooms. These rooms consist of a caretaker’s quarters, a bar, a chapel, thirteen fireplaces, and a wishing well. He used river rock, recycled materials such as railroad ties, unused telephone poles, discarded metals, copper, various types of glass, old car parts and furniture from abandoned structures. When you visit the castle today, it still looks the same as the day that Boyce built it.

These are just outside pictures of the castle, I will show inside pictures on my next post.