Scotty's Castle

Death Valley National Park

We all need a good-natured scoundrel in our lives.  A Han Solo or a Sawyer from Lost.  A bad boy with a heart of gold.  Why?  Because they make life so darn fun.  That's what Albert Johnson concluded when he realized Walter Scott had swindled him out of thousands upon thousands of dollars, hard earned money he had poured into Scotty's non-existent gold mine.  But then, he saw himself as a boring insurance executive from the Midwest and he was in chronic pain from an old injury.  Scotty may have lightened his load financially, but he provided relief for a man in dire need of escape.

  The relationship between these two men is a true Odd Couple story.  Scotty was a showman, an ex-cowboy and a performer in Buffalo Bill's Wild West Show.  When Johnson and his wife decided to build this beautiful home in Death Valley in 1922,  Scotty continued to tell everyone he was financing it himself from yet another secret gold mine.  Johnson kept mum and actually decided to befriend this scoundrel.  "I'm Scotty's banker," he told visitors.  Many of them had no idea he was the real owner-- a millionaire and successful businessman, to boot.  It was all about Scotty.

My travel buddy and I took the Living History Tour of the mansion, and I highly recommend it.  The rangers who conduct the tours are showmen themselves.  Our guide dressed in a period costume and enthralled us with stories as we walked through the exquisitely appointed rooms.  Mrs. Johnson came from money, was educated at Stanford, and demanded (and could afford) the best.  The house is filled with carpets and tiles from Spain, art from Italy and an extensive collection of Native American baskets.

Scotty's Bedroom

Scotty had his own bedroom just off the living room but because Mrs. Johnson would not allow him to smoke or drink in her home, he rarely slept here, preferring to exit through the back door and stay in the cabins for the hired hands.  He did, however, eat with the Johnsons almost every night and entertained them and their guests with outlandish tales of his exploits, both real and imagined.  The house was officially called "Death Valley Ranch" but, of course, became known as "Scotty's Castle."

I have great respect for Albert Johnson.  He let his companion claim all the glory and even the title for one of the most exquisite properties in the West.  In a way, he intrigued me more than Scotty himself.  Self-assured, yet self-deprecating, generous to a fault, a stoic and ultimately, a man who simply loved a good story.