A New Life for Mystery Castle: Phoenix Icon Finds a Preservation-Focused Future

Great news for one of Phoenix's most beloved landmarks: the Mystery Castle has a new owner with a clear commitment to its preservation and long-term future.

The Mystery Castle Historical Foundation has sold the property to Harrell Family of Companies, a preservation-focused investor and real estate development team with a track record of successful rehabilitation projects. The new owner has made a commitment to preserve the Mystery Castle while creating a destination event venue – one that will allow new generations of Phoenicians to experience this irreplaceable piece of Phoenix history.

A Long Road to This Moment

Built in the 1930s by Boyce Luther Gulley for his daughter Mary Lou, the Mystery Castle is a nationally recognized example of folk architecture, situated in the heart of South Phoenix abutting South Mountain Park & Preserve. In recent years, vandalism, harsh weather, and the passage of time forced the Castle to close to the public in 2022 – a loss felt deeply by the Phoenix community.

Friends of Mystery Castle, a task force of Preserve Phoenix, worked hard to bring national attention to the Castle's threatened condition. Those efforts paid off in a significant way when the National Trust for Historic Preservation placed the Mystery Castle on its prestigious 11 Most Endangered Historic Places list in 2025.

A Thorough, Community-Driven Process

The selection of Harrell Family of Companies was no accident. Following community input gathered at the November 2025 Mystery Castle Community Forum, the Friends of Mystery Castle Task Force undertook an intensive exploration of preservation, development, and property management options. Non-profit organizations and private investor-development teams alike were evaluated for their aligned vision, financial capacity, successful rehabilitation track records, and ability to sustain the property over the long term. The result is a partnership we believe gives the Mystery Castle its best path forward.

Join Us: Community Forum on May 2nd

The conversation isn't over – it's just beginning. We invite you to join us for a Community Forum:

• "A New Life for the Mystery Castle"

• Saturday, May 2, 2026

• 2–4 PM

• South Mountain Community Library – Community Room

• 7050 S. 24th Street, Phoenix, AZ

Erick Harrell of Harrell Family of Companies will present his plans for preserving the Mystery Castle and the phased development of the property as a destination event venue, followed by an open Q&A discussion. This is your opportunity to engage directly with Erick and his team, ask your questions, and be part of the next chapter of this Phoenix icon's story.

We look forward to seeing you there.