Castle Apartments (Whitwell)
721 East Adams St.
This is an apartment building with a castle-like look. The building is old, built in 1906. Originally from 1906-1911 it was the Whitwell hospital and from 1912 to 1924 it was used as a tuberculosis sanitarium. From 1927-1938 the building was the Southern Methodist Hospital.
See The Castle Properties for photos and more information.
Brady Castle
formerly located at 2810 North Sunrock Lane
Demolished in 2010, the castle was called Wuestenschloss by owner William Brady. Wuestenschloss is German for "castle on the desert." This castle was also known as the Sunrock castle. It was often used for Society for Creative Anachronism events.
Brady, a shutter maker, built the castle in 1972. Brady sold this castle in 1977 at an auction when construction tycoon Nazareth Maraback bought the castle as a wedding anniversary present for his wife. Brady tried to back out of the deal, and the construction tycoon never received title on the castle.
After William Brady died in 1981, his wife, Barbara, finally sold the castle to Maraback. Maraback never lived in the building but sold it in 1984. The castle had a couple of additional owners but the structure was neglected and deteriorated.
In the 1990s an attempt was made to restore the castle to become a bed and breakfast called the West Side Castle. The bed and breakfast West Side Castle never succeeded. This castle was torn down in 2010.
International Wildlife Museum
4800 West Gates Pass Road
The former International Wildlife Museum is located right off of Gates Pass Road. The exterior of this building looks like a castle. The museum closed on 12/31/2023.
Agua Verde Castle
Located in Vail.
This is a white castle shaped structure that can be seen from 1-10 and the Colossal Cave. This structure was built in the 1970s by Duane Durham. The building is privately owned.
Sources:
"Comfortable Castle." Arizona Daily Star, December 28, 2004. Page H1.
International Wildlife Museum | thewildlifemuseum.org
"Kingdom of Atenveldt, An Escape to Yesterday." Arizona Daily Star. March 18, 1973. Page E1.
"The vanished castle." Arizona Daily Star. December 13, 2010. Page 1.
"That castle out there in the mountains." Arizona Daily Star. November 17, 1974.
Find the information you need by calling the Library's Infoline at 520-791-4010 or by sending your question to Ask a Librarian.
