A man determined to prove his English teacher wrong at the age of 15 built an impressive stone and stained glass castle in Rye, Colorado.
In 1959, Jim Bishop decided to drop out of high school after arguing with his teacher, who told him he would “never amount to anything,” according to Castle. website.
That same year, Jim decided to purchase a two-and-a-half-acre piece of land for $450 with the money he earned delivering newspapers, mowing lawns, and working with his father Willard in their family’s ornamental blacksmith shop.
He convinced his father and mother, Ma Polly, to let him use their savings to purchase the property, while they signed the land agreement.
After building a family cabin on the land with his father over 10 summers, Jim was soon inspired to take on a more ambitious task and build a castle from scratch in 1972.
It took Jim Bishop 60 years to build Bishop Castle in Rye, Colorado, after purchasing a two-and-a-half-acre plot of land for $450 in 1959. (Pictured: the steel dragon he also built on top of the castle)
Jim (pictured) decided to drop out of high school after arguing with his teacher, who told him he would “never amount to anything” before pursuing his vision.
“It originally started as a stone cabin, and you could come and see the stone work that he (Jim’s father) did,” said Dan Bishop, Jim’s son. fox 31.
‘Definitely a different style of rock work from the beginning. “My grandfather was helping for about three years, and when people said it looked like a castle, my dad decided to expand it and my grandfather didn’t want anything to do with it,” he added.
Soon, the one-room stone cottage that Jim built at the age of 25, after marrying his wife Phoebe, was at the center of the sprawling castle that took him 60 years to build.
With an “Eiffel Tower-shaped chimney” attached to the cabin, Jim built this impressive castle all by himself.
Although people offered to help with the massive project, no one showed up to lend a hand, according to the website.
Jim decided to take his frustration and turn it into motivation and built the castle he had always dreamed of.
While building the castle near the “majestic” San Isabel National Forest in southern Colorado, Jim began adopting “spontaneous” ideas for the structure as construction progressed.
While making additions to his castle, Jim also developed a love of exercising, while setting up weights that he lifted after long days of working with mortar and stone.
After building a one-bedroom cabin on his land with his father, Jim decided to build his castle.
Jim used his iron skills to create the railing for the intricate spiral staircase surrounded by thick pieces of stone.
Through his determination to complete his aspiration, Jim ensured that every aspect of his life was balanced.
“This search for balance became an ideal in his journey of self-improvement, evident in his stone work, his body and his mind,” the website reads.
“Through this approach, Jim began to fully visualize his next steps in construction and how everything would fit together on a grand scale.”
Instead of developing plans for the castle in blueprints, handwritten notes or sketches, Jim chose to illustrate his own book, ‘The Building of the Castle from My Point of View’.
Jim chose to illustrate his own book, ‘Castle Building From My Point of View’, which details his 60 year process.
The 47-page book details how he built the “stunning” Bishop Castle which he said was “built by one man with the help of God”.
Some of the tasks Jim participated in to build the monument included welding, scroll bending, felling wood into lumber, lifting heavy stones, digging 12-foot holes, mixing mortar, and more.
According to the website, Jim “handled each and every castle stone an average of six times” before it was finally placed within the Rocky Mountain granite.
On the south side of the castle, Jim put his ironwork skills to the test as he installed iron arches and formwork on the second floor.
He also used his skills to create the railing for the intricate spiral staircase surrounded by thick pieces of stone.
Jim accented the castle with beautiful, sparkling stained glass windows.
Jim decided to allow visitors to explore the magnificent structure for free.
Jim accented the castle with beautiful, sparkling stained glass windows.
As the castle grew larger each day, Jim’s friends began to suggest that he use the structure for profit, but he did not want others to pay to see his hard work.
Instead, the independent builder began inviting people to the castle for free and allowed them to deposit money in the donation box if they wished.
His donation process made Jim feel like he had created a “symbol of American freedom,” even as he became frustrated at not having funds for larger projects within the castle.
Jim’s wife Phoebe decided to set up the non-profit Bishop Castle Charitable Foundation for Newborn Heart Surgery, which helped them maintain the donation box on the property.
The organization was established to help local uninsured families pay young children’s expensive medical bills.
He also created a gift shop for the castle inside the log cabin, which he ran for 13 years.
In the mid-1980s, the castle went a step further and added a dragon made from scraps of stainless steel.
Jim soon began hand-building the “scales” for the dragon sculpture until the dragon was finished that spring.
Jim’s wife Phoebe founded a nonprofit organization in the castle’s name that helps local uninsured families pay young children’s expensive medical bills.
The castle is also used for wedding ceremonies, which the website says can be booked with a ‘suggested donation’ of $500.
The dragon now stands 80 feet high in front of the chimney-shaped Grand Ballroom. Eventually, the dragon was given a fire feature that allowed it to breathe fire with the help of a donated hot air balloon, the website explained.
Today, the three-story castle is filled with bridges, a grand ballroom, towers and spectacular views that have attracted countless tourists.
People can see Jim’s hard work for free and explore the castle on their own, as guided tours are not offered.
Around the castle there are other family activities to participate in, such as camping, horseback riding, hiking and dining.
The castle is also used for wedding ceremonies, which the website says can be booked with a “suggested donation” of $500.