Bishop's Castle

Just down the highway from San Isabel Reservoir in Rye, Colorado, Bishop's Castle is one of the most bizarre roadside attractions I've ever seen. 

Built entirely by hand, the castle is a monument to its eccentric and fiercely independent builder, Jim Bishop, who began construction in 1969.  

I first visited Bishop's Castle in Rye, Colorado, when I was eleven or twelve in the late 1970s.  Bishop was still hard at work on the castle then and would continue well into the late 1990s.  

The castle now stands at 160 feet tall, or 16 stories---all built by hand.  

Hundreds of thousands of visitors come to see (and climb all over) the castle every year, but Bishop has never charged any fees to visit it.  He remembered how, as a poor kid, he was often unable to enjoy some attractions because he couldn't afford them, so he never wanted anyone to be denied the chance to enjoy his creation.  

Instead, the Castle Foundation relies entirely on donations and sales from its gift shop to continue construction, repairs, etc., in Bishop's name.  

Here is a photo from my visit to the Castle in July: 

If you were wondering, the dragon head can breathe fire, even though I didn't see it in action. 

After climbing up as high as I dared onto the castle's turrets, I explored many of the castle's rooms, took all the obligatory photos that tourists take when they visit, and then descended to visit the gift shop. 

I lingered longer than planned because I found a nice, shady bench. I could also use the Wi-Fi, which was a welcome surprise because I'd been without cell service for two days.  

As I sat there people-watching and gazing up at the castle, I was struck by a few things. 

First, I considered the eccentric builder and his decades-long obsession with creating something outside the norm.  He'd not been without his detractors over the years; that much was obvious.  

Bishop's hand-painted rants and manifestos about government interference, fire bans, safety concerns, and the like were hung all throughout the grounds.  They definitely seemed unhinged, paranoid even.  

Yet, despite all of this, Bishop spent his life creating something strangely beautiful that brought joy, wonder, incredulity, and more than a few memorable moments to millions of people over the years.  

Sitting on my bench the day of my visit, I was strangely moved by the whole thing.  I also wondered what it would be like to be as singularly focused on the passions of my own heart.  

What kind of "castle" am I building? I asked myself in that moment. 

It's a question worth pursuing, isn't it? What God-given talents are we employing in our everyday lives to build a legacy for those who come after us?  Is this even something that we consider?  Or are we too wrapped up in our lives that we miss out on opportunities to make the world a better place?

Imagine what kind of world we could make if we gave ourselves over with passion and focus to create a more just, peaceful, harmonious, and joy-filled society?  

Some might think that's a crazy notion, but I think it's "crazy beautiful" and worth our effort, time, and energy, no matter what the detractors might think.  

May it be so.  And may the grace and peace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with us all, now and forever. Amen.