Mt. Woodson Castle

Mt. Woodson Castle was completed in 1920 as a private home, built over more than a decade by San Diego designer Amy Strong. She chose stone straight from the slopes of Mt. Woodson and used eucalyptus, oak, and redwood cut on the property. The adobe brick on the second story was formed on-site from local clay, and the roof tiles are believed to have come from the old San Gabriel Mission. No chalk lines were used during construction, so the floors and rooflines aren't perfectly straight, which is exactly what gives the estate its character. Today the 12,000-square-foot, 27-room estate has 4-foot-thick walls, four fireplaces, and a Great Hall with a 16-foot ceiling. A working windmill that once pumped water from natural springs still stands on the grounds.