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Shea's Castle
"Shea Desert Castle Sold," Los Angeles Times, 25 Mar 1935 (colorized)
Shea's Castle is also referred to as Sky Castle or Castle Ranch and can be found in Antelope Valley in California near Lancaster. In 1924, developer Richard Peter Shea built the castle to be a replica of an Irish castle, representing Shea heritage. He built it in the hope that the dry climate would cure his wife Ellen's failing health.
The castle features eight bedrooms and seven and a half bathrooms constructed from solid granite quarried from the property. The estate once totalled nearly 1,500 acres and included an artificial lake and stables designed to resemble a castle.
After the 1929 stock market crash, Shea was ruined and the bank took over the property. Following Ellen's death in 1932, Shea committed suicide. Over the years, the castle has changed hands numerous times, having numerous owners and renters, which include Thomas Stewart Lee, heir to the Don Lee Network, and entertainer Roy Rogers, who trained his horse Trigger on the grounds.
Shea's Castle has also served as a filming location for several movies and television shows, such as "Blood of Dracula's Castle" (1967), "Buffy the Vampire Slayer," and "Babylon" (2022).
Currently, Shea's Castle remains a private residence. Visitors are advised to respect the privacy of the owners and not to approach the property without permission.
