Rubel Castle
DETAILS:
Location: 844 N Live Oak Ave. Glendora, CA 91741
Tour Schedule: Tours can be scheduled online at their website (provided below under “resources”) or by calling (626) 963-0419.
First Sunday of the month @ 10:00AM
Second Sunday, Tuesday, and Thursday of the month @ 10:00AM
Third Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday of the month @ 10:00AM
Fourth Saturday of the month @ 10:00AM
Cost: $10 Adults / $5 Children (CASH ONLY)
No children under 8 are allowed.
Time Commitment: The tour lasts approximately 90 minutes
Miscellaneous:
Unfortunately, the Castle is not ADA accessible.
A signed waiver that you can obtain from their website (below under “resources”) is required for entry. They’re pretty serious about this so don’t forget.
Tour groups larger than 12 people must be scheduled separately.
There are certain people throughout history that you’d love to sit down and have a beer with. My list includes the likes of Abraham Lincoln, Neil Armstrong, Oprah, and David Hasselhoff. Another name on that list would be Michael Rubel (1940-2007). A local legend in the city of Glendora, Michael spent his childhood building makeshift forts in his backyard like most young boys, but continued to do so as he got older. In his own words, “I never grew up” and it eventually lead him on a twenty year quest that finally saw the completion of his grand masterpiece in 1986; The Rubel Castle. After dropping out of high school to explore the world for several years (he worked as cowboy in Australia and as a clerk to a Dutch captain aboard a Spanish ship), Michael returned to Southern California a little adrift like most of us are at various points in our adulthood until he finally found his calling in the castle. It was an obsession that would give him purpose for the rest of his life. As it would turn out, it gave purpose to others in the community as well.
Possessing a childlike imagination and a sincere commitment to his cause, Michael endeared himself to most everyone he encountered. He quickly found people by the dozens, if not hundreds, eager to help. Even more surprising, they all volunteered their time freely in order to see Michael’s vision come true. Together they gathered rocks from local canyons, salvaged building materials anywhere they could find it, and collected a treasure-trove of random knick-knacks that nobody else wanted. No single item was wasted as they continued to build. Michael had no formal architectural training (thankfully those with actual knowledge were there to help) much less any sort of blueprint for the castle. To him, the plan was easy: build what he wanted, where he wanted. If a clock tower sounded like a good idea, then a clock tower was erected. If he had a dream about a drawbridge, then a drawbridge was added too. Circular items went over here, square items went over there. It was as simple as that for Michael Rubel.
Nothing about the castle makes any sense. And that’s what makes it so wonderful. You’ll walk throughout the castle on its two acre property, amazed at how any of this can exist nestled off a sleepy residential street in Glendora. The castle exudes a certain serenity despite all its chaos and maybe that’s what give it its ultimate appeal. We could all use a Rubel Castle in our lives. Yes, I would’ve definitely liked to have shared beers with Michael Rubel, but I suspect we would’ve ended up working on the castle instead.
