Businessman. Albert Mussey Johnson gained renown as the millionaire who built "Scotty's Castle" in Death Valley, in the Mojave Desert in eastern California. His father, Albert Harrison Johnson, was a wealthy banker and a railroad investor. His grandfather, a devote Presbyterian, founded Oberlin College, which Johnson attended before transferring to Cornell University in New York City, graduating in 1895. The next year he married the daughter of a wealthy California supplier of nuts and fruits. He successfully invested $40,000, which was a loan from his father, in a zinc and lead mine in Missouri, thus beginning his wealth. Looking for more investments, he and his father traveled west to Colorado. While on the trip in December of 1899 in Chaffee County, the train on which they were passengers was rammed from behind by another train. Johnson's father was killed instantly in his sleep. Johnson suffered a broken back and pelvis, with a poor prognosis of becoming a paraplegic, but he eventually recovered with limitations. He walked with a limp, had to manage his urinary output by catheterization, and had chronic pain for the rest of his life. After inheriting all of his father's businesses, he relocated to Chicago in 1902. His father's partner joined him in purchasing the bankrupted National Life Insurance Company, and successfully resuscitated the business. For many years he served as the president of National Life Insurance, earning $1,000,000 annually. In 1904, he and his partner became involved with Walter Scott and his claim of a lost gold mine in Death Valley. Beginning with a "grubstake" of $2,500, "Death Valley Scotty" began swindling Johnson and other investors that Johnson brought to Death Valley. With no gold found by 1906, all investors except Johnson had abandoned Scott and his claim of gold. By 1909 Johnson realized there was no gold mine, yet he enjoyed visiting Scott and Death Valley. Over the years, he had purchased land in Death Valley. By 1927 he had built a $2,500,000 two-story Spanish Revival mansion with a chime tower and a swimming pool on a 1,500-acre ranch, where Scott became a permanent guest. After construction had started in 1922, it was learned that they were actually building on federal land instead of the property he had purchased, but that was resolved. When the stock market crash of 1929 occurred, the home was not fully completed, and at Scott's suggestion, Johnson placed rooms in "Scotty's Castle" for rent to give him an income. Well-known guests such as Betty Grable, Will Rogers, and Norman Rockwell came for a visit. The lavish house featured heavy wood ceiling, hand-wrought iron railings, imported tile for floors and roof, finely woven tapestries, European custom-made furniture and a 1,121-pipe theater organ. In April of 1943, his wife was killed in an auto accident; he was driving the car. Dying from cancer five years later, Johnson died without heirs, and he willed the castle to the Gospel Foundation of California, a charity organization that Johnson started in the 1940s. The Gospel Foundation provided for Scott for the rest of his life, and he was buried on the property. The Death Valley National Park purchased the property in the 1970s, opening the house for public tours. Walter Scott never owned "Scotty's Castle," and the unfinished house was never a castle.

Businessman. Albert Mussey Johnson gained renown as the millionaire who built "Scotty's Castle" in Death Valley, in the Mojave Desert in eastern California. His father, Albert Harrison Johnson, was a wealthy banker and a railroad investor. His grandfather, a devote Presbyterian, founded Oberlin College, which Johnson attended before transferring to Cornell University in New York City, graduating in 1895. The next year he married the daughter of a wealthy California supplier of nuts and fruits. He successfully invested $40,000, which was a loan from his father, in a zinc and lead mine in Missouri, thus beginning his wealth. Looking for more investments, he and his father traveled west to Colorado. While on the trip in December of 1899 in Chaffee County, the train on which they were passengers was rammed from behind by another train. Johnson's father was killed instantly in his sleep. Johnson suffered a broken back and pelvis, with a poor prognosis of becoming a paraplegic, but he eventually recovered with limitations. He walked with a limp, had to manage his urinary output by catheterization, and had chronic pain for the rest of his life. After inheriting all of his father's businesses, he relocated to Chicago in 1902. His father's partner joined him in purchasing the bankrupted National Life Insurance Company, and successfully resuscitated the business. For many years he served as the president of National Life Insurance, earning $1,000,000 annually. In 1904, he and his partner became involved with Walter Scott and his claim of a lost gold mine in Death Valley. Beginning with a "grubstake" of $2,500, "Death Valley Scotty" began swindling Johnson and other investors that Johnson brought to Death Valley. With no gold found by 1906, all investors except Johnson had abandoned Scott and his claim of gold. By 1909 Johnson realized there was no gold mine, yet he enjoyed visiting Scott and Death Valley. Over the years, he had purchased land in Death Valley. By 1927 he had built a $2,500,000 two-story Spanish Revival mansion with a chime tower and a swimming pool on a 1,500-acre ranch, where Scott became a permanent guest. After construction had started in 1922, it was learned that they were actually building on federal land instead of the property he had purchased, but that was resolved. When the stock market crash of 1929 occurred, the home was not fully completed, and at Scott's suggestion, Johnson placed rooms in "Scotty's Castle" for rent to give him an income. Well-known guests such as Betty Grable, Will Rogers, and Norman Rockwell came for a visit. The lavish house featured heavy wood ceiling, hand-wrought iron railings, imported tile for floors and roof, finely woven tapestries, European custom-made furniture and a 1,121-pipe theater organ. In April of 1943, his wife was killed in an auto accident; he was driving the car. Dying from cancer five years later, Johnson died without heirs, and he willed the castle to the Gospel Foundation of California, a charity organization that Johnson started in the 1940s. The Gospel Foundation provided for Scott for the rest of his life, and he was buried on the property. The Death Valley National Park purchased the property in the 1970s, opening the house for public tours. Walter Scott never owned "Scotty's Castle," and the unfinished house was never a castle.

Bio by: Linda Davis