Rubel Castle

Our car club visited this historical site today.
It was every bit as interesting as everyone says it is.
I had never had the pleasure of seeing it before, and I was not disappointed.
There was so much history and interesting dwellings to look at.
The «castle» was built inside of a huge concrete water tank.
The owner’s life’s work was made here at this site.
We had a great docent who knew the owner and had lots of stories to tell. The tour began at 10 AM and finally finished at about 1:00 PM. Eat before you go.
Not for people with disabilities. There are no ramps and you walk in uneven areas. Some areas you simply would have a tough time getting through in a wheelchair or with a walker/​cane.
To think that most of the buildings were made with recycled materials… bottles, cans, plastic gloves, concrete, rocks, tin, metals, old engines, toasters, wheels… etc. These items were interesting to see embedded in the concrete walls amongst the river rock walls. There is a railroad car and other old cars housed on the premises. The owner lived in the refrigerator room of an old citrus packing house… WOW.
Fun. It would be great for a Halloween event…

Shout out to Steve, our superlative docent who had all 20 of us in stitches during the three hour tour. For a ten dollar donation you get to pet beautiful horses, gawk at the free range chickens and see some really cool and eclectic stuff. Thanks Steve!

Loved this quirky place. Mr. Rubel reminded me of the fellows who built Watts Towers, Salvation Mountain, Fresno gardens. Great tour with history and personal anecdotes. A real treasure.

I learned about this place from a rebroadcast of Huell hauser’s California Gold. My buddy and I were instructed to call to make reservations two weeks in advance and we paid cash for the tour when we arrived.
Our tour guide showed us around and offered detailed info whenever questioned.

My kids have all been on the school tour. They were all amazed. My daughter went a few months back and said it was almost as good as a Disneyland tour. I used to go trip on the place in Hugh school. It’s awesome

A neat place that a lot of people don’t know about. We had a female docent (I think her name was Vicky), but she was great and really nice. The tour begins promptly at 10am and have cash on hand to pay for the tour. They don’t allow any food in there, so definitely grab a bite to eat before your tour. You’ll be on your feet most of the time. Our tour had less than 20 people, so it was a good sized group.
It was fun learning about the history of Rubel, seeing the different parts of the castle, the materials used to make the building, as well as other things that are on the property that Rubel collected.

My grandparents were friends with Mr. Rubel himself. I remember the inside of his castle, being in the living quarters many times and petting his dogs while sitting with his, then, long time girlfriend. He was the sweetest man and the castle was definitely a highlight of my childhood. My great grandfather has a memorial «headstone» in his cemetary. I will be taking my kids here in the near future.

After seeing Rubel Castle featured on either California’s Gold, or Visiting with Huell Howser, we had to visit it. Talk about quirky, what an interesting place! It’s certainly worth seeing once. Our docent, Ruann, was excellent! She did mention that in 2014 they’re going to start having tours on Sat & Sun. I’d definitely recommend it

Came for the 10 am tour yesterday and was surprised to see a big group of people. I really thought it would just be a small handful of people since this tour was on a weekday. But anyways, I am so glad that I got a chance to come for a tour of the Rubel Castle.
Our tour guide, Richard Macy, (docent) just happened to be very good friends with the creator of the castle, Michael Rubel. He did an amazing job of telling the group numerous of stories about Michael Rubel and the reason behind his decision making. Huell Howser came back here in 1990 to check out the Rubel Castle and then back again sometime in 2000 something (
for the shorter clip) (
scroll down to read the little blurb about his visit) and our tour guide was the one who gave him to tour.
So here is some back history about the Rubel Castle. Michael Rubel was extremely fascinated with building forts when he was very young. He pretty much grew up next to a junk yard and referred to the items there as «resources» that he could use to build those forts. Well when he became an adult, he just some how decided that he wanted to build a castle (started in 1959). What was amazing about this castle is that almost every single item used was either donated or he was able to the items for free (the castle walls are actually rocks from the Azusa Canyon). But this castle is definitely much different from the ones you would think of in England or in the movies or in your story tale books. This castle has random items cemented into the walls (different colored glass bottles, gloves, motorcycle, utensils, gardening equipment, winter sled blades, trophies, etc. (Michael Rubel just thought it would be fun to stick random things in the walls). Surprisingly the foundation and walls of his large castle is very strong because according to our tour guide, it has survived all earthquakes so far (knock on wood) and has not suffered any damages, chips, etc.
Now let me tell you some information about the tour. The tour last about 2 hours long, where 90 minutes of the time you are pretty much on your feet. There are some uneven grounds so it is best to wear sturdy, comfortable shoes. You are required to sign a waiver (which can be obtained on the Glendora Historical Society’s website) and provide a suggested donation of $ 10 (either by cash or check). You can make a reservation on line (like how I did for mine) or by phone. Starting this January, tours will also be offered on Saturdays and Sundays.
Overall, this tour is worth going to, to learn all of the interesting history of this castle. Also worth coming to check out the incredibly creative way of putting together a castle.
By the way, make sure you charge up your camera (or bring a back up) because my camera battery was low towards the end of the tour. Our guide told me that every time he does this tour, usually a number of people’s camera batteries run out.

I had long-​since heard rumors of a so-​called «satanic church» somewhere up in the hills of Glendora, California. Rumors ran from ‘it’ being a former convent turned coven house, to a full-​fledged temple. Descriptions of a large clock tower with ‘satanic symbols’ on it, people disappearing, etc. pervaded the urban legend.
The sources were dubious as were the claims. Then one day, an acquaintance asked Me if I wanted to go see a ‘castle’ located somewhere in this suburban location, so what the Hell, I was game. Upon arriving curbside, seemingly overshadowed by thick foliage and draping trees, a ‘tower’ comprised completely of grey stones juts up beyond a very nice gate made of pointed barbs some way from the driveway. Climbing halfway up a tree reveals sharpened glass cemented into the wall, that anyone attempting to climb into this world would be rightfully skewered on its jagged points; also viewable from this vantage point were a couple of roofs therein, one with a stylized weather vane.
Turns out the ‘satanic symbols’ on the clock tower were actually metal figures of a cow at 3 o’ clock, a pig at 6 o’ clock, a rooster at 9 o’ clock, and a horse at 12 o’ clock. There is also a bell tower with a clock on it, but no ‘satanic’ symbols to be found. Ironically, Rubelia is far more de-​facto Satanic that ever suspected.
So it actually did exist — a castle in the fetters of this unassuming city, so I was curious to learn more about its history and the owner.
Rubel Castle
Upon investigation, I found that this estate was the brainchild of one Micheal Clarke Rubel, an eccentric gentleman who began its construction in the Noir Era, son to equally eccentric Henry Scott Rubel and Deuel Rubel, as the photo will attest. Lacking the enormous funds required to erect a castle from scratch, Mr. Rubel began to amass materials from every conceivable source possible, from river rocks collected from local mountains, to steel girders and bridges linking the towers together into which one can pass through, to donated lumber and many useful knickknacks. With the help of «pharm hands» [sic], his dream began to manifest until its final form was created in what stands to this day.
Just recently, Mr. Rubel donated the property to the city’s historical society, that it may be appreciated by those interested in such intriguing arcana, and is currently hosting tours. A local school was admitted within on June 5^th {6/​6/​6 Eve} of this year, and more recently on Halloween, the gates were opened for trick or treaters wherein apples were dispensed by a man in a turn-​of-​the-​19^th century train conductor’s uniform. An outfit not surprising, considering there is an actual caboose on site through which one may pass, a trapezoidal water tower framing the inner entrance, brick staircases, as well as several etzels, a ‘bottle house’ {comprised of antique bottles cemented into the walls, upon whose surface sunlight creates an etherial glow inside the gloomy edifice}, and even a ramshackle ‘knight’.
Various wooden rooms display its timeless nature, from a grammophone, hand-​cranked printing presses, sepia-​stained photographs, paintings, bookshelves filled with dust-​worn literature, delightful ‘old-​world’ furnishings, vintage clothing, and a round table room whose seats are actually comprised of tree trunks fastened with padded leather seats.
Rubelia even hosted its own international newsletter called «The Shriek», entirely handwritten by ‘cleaning lady’ Edith Friezner {said to be a witch}, which was then mailed off to someone on the list, who then remailed it to another recipient, until all ‘subscribers’ read it, until finally mailed back to Rubelia.
Ingenuity brought this castle to be, and remains a hidden wonder as a tribute to one man’s fanciful obsession.

I grew up right up the street from this place, so I have been through it several times in my lifetime. You get different tidbits and facts on every tour depending who the guide may be. And different info when there for certain events like a Halloween psychic reading or a catered dinner event, etc.
I wouldnt travel from afar for this, but if you live in the area or have a friend in the area you are visiting, it could be an interesting excursion before dinner and drinks.
This is the most creative hoarding I have come across.

All the men on the tour say, «How was he allowed to build this place?»
The women say, «How do you clean this place?» (barely)
Children (the ones who really counted to Michael) say: «NEAT-​O!»

Kids seem to know more about it than adults, as it is a time vault of different types of people and heirlooms from time gone by created from yes, trash… now that’s sustainability, unless the «big one» hits. So far so good. A 1990 episode of California Gold featuring Huell Howers’ Golden State travels where Huell actually speaks with the late Mike Rubel about his creation that was completed in 1986. Imagine Price Philip of England coming to this castle! Lots of older model cars, including a caboose, and knick-​knacks in the wall. Even a cemetery, with maybe some horse bones or two. I applaud those who beat to a different drum, and now the Glendora Historical Society is the parent of this obscure property once known as Rubel Pharms, and they will offer tours to adults if you ask. If it weren’t so oddly private to adults, who probably just offend rather than respect, I would give it more stars than the night sky. Otherwise, a very dusty experience in the packing shed for anyone who dares to spend quality time inside there, but everyone continues to leave everything just the way Michael would have wanted it, everywhere but somewhere.

This place has secrets that you won’t learn about by taking the tour offered by the Glendora Historical Society.
You won’t learn about them from me, either, because I’m sworn to secrecy.
Cool things happen here, but only if you happen to be one of the elect.
Like me.

Junk, junk, junk…
What one man’s junk is another man’s treasure.
This mantra kept going through my mind as I toured this interesting castle in the foothills of Glendora one Saturday morning.
The castle was recently turned over to the Glendora Historical Society and they were having a sort of open house (not really because you had to be invited).
Anyway, we all walked through this castle where artisans still live on the premises. There were pumps (water and electric), classic cars (in old and good condition), and junk. Literally, the castle walls were decorated with random things like hard hats, work gloves, engine parts, etc.
If you ever get the chance to come here for a tour, it’ll be worth your while. You never know what you may come across. The funny thing is, the castle is nestled in a very residential community with many beautiful homes and yards. You’d never think a full size castle would be hidden up here, but lo and behold one was there.