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“Bite-Size Bits of Local, National, and Global History”
“Bite-Size Bits of Local, National, and Global History”
Glendora in Los Angeles County, California — The American West (Pacific Coastal)
 

Rubel Castle

Historic District

 
 
Rubel Castle Marker image. Click for full size.
2016
1. Rubel Castle Marker
Inscription. Built by Michael Clarke Rubel and hundreds of volunteers, 1968 to 1986, from local river rock and salvaged materials.

This property has been listed in The National Register of Historic Places by the United States Department of the Interior in 2013.
 
Erected 2013 by Glendora Historical Society.
 
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: ArchitectureArts, Letters, MusicForts and Castles.
 
Location. 34° 9.013′ N, 117° 51.291′ W. Marker is in Glendora, California, in Los Angeles County. Marker is at the intersection of North Live Oak Avenue and East Palm Drive, on the right when traveling north on North Live Oak Avenue. The Castle is only open during pre-arranged tours with the Glendora Historical Society. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 844 N Live Oak Avenue, Glendora CA 91741, United States of America. Touch for directions.
 
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 4 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies. Glendora Bougainvillea (approx. 0.8 miles away); Glendora City Hall (approx. 0.9 miles away); Pacific Electric Station (approx. 1.1 miles away); Mission Theater Building (approx. 1.1 miles away); Rain Bird Impact Drive Sprinkler Head (approx. 1.7 miles
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away); Big Tree (approx. 1.7 miles away); Fairmount Pioneer Cemetery (approx. 2.1 miles away); Azusa, the Canyon City (approx. 3.2 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Glendora.
 
Regarding Rubel Castle. Michael Clarke Rubel, 4/16/1940-10/15/2007, purchased a 2½ acre citrus orchard in 1959 and took up residence in the packing house. His parents soon moved in and had weekly parties, so in 1968 Rubel began building his own place in the reservoir, starting with a small bottle house. The castle was built using concrete, steel, and rocks, along with just about any item donated, including a motorcycle, toaster, tires, and wine bottles. The project lasted nearly twenty years. The castle has a clock tower, bell tower, machine shop, courtyard, five apartments, and a bottle house. Nearby are a packing house, tree house, carport, tool shed, rock barn, water tower, windmill, caboose, and a cemetery with markers but no graves. In 2005, Rubel donated the castle to the Glendora Historical Society. Their website has tour information.
 
Also see . . .
1. Castle Tours. Glendora Historical Society. (Submitted on July 7, 2018.)
Rubel Castle Marker and Gate image. Click for full size.
2016
2. Rubel Castle Marker and Gate
 

2. Video. A visit with Michael Rubel and his castle, with Huell Howser, in 1990. (Submitted on July 7, 2018.) 
 
Rubel Castle image. Click for full size.
2016
3. Rubel Castle
Built inside an abandoned reservoir, using river rock from the nearby San Gabriel River.
The Portcullis, or Castle Gate. image. Click for full size.
2016
4. The Portcullis, or Castle Gate.
Rubel Castle image. Click for full size.
2016
5. Rubel Castle
Party Room image. Click for full size.
2016
6. Party Room
Inside a former citrus packing house. Refrigerator rooms were used as bedrooms during castle construction.
Santa Fe Caboose image. Click for full size.
2016
7. Santa Fe Caboose
Carport image. Click for full size.
2016
8. Carport
Bottle House image. Click for full size.
2016
9. Bottle House
 
 
Credits. This page was last revised on January 30, 2023. It was originally submitted on July 7, 2018, by Craig Baker of Sylmar, California. This page has been viewed 491 times since then and 10 times this year. Last updated on September 7, 2018, by Craig Baker of Sylmar, California. Photos:   1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9. submitted on July 7, 2018, by Craig Baker of Sylmar, California. • Andrew Ruppenstein was the editor who published this page.

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Mar. 28, 2024