Scott’s Castle photo library released
The National Park Service has posted nearly 600 historic photos of Scotty’s Castle online.
The collection of photos includes photos taken over an extended period (nine years) of the construction of Scotty’s Castle in the 1920s.
The shots also “chronicle the desert escapades” of Walter “Death Valley Scotty” Scott, Albert Johnson, Bessie Johnson, as well as their friends and families, according to a release from NPS.
The collection can be viewed at NPGallery.nps.gov/deva
How the project got started
The collection was fostered by NPS Scotty’s Castle curator Gretchen Voeks.
“Digitizing accomplishes two goals; because we now have electronic copies to use for research, the original photographs are less susceptible to damage from use and wear, and the online publication makes it possible for many more people to access the materials,” Voeks said.
The project was also co-managed by Emily Field, of Great Basin Institute.
Over 3,000 volunteer hours went into the project that is now online.
“Dwight Pennebaker, Christine Ford, Terry Eddington, Pam Krajnick, and Leigh McLendon scanned delicate historic photos, researched to verify copyrights, described the photos, and uploaded them to the site,” NPS said in a release.
The castle is currently closed to the public due to damage from a flash flood in 2015.
Additionally, in April, the partially repaired visitor center burned to the ground.
NPS plans to resume repairs and reopen Scotty’s Castle in 2023.
