Does it look like a castle to you? I don’t really see it as a castle until I think of the classic saying, “Your home is your castle.” When I think of it like that, the Quigley Castle really is a castle.

We visited the Quigley Castle a couple years back, prior to having our Micro Lite. One of our Scrabble friends had suggested it to me when we had mentioned we were going to visit Eureka Springs. He thought I’d like it, and he was right. We spent about an hour and a half there. The current entrance fee is $7.

Upon arriving, we walked up to a gated entrance where we pressed a button notifying the caretaker we were there. We couldn’t really see anything until we entered the grounds. The caretaker turned out to be the granddaughter of the original owner/builder of the Quigley Castle. She provided the tour along with the stories of how it came to be and of her grandmother’s personality.

Mrs. Quigley lived on the property with her family. She wanted a bigger, better home which apparently her husband had promised her. One day, after he went to work in 1943, she and her three children tore down their original house, so her new custom, dream home would have to be built. This was a woman with determination.

One feature inside the home is a “butterfly wall.” This was a little strange to me, but we were told in its time is was an attraction for miles around.

The new home was built with lots of windows providing plenty of light for all the plants inside. Mrs. Quigley loved nature, including and especially rocks. The property abounds with rock and concrete creations which she made and are filled and overflowing with flowers. Her love of nature is evidenced inside and out.

As you walk into the home, there is a section displaying some items from the home which Mrs. Quigley collected. A piece of Fire King peach Lustreware stood out to me, as I happen to collect that very same glassware.

One of my favorite possessions is a sponge-rock planter made by my great-grandfather. This planter originally was built with a pedestal, and somewhere there is a picture of that. However, the planter lost its pedestal somewhere along its early way. My grandmother had the planter, then my mother, and now me. That planter might weigh 200 pounds; it is no easy feat to move it. When we moved to St. Charles, I was determined it was moving, too.

Perhaps I enjoyed the Quigley Castle so much as I felt a kindred spirit with the property’s creator. She was determined. She was persistent and worked hard to create her custom, dream home. My home is my castle, too, and I love it. I like to think I have determination; although, some may call it stubbornness. I enjoy creating, whether it is decorating, painting, planting, crafting, refurbishing, and yes, especially writing. Mrs. Quigley also loved nature. Nature soothes and inspires me. I think of its beauty and ever changing variety as a truly blessing from God.