Bessilyn Johnson - Later Years

Later Years

Once the decision had been made for the Johnsons to build a vacation home in Death Valley, Albert purchased the Steinenger Ranch, which consisted of about 1,500 acres (6.1 km2) of land in what is now Death Valley National Park. In 1922 the Johnsons began building, adding on to their new "castle" in fits and spurts however inspiration struck them. Bessie ensured that her former sweetheart Mat Roy Thompson was hired to oversee the construction project, and although the nature of their relationship remains elusive, Mat Roy's son, Mat Roy Thompson, Jr., confirmed long after the fact his firm belief that Mat Roy's involvement with the construction of Scotty's Castle contributed directly towards his divorce from his first wife, Patience O'Hara.

Aside from the break necessitated by five years of land ownership dispute brought on by Herbert Hoover's early efforts to create Death Valley National Monument, the Johnsons vacationed in their Death Valley "castle" regularly until 1943, when Bessie met her fate. Bessie was killed in an automobile accident at Towne Pass while she and Albert were driving through Death Valley.

Due to Albert Johnson's poor health following severe injury in a train accident in 1899, Bessie and Albert were never able to have children. After Bessie's death, Albert stopped visiting Scotty's Castle altogether. Because of a lack of heirs, when Albert died of cancer in 1948 he left their Death Valley properties to the Gospel Foundation, a charitable organization Albert created in 1946 for that very purpose.