Saving Bishop’s Castle

A unique landmark in Southern Colorado at the center of a legal battle is getting some help.

Bishop’s Castle, built entirely by Jim Bishop, was signed over to a trustee, David Merrill, while Bishop was sick with cancer.

But the Bishops said the trustee isn’t holding up his end of the deal and is making changes to the castle that the family never approved.

Now, dozens of people are trying to help. The group of people held a meeting Friday to brainstorm ways to raise money for the family to help with legal and medical fees.

Russ Zingleman was one of the attendees. He said he is trying to help because the castle is a special place he takes all his visitors.

“It’s incredible what Jim Bishop did. It should be a world treasure,” Zingleman said.

But despite how much he loves it, he said he won’t come back if Merrill gets to keep any sort of ownership.

“I won’t go back, as much as I love it, and I would be very upset. But I can’t support someone who isn’t the rightful owner,” Zingleman said.

The Bishops are grateful for the support.

Daughter Donita Bishop spoke at the meeting about what a toll this legal battle has taken on the family.

“This castle was my dad’s life work, and without it, he would cease to exist,” Bishop said. “We’ve been apart of it all of our lives, too, and to have it ripped away from us is almost like having my baby ripped away from me.”

She said the family has already accrued more than $13,000 in legal bills trying to get their ownership back.

“He trusted David Merrill, he believed what he said. And to go online and see David claiming the castle was his…it was just devastating,” Bishop said.

The people who love this historic tourist spot said it belongs back with the man who built it.

“If this doesn’t fly and it goes away from being Bishop’s Castle, it’ll just be a tragedy for the country, and especially for Colorado,” Zingleman said.

The group will have another meeting on October 2 at 6 p.m. at the Harley Davidson on N. Nevada.

There will also be a fundraiser this Sunday, August 23, at 2 p.m. at the Castle. A band from Montana will be performing a live show.