Scrap Metal Castle: Art Teacher's $500 Dream Home

Victor Moore, an art teacher from Pullman, Washington, spent the late 1960s constructing a remarkable 1,200-square-foot castle entirely from salvaged scrap. The creative endeavor, which cost a mere $500, saw Moore using materials like car doors and washing machine glass to build his home.

This unique structure served a dual purpose as Moore's residence and his Master of Fine Arts thesis project. He meticulously employed recycled materials, even incorporating a 1952 Oldsmobile door, to create load-bearing walls and functional windows. The castle was submitted for his degree in 1970, evaluated as both a sculpture and a dwelling.

Moore's dedication to recycled art extended beyond the castle, as he also developed a long-standing practice of creating hand-carved wooden whirligigs. The castle itself has since changed owners but remains visible from US 195, a lasting monument to Moore's philosophy that a home need not be built from new materials. Visitors are advised to admire it from a distance on private property.