Castle of EnchantmentMilton S. Hopkins (1888 - 1978)

"I'm not rich. I built my castle with love." - Milt Hopkins (1)

The "Castle of Enchantment" was located at 4857 Melrose Ave. in Los Angeles, CA. This visionary vernacular residence was built by retiree Milton S. Hopkins for his wife Josie Hopkins between 1949 - 1957. The castle stood from 1957 to the time it was razed, around 2010. During a romantic vacation to Florida in the 1940s, Josie Hopkins was captivated by the coastal castles of Sarasota and asked her husband if he would build one for her. Milt replied, "Josie, when we get back to Los Angeles, I'll build you the most beautiful home you've ever seen." (2) He soon took up construction of their castle, salvaging fallen materials from demolished buildings along the path of the Hollywood Freeway (U.S. Route 101) expansion. (3) This was a slow process; Milt largely relying on his sole labor for the physical building of the castle home. (4) In addition to the main structure, the Castle of Enchantment featured an extravagant front area of the lot with ornate landscaping: waterfalls, gardens, a pool, snaking walkways, a drawbridge, fountains, wells, and 300 lights scattered meticulously across the grounds. Closer to the castle's completion, it soon caught the eye of passersby. Angelenos traveling Melrose would stop to gaze at Milt and Josie's creation. Many would come onto the property and want to engage with the Hopkins, hearing the story of their love and the origins of the fairytale property they then called home. Local interest soon escalated to media coverage. The Castle of Enchantment was covered nationally by publications like The New York Times, The Los Angeles Examiner, and Ralph Story's Los Angeles, among others. (5) Milt was enraptured by this attention, giving group tours and speaking with journalists on-site. However, this all became too much for Josie. Overwhelming feelings of their home becoming too public soon took a toll on her health and the Hopkins decided to leave the property a year or two after its completion. (6) Following their time on Melrose, the Castle of Enchantment continued as a residential property, then a Thai restaurant, a French restaurant, and finally a private Korean social club. (7) By the late 2000s, it had fallen into disarray, greatly in need of restoration. Street-level photographs from this time show a property shut off from the public by a large chain link fence, overgrown with vegetation, rusted decor, and a crumbling driveway. (8) The original Castle home was destroyed. As of 2026, the property is under hedge fund ownership and sits empty, save for its enormous concrete foundation, decapitated palms, and flourishing mice population. (9) Extensive film footage from this ruinous chapter in the castle’s life can be seen in the 2026 film, Castle of Enchantment. (10)

–Weston Lyon

1. Champion, R. (1956, April 16). Untitled. Daily Mirror, p. 2.
2. Staff Writer (1971, July 16). “Castle-Builder”. The Signal, p. 2.
3. Garcia, J. (1964, July 16). “Man Builds Castle”. The Signal, p. 1.
4. Raymond, J. (1956, May 25). “Unionist’s Home Really IS Castle”. Labor’s Daily.
5. Hopkins, M. (1970, December 4). “Letters to the Editor” The Signal.
6. Staff Writer (1971, July 16). “Castle-Builder”. The Signal, p. 2.
7. Cooper, K., & Schave, R. (2023, August 23). Save Hollywood’s Castle of Enchantment. News from Esotouric’s Secret Los Angeles. 
8. Google. (2014). 4857 Melrose Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90029. Google Street View. photograph, Los Angeles, CA. Retrieved January 2026.
9. 4853-4857 Melrose Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90029 - reduced! build up to 66± units in Melrose Hill | loopnet. LoopNet. (n.d.). 
10. Lyon, W., & Lavergne, K. (2025, September). Castle of Enchantment (2026) Trailer. Vimeo. 

Seymour Rosen

castoff construction materials

4857 Melrose Ave.
Los Angeles, California, 90029 us
Latitude/Longitude: 34.0839323 / -118.3060218

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