At 15, Jim Bishop bought 2.5 acres for $450; he spent 50 years building a castle that is world's largest one-man project

Nestled in the Wet Mountains of Colorado, at an elevation of 9000, is the world's largest one-man project, The Bishop Castle. From 1969 to 2019, the monument was constructed by one man, all by himself, James Roland Bishop, also known as Jim Bishop, the Castle Builder, according to the website.Laying the foundationJim Bishop had always been captivated by the majestic mountains rising up to the southwest of Pueblo, where he grew up. One fine day in 1959, while he was riding bicycles with friends along a mountain road in the San Isabel National Forest, Jim found a small slice of heaven tucked away at an elevation of 9,000.This 2 1/2 acre parcel of land was surrounded by national forest on three sides. While working with his father Willard in the family ornamental iron business and also doing side gigs mowing lawns and delivering newspapers, the 15-year-old had put away $450 in savings. Since he was too young to buy the land himself, he convinced his parents to buy it for him, using his savings.For the next ten summers, Jim and his father camped out on the land and prepped the area for the construction of a family cottage. This experience exposed Jim to a peculiar affinity for hands-on...