PUEBLO, Colo. — Jim Bishop, builder of southern Colorado landmark Bishop Castle, died Thursday at age 80.
Bishop's family said in a social media post that he passed away early Thursday morning in Pueblo, surrounded by his loved ones. Memorial services will be announced at a later date.
Bishop is well-known in Colorado for Bishop Castle, a 160-foot-tall marvel he built himself in the San Isabel National Forest about 15 miles outside of Rye. The eccentric Bishop often greeted visitors at the castle, which he began building by hand in 1969. The project persevered through Bishop's cancer diagnosis in 2014 and a legal dispute in 2015.
> From 1999: Jim Bishop and the building of Bishop Castle
The Bishops — Jim and his wife, Phoebe, who died in 2019 — made their kingdom free to enter. A hand-painted sign on the property makes it clear that "Bishop Castle is under construction," "we are not responsible for your safety," and "we reserve our right to freedom of speech and expression."
> From 2016: Exploring Bishop Castle
Jim Bishop's son, Dan Bishop, said his father's memory will live on.
“Determined, headstrong, driven, sure of himself," Dan Bishop said. "Had a dream and followed through with it.”
Dan Bishop told KRDO that it was his father's wish for the family to continue allowing visitors inside the castle, so that's what they plan to do.