Castillo

History of the Castillo

This history recounts what we have gathered from talking with our neighbors. To the best of our knowledge this is an accurate history of the Castillo.

Castillo (Spanish for the English word “castle”) is the nickname given to our campus by its neighbors.  In fact, it seems most everyone on this side of the city has heard of the Castillo. The walls that surround the property are affixed with turrets in the fashion of a castle with windows and columns in a Mediterranean style.

Back in the 1930’s a doctor began building the Castillo as his dream home, a mansion for his family.  With its fantastic views of the hills, ocean, and of San Diego it was an ideal location. Not long after he started, both he and his wife died. The project didn't lay dormant for long as a pharmacist purchased the property soon after. He poured his life into the unfinished building project while he and his family lived in a small house that he had built toward the back of the property.  However, he, too, was unable to finish. He left with his family, leaving the property vacant. With no one to watch over the land, the lot became a jungle of palm trees. The empty structure became housing for homeless people and a common site for drug deals.  For a short time, the family was able to rent the lower story to the police for use as a motorcycle station.  The Castillo later received fame when it was used as a setting for a low budget movie, and later when a local TV special claimed it was haunted (In all the time we have lived here we have not witnessed any haunted activities). In 1996 the family asked Dave Burdette, a local missionary and friend of the family, to take care of the Castillo and use it for ministry.  Dave’s friend and resident of Tijuana, Oscar Martinez was asked to move in and watch over the building and keep the graffiti artists away. Oscar still keeps watch over the Castillo and has many stories of his experience. The building was cleaned up with the help of Oscar and many other volunteers.  In 2005, Ryan Sorensen moved down to start the transformation of the Castillo into what is now Baja Bible School.

The remodeled Castillo contains a classroom, offices, lounges, a computer room, guest bedrooms, a library, a kitchen, and a quiet prayer/reading room in the tower/rotunda area.

The dorm building behind the Castillo has 14 rooms with space for 56 students. Two houses are also locate in two corners of the property and serve as private residences for the staff.

Work Progress Photo Galleries

Castillo

Dormitory