Visiting Cagle Castle in Atlanta, Georgia
You can’t enter this 1400-square-foot, 2-bedroom suburban castle made entirely of stone, but you can gaze in amazement from afar. Learn more about visiting Cagle Castle in Atlanta, Georgia here.
Cagle Castle History
Cagle Castle is an impressive private residence located off of Highway 140 in Alpharetta, just 28 miles north of downtown Atlanta. A truck driver named Rudy McLaughlin built the castle in the 1950s; he had promised his princess Ruth a castle, and that’s just what he gave her!
With the help of family and friends, Princess Ruth got her castle, and it features turrets, a moat that is the continuation of the backyard swimming pool, and three drawbridges. Rumor has it that most of the living space is actually underground — the entrance steps down into a sunken living space, giving the home a short and squatty look on the outside but plenty of space on the inside, so the story goes.
The entry gates are adorned with over-sized garden gnomes, or dwarfs, and more gnomes and clownish figures can be seen decorating the property. That is why this castle is also sometimes referred to as the Dwarf Castle.
This Atlanta castle sits on a 2.11 acre lot. According to realtor.com, the private home has approximately 1,962 square feet, 2 beds, and 2 baths. Combine this with the expansive swimming pool and two garages that are accessible only by drawbridge (the drawbridges serve as the garage doors), and you have yourself an impressive private fortress.
Getting to Cagle Castle
The famous Dwarf Castle is located at 12570 Arnold Mill Rd, Alpharetta, GA. It’s a great roadside attraction in Georgia that’s worth the detour!
If you’re driving north on Arnold Mill Road, you’ll see the house on your left. If you’re driving south on Arnold Mill, Road, you’ll see the house on your right just after Cagle Road.
If you don’t have your own car, I recommend using Rentalcars for great prices on a car rental.
Visiting Cagle Castle
As this is a private residence you unfortunately can’t actually go inside the castle. Stick to the sidewalks for picture-taking and try not to disturb the residents.
There is a dirt turn-off on just at Arnold Mill Road and Cagle Road where you can park your car without blocking traffic. From here, you can take the sidewalk to admire the castle from the outside.
Castle Count: 21
So why does this castle count? I’m a sucker for anything a prince builds for his princess. Not to mention all the medieval elements they put into making this mock-castle. The majority of castles I’ve been to don’t even have moats, and that’s such a stereotypical castle feature; and this one you can swim in!
If you’re looking for another castle in the Atlanta area, why not visit nearby castles the Medieval Times “Atlanta Castle” and Rhodes Hall, the Castle on Peachtree.
Ready to visit Cagle Castle in Atlanta, Georgia? Plan your trip with these tips.
- Book Your Flight: Find the cheapest flights using Skyscanner, my favorite flight search engine.
- Find Accommodation: You can find top hotels in Atlanta using Hotels.com.
- Save on Attractions: Save 44% on admission to Atlanta’s top attractions using the Atlanta CityPASS.
Cheers!
Paige
Have you seen Cagle Castle in Alpharetta, Georgia for yourself? Let me know your thoughts in the comment section below!
I realize this article is a bit old, but I justcwant to point out that the castle was actually not built in the 1950s. Mr. McLaughlin started it in the late 70s into the early 80s. My husband and I both grew up within a few miles of the castle. My father did some of the electrical and my husband’s father worked on the concrete turrets in the 70s. I’m assuming you got your information from the Atlanta Journal, which also had the dates wrong.
Thanks for the info, Nancy! I love hearing personal stories like these
What a lovely tale. “He has promised his princess a castle”, and there it was. 🙂
I just adore stories behind architectural marvels. I’m sure I’d love Cagle Castle. <3
It is a very romantic story!
This is so cool, It would be ace if you were allowed to visit inside just once. I love quirky architecture.
It would be awesome to go inside! If the outside is this amazing, I can only imagine how cool the inside is!
I love that it has functioning drawbridges! This is definitely on the list of things to see the next time I’m in Atlanta.
The drawbridge is a very cool feature!
Wow Cagle castle looks so cool! It’s a shame its private so you can’t see the inside.
I know, I would love to visit inside!
Wow! What a story about the Cagle Castle! It looks like a very historic type of landmark to visit. I will have to write it down for my next adventure to GA.
It’s such a cute, quirky place!