Exploring Miller Castle near Nisswa

NISSWA, Minn. — Did you know Minnesota has a real castle? Miller Castle, near Nisswa.

"The first time they come in their eyes light up. They're like wow, it's a castle, it's real," said Holly Carlson, council program director.

The castle and its kingdom have it all — fortress walls, watchtowers, even catwalks and a courtyard. It's something you'd more likely find in rural England, not rural Minnesota.

"Really take in the full measure of what was it like to be in medieval times," says Carlson.

But this castle wasn't built during medieval times, it was built in 2008 by the Boy Scouts of America. Gerry Granum says the council was looking for a way to provide a unique opportunity for scouts and their families. They come here to develop life skills with a chance to earn up to twenty different merit badges.

The castle is 12,000 square feet but despite its size, it's kind of hard to find. That's because it's surrounded by more than 250 wooded acres.

At a cost of $2 million, it was constructed on the Parker Scout Reservation. Inside this fortress, you'll find a Minnesota version of the knights of the round table. There are four that keep watch, along with a wizard and a dragon.

"Just having a place that's different from other camps has been a big draw for kids and adults," said Carlson.

The castle sleeps 80 people, and the boy scouts aren't the only ones who use this. Youth groups, church groups, even corporate retreats have taken place. In a sense, visitors are treated like royalty. And their hosts hope they leave with a new appreciation for a time that was.

"Not every day a scout gets to come to a castle," says Carlson. "This castle is going to be around for a long, long time. As one of those key, beacons of light."

It's called the Miller Castle because two of the main construction donors were Jim and Marion Miller.