The land upon which the Mt. Woodson Castle stands is notable as part of the original 320-acre homestead of Dr. Marshall Clay Woodson. A surgeon in the Confederate Army during the Civil War, Dr. Woodson settled the property in 1875. After achieving local prominence, Mt. Woodson was named in his honor. Designed by John Vawter and Emmor B. Weaver, the Mt. Woodson Castle masterfully combines English cottage and French castle influences with virtues indigenous to early Southern California.

In 1909, a renowned and eccentric Southern California couturier named Amy Strong purchased the Woodson estate. Over the next several years, Strong devoted herself to the design and construction of her dream home. Strong, who created dress designs for some of the nation's wealthiest women, traveled frequently to Europe to purchase fabrics and handmade laces. It was during these trips that she was inspired by English cottage architecture, the castles of France and the windmills of the Netherlands, all of which heavily influenced the design of her home.

Construction on Strong's home began in 1916 and was completed five years later at the total cost of $50,000. This 12,000-square-foot,27 room architectural treasure embodies the California Craftsman and Mission Revival movements prevalent at the end of the 19th century. The spectacular result was unlike anything local residents had seen before. It quickly became known as the Amy Strong "Castle," not only for its sheer size, but for its meticulous attention to detail and luxuries that included hot circulating water, a telephone, a Dutch oven and electricity.