GARDENDALE, Texas (KMID/KPEJ) – There’s a lot of speculation that surrounds this home, but what’s the real story behind the mystery mansion? Well, it all starts with a man named Red Pruett.

Built more than 5 decades ago, family friends, and people who lived in the area say that the home was meant to be lived in by the Pruett family. Red Pruett, a well-known jeweler, started building a home for his entire family to live in someday. Bobby Scott, a longtime friend of Pruett’s says that the home is unique in the sense that Red Pruett hand-built the home brick by brick with the help of his family and friends.

“He was building a house at first just for him a house and a jewelry store and then he kept making it bigger thinking he would have his whole family live there if we had another great depression or something like that”, said Scott.

Goldie Beedy who grew up in Gardendale says that she can remember as a young girl, finding the house and being fascinated with the custom-made fixtures. Beedy stated that many people nowadays believe that the unfinished home holds some mystery as to why it was never completed, she says the answer to that is simple.

“He just kept adding on, he was never finished with it and he would’ve never been finished with it. His plans he was just gonna add on and add on until he just couldn’t work anymore” said Beedy.

According to an obituary from the Sunset Memorial Home, Red Pruett passed away before he could ever finish the home. Legal records from the Ector County Appraisal District show that the home has since been purchased by a new owner and it values at more than $50,000.

Bobby Scott tells us that the home used to be in better condition, but now people use it as an illegal dumping site and tourist-like attraction. Scott says that the home has little to no mystery behind it other than the one that many people have created, and he advises people to think twice before going inside due to the current condition of the home.

“There’s gonna be some mystery around the house and that’s awesome, it makes for a good story it makes for you know the good history around here and it’s all in good fun,” said Scott.

For on-lookers, this home will remain a spooky attraction but for the people of Gardendale, this is a piece of history with a story that will live on for years to come.