The rockwork of Daven Gray and The Gingerbread House that started it all traverses eight decades starting with George Kayser and his Castle in 1927. Part Hansel and Gretel, part historical memoir, part Architectural Digest, this story has a little something for everyone. It’s a tribute to the artists, designers, and craftsmen who, like Daven, choose to do things differently.

Daven and his daughter, Mariah, began compiling the hundreds of images for this book in 2011. For Daven, not only a stonemason, but a Mt Baldy historian, this was a chance to forever record the story of The Gingerbread House, which altered the course of his life and brought him a lifetime of adventure. For Mariah, it was the opportunity to listen to stories about the good ol’ days — her favorite of all past times – and to document Daven‘s contribution to an ancient and beautiful art.

Thank you for reading and being a part of this story! Visit the Listen page to hear audio of Daven discussing some of his favorite memories from life as a stonemason.