Once the stuff of fairy tales and legends, a variety of former
castles have been repurposed today as museums and event spaces. Enough
of them dot the East Coast that you can plan a summer road trip to visit
half a dozen in a week or two, starting in or near New York City. See
our turret-rich itinerary below.
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STOP 1: BANNERMAN CASTLE // BEACON, NEW YORK
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Garrett Ziegler, Flickr // CC BY-NC-ND 2.0
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59 miles from New York City
Bannerman Castle
can be found on its very own island in the Hudson River. Although the
castle has fallen into ruins, the crumbling shell adds visual interest
to the stunning Hudson Highlands views, and can be visited via walking
or boat tours from May to October. The man who built the castle,
Scottish immigrant Frank Bannerman, accumulated a fortune shortly after
the Civil War in his Brooklyn store known as Bannerman’s. He eventually
built the Scottish-style castle as both a residence and a military
weapons storehouse starting in 1901. The island remained in his family
until 1967, when it was given to the Taconic Park Commission; two years
later it was partially destroyed by a mysterious fire, which led to its ruined appearance.
STOP 2. GILLETTE CASTLE STATE PARK // EAST HADDAM, CONNECTICUT
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116 miles from Beacon, New York
William Gillette was an actor best known for playing Sherlock Holmes,
which may have something to do with where he got the idea to install a
series of hidden mirrors in his castle, using them to watch guests coming and going. The unusual-looking stone structure
was built starting in 1914 on one of a chain of hills known as the
Seven Sisters. Gillette designed many of the castle’s interior features
(which feature a secret room), and also installed a railroad on the
property so he could take his guests for rides. When he died in 1937
without designating any heirs, his will forbade the possession of his
home by any "blithering sap-head who has no conception of where he is or
with what surrounded.” The castle is now managed by the State of
Connecticut as Gillette Castle State Park.
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STOP 3. BELCOURT CASTLE // NEWPORT, RHODE ISLAND
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Jenna Rose Robbins, Flickr // CC BY-SA 2.0
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74 miles from East Haddam, Connecticut
Prominent architect Richard Morris Hunt designed Belcourt Castle
for congressman and socialite Oliver Belmont in 1891. Hunt was known
for his ornate style, having designed the facade of the Metropolitan
Museum of Art and the Breakers in Newport, Rhode Island, but Belmont had
some unusual requests. He was less interested in a building that would
entertain people and more in one that would allow him to spend time with
his horses—the entire first floor was designed around a carriage room
and stables. Despite its grand scale, there was only one bedroom.
Construction cost $3.2 million in 1894, a figure equivalent to
approximately $80 million today. But around the time it was finished,
Belmont was hospitalized following a mugging. It took an entire year before he saw his completed mansion.
STOP4.HAMMOND CASTLE MUSEUM // GLOUCESTER, MASSACHUSETTS
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Robert Linsdell, Wikimedia Commons // CC BY 2.0
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111 miles from Newport, Rhode Island
Inventor John Hays Hammond Jr. built his medieval-style castle
between 1926 and 1929 as both his home and a showcase for his
historical artifacts. But Hammond was not only interested in recreating
visions of the past; he also helped shape the future. The castle was
home to the Hammond Research Corporation, from which Hammond produced
over 400 patents and came up with the ideas for over 800 inventions,
including remote control via radio waves—which earned him the title "the
Father of Remote Control." Visitors can take a self-guided tour of many
of the castle’s rooms, including the great hall, indoor courtyard,
Renaissance dining room, guest bedrooms, inventions exhibit room,
library, and kitchens.
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STOP 5. BOLDT CASTLE // ALEXANDRIA BAY, THOUSAND ISLANDS, NEW YORK
430 miles from Gloucester, Massachusetts
It's a long drive from Gloucester and only accessible by water, but it's worth it. The German-style castle on Heart Island was built in 1900 by millionaire hotel magnate George C. Boldt, who created the extravagant structure
as a summer dream home for his wife Louise. Sadly, she passed away just
months before the place was completed. The heartbroken Boldt stopped
construction, leaving the property empty for over 70 years. It's now in
the midst of an extensive renovation, but the ballroom, library, and
several bedrooms have been recreated, and the gardens feature thousands
of plants.
STOP 6. FONTHILL CASTLE // DOYLESTOWN, PENNSYLVANIA
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Harriet Duncan, Wikimedia Commons // CC BY-SA 3.0
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327 miles from Alexandria Bay, New York
In the mood for more castles? Head south to Doylestown, Pennsylvania, where Fonthill Castle
was the home of the early 20th century American archeologist,
anthropologist, and antiquarian Henry Chapman Mercer. Mercer was a man
of many interests, including paleontology, tile-making, and
architecture, and his interest in the latter led him to design Fonthill
Castle as a place to display his colorful tile and print collection. The
inspired home is notable for its Medieval, Gothic, and Byzantine
architectural styles, and with 44 rooms, there are plenty of
well-decorated nooks and crannies to explore.
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