If you think castles only exist in Europe, think again. Surprisingly, there are many castles in the U.S. and some are even for sale. While these castles can weather storms, are they recession proof? Unfortunately, they are struggling to find buyers just like most other high-end homes and, according to Erin Diaz of Beaches & Backroads Realty, people are missing the boat. “I think we forget that people were on the ocean a century ago, hand-building these castles with these incredible details. These structures can withstand salt water, hurricanes and Mother Nature much better than other wooden structures. And there’s a misconception that castles are dark and dingy, but these properties are gorgeous and they’re mostly re-done.”
Although modern-day castles are still being built, suburbia-style, we chose the 10 below due to their age and historic significance. These are not fortified with moats, or men dumping boiling oil from above, but they were all built around the start of the 20th century by those who were captured by the grandeur of dramatic fortress-like structures so prevalent centuries ago.
See 10 Fascinating Castles for Sale in the U.S.:
333 Ocean Rd, Narragansett, RI 02882 (above)
For Sale – $5,950,000Complete with gables, turrets, and even a 105-foot tower, the Hazard Castle (circa 1882) is a Gothic Revival castle situated on almost a 33 acres on the Rhode Island Sound, just across Ocean Road. According to the Rhode Island Historical Society Manuscripts Division, businessman “Joseph Peace Hazard (1807-1892) built this medieval-style structure on his Seaside Farm in Narragansett Pier,” supposedly because he saw potential for the area as a popular resort. Hazard’s history also revealed he had spiritual beliefs and in a dream, a druid came to him and told him to build a Gothic-style castle. Now owned by the Diocese of Providence, the castle has been for sale since May 2009, starting with a $7 million price tag. Adjacent to Hazard Castle is a 21,000- sq ft retreat center with a full cafeteria, meeting space, and chapel.
1 Castle Rd, Piermont, NY 10968 (above)
For Sale — $9,500,000Drive 45 minutes north of New York City and you will find this Beaux-Arts-style stone castle in Rockland County, which was built in 1892 and designed by McKim, Mead & White, America’s premier architectural firm at that time. The renowned team was best known for designing notable buildings and structures in the Northeast such as New York City’s Washington Arch, Penn Station, and Boston Public Library, to name a few. Located on 18 acres, this 15,000-sq ft, 30-room castle also has a separate cottage, two-story barn with classic cupola, and an in-ground pool. Traditional architectural details include a turret or two, ornate moldings, coffer ceilings, palladium window, grand staircase, and 18th-century Italian Renaissance paneling. The Piermont Castle is the priciest property within Orangeburg real estate where the Orangeburg median home value is $402,500.
560 Ocean Rd, Narragansett RI 02882 (above)
For Sale – $4,500,000“Dunmere” was built in 1883 for Robert Graham Dun, one of the original founders of the respected firm, Dun and Bradstreet, suppliers of commercial information and insight on businesses. Listed on the National Registry of Historic places, Dunmere was considered the premier showplace property within Narragansett real estate among the wealthy summer crowd. Elevated on three acres, Dunmere takes in dramatic oceanfront views that include a never-ending parade of ocean-going boat traffic. A rolling lawn to the ocean’s edge is trimmed with colorful gardens and at the centerpiece is the 3,700-sq ft stone-and-shingle home reminiscent of a European castle. It includes a stone turret, waterside deck, and stairs to the front door carved out of a naturally formed granite outcropping. Narragansett home values come in around $338,500.
659 Bellevue Ave, Newport, RI 02840 (above)
For Sale — $5,100,000Rhode Island certainly seems to have its fair share of castles, including “Belcourt Castle,” which was built for 33-year-old bachelor Oliver Belmont. It utilized a variety of architectural styles (French Renaissance, Norman, Elizabethan English, and country German styles), but was ultimately based on Louis XIII’s hunting lodge at Versailles. It was completed in 1894 for a cost of $3 million. Belmont’s love of horses helped shape the use and design of the castle (the third leg of the Triple Crown, “The Belmont,” is named after his father, August), as the entire first floor contained carriage space and stables for Belmont’s prized horses. Currently, the home also doubles as a museum and contains an extensive collection of art and antiques from over 30 countries, including 13th-century European stained glass, 10th to 20th century furniture, 17th to 20th century paintings, Renaissance armor, and a gold coronation coach. Newport real estate can be pricey as many of America’s wealthiest families summered in Newport and built majestic mansions that dot the coastline.
389 Main St, Great Barrington, MA 01230 (above)
For Sale - $11 millionNow, that’s a castle! Known as the Searles Hopkins Castle, this 1888 French Chateau-style stone castle was commissioned in 1889 by Mary Hopkins, who was the widow of Mark Hopkins, founder of the Central Pacific Railroad. Several years after her husband’s death, she continued to build the castle, hiring designer Edward Searles who was 22 years her junior. As the castle’s name implies, the pair eventually married. Castle highlights include a Louis XIV drawing room with details in gold leaf and original painted ceiling, acoustically engineered music room with 42-ft dome ceiling, and large stone terraces overlooking a dramatic cross-shaped reflecting pond and gardens. The property consists of 61 acres with over a thousand feet of frontage on the Housatonic River. Located in the Berkshire Mountains, Great Barrington real estate is considered accessible and desirable to urbanites in New York City and Boston since it’s only two and a half hours away from each city.
271 Hunting Ridge Rd, Stamford, CT 06903 (above)
For Sale – $1,099,000Reminiscent of the architecture of Normandy, Chateau Rochamore (“love rock”) is one of Stamford’s most significant estates. It was designed by Gustav E. Steinback and completed in 1906. The castle’s great room contains a three-story, high beamed ceiling with a grand 15-foot stone fireplace as its centerpiece. Within the 4,800-sq ft of finished space, there are 5 bedrooms, 5 bathrooms, and 6 wood-burning fireplaces. Three of the bedrooms are located in the tower with an additional room that is currently an art studio. There is an in-ground gated swimming pool, a circular driveway, and a three-car attached garage. North Stamford real estate is on the higher end since the Stamford area is considered to be part of the greater New York City metro area.
12 Billow Rd, Old Saybrook, CT 06475 (above)
For Sale – $4,632,000Sitting along the Connecticut shoreline, the red-tile roof of “Hartlands” Castle has been a beacon for boaters on Long Island Sound since 1908 when it was built as a summer home for George Watson Beach, a Connecticut politician. The historic castle was constructed of field and beach stone and features 15,000-sq ft of living space, 6 bedrooms, 5 bathrooms, and an in-law apartment. Notable guests of the waterfront property include Howard Hughes, the Rockefellers, Ethel Barrymore, Charlie Chaplin, and Frank Sinatra. The home has been extensively renovated and offers ocean views from every room. The Hartlands Castle comes in at the top end of Old Saybrook real estate, where Old Saybrook median home values are $321,400.
63 High St, Camden, ME 04843 (above)
For Sale - $2,475,000Historic Norumbega Castle is a coastal landmark in Maine, and sits on over 3.95 acres of landscaped grounds overlooking Camden Harbor and Penobscot Bay. Joseph Stearns, whose fortune was realized through his invention of the duplex telegraphy system, had the castle built in 1886. Stearns traveled widely throughout Europe and became fascinated with the region’s castles and upon his return to Maine, hired famous New York architect, Arthur Bates Jennings to design his Queen Anne-style home. Following Stearns’ death in 1895, Norumbega had several subsequent owners including a cousin and former Assistant Secretary of State Hodding Carter III. In 1984, Norumbega was converted into a bed and breakfast. Norumbega Castle is at the top end of Camden real estate where Camden’s median home value is $359,000.
10 Thurlow Terrace, Albany, NY 12203 (above)
For Sale — $1,300,000Built in 1895, this hulking stone fortress across from Albany’s Washington Park has some interesting touches and a little ghostly action: it contains a turret room, a chapel, and covered carriage roof. Rounded door closets, carved mantlepieces with hidden doors, and geometric-patterned wooden floors unique to each room also provide distinctive architectural detail to the property. But, it apparently has an occupant; a ghost has taken up residence in the third-floor turret, according to the Albany Times Union. The home sat vacant for 13 years (1939 to 1952) and locals called it the “haunted castle.” There’s also another interesting twist to the history of this home: It was built by Charles LaDow, who was a wealthy inventor of agricultural machinery. He is also credited with creating puffed cereals by shooting thousands of rice pellets from a shotgun in the basement. LaDow died 11 years after moving in, leaving his family penniless. This home is at the top end of Albany real estate, where Albany home values are now $169,900.
770 Hillcrest Dr, Laguna Beach, CA 92651 (above)
For Sale – $11,400,000Known as Pyne Castle, this landmark estate was built by E. Walter Pyne in 1927 and is located on several acres of prime ocean-view property in Laguna Beach. Pyne’s story was one of rags-to-riches: he earned money playing guitar on a passenger ship that cruised between San Pedro and San Francisco, then he owned a piano company, then he bought land to grow oranges on property in the the Santa Ana Canyon near Yorba Linda and Richfield. This is where he struck it rich — the land that grew oranges also produced black gold: oil. He soon became a rich man and bought 100 lots along Laguna Beach where he built this castle for himelf and his family. Originally a 62-room mansion, the converted residence is being used as apartments. It was once considered as the Western White House for President Nixon. Laguna Beach real estate is on the high end with median home values coming in at $979,500.
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