Author Archives: Dablad1
The Breakers
The last castle isn’t really a castle at all–it was a “summer cottage” built by Cornelius Vanderbilt II. It has 70 rooms and 125,000 sq. ft., of which 62,000 is living area. The Breakers was built between 1893-95 at a cost of $11,000,000 ($110,000,000 in today’s dollars). Almost half of the 70 rooms were for … Continue reading
Oheka Castle
Oheka Castle was built between 1914 and 1919 by financier Otto Herman Kahn (hence, Oheka) on 443 acres on the highest point on Long Island, NY. It cost $11,000,000 ($110,000,000 in today’s dollars) making it second only to the Biltmore Mansion in Ashville NC as the most expensive home ever built. It has 127 rooms and … Continue reading
Bryan Castle
Far less imposing is Bryan Castle built in Idaho Springs CO in 1880. It was acquired in 1965, and the new owner built a moat and a draw bridge and put in extensive landscaping which now all but hides the home. The first photo is dated 1895 and the third shows it as an apartment … Continue reading
Melrose Castle
Melrose Castle was built on 50 acres in Casanova VA in 1853. During the Civil War it was occupied by both Union and Confederate forces. Melrose Castle has 9,000 square feet and, after years of neglect, is now privately occupied. It is seen here in two pictures from 1863.
Bannerman Castle
Located 50 miles north of New York City on a six-acre island in the Hudson River sits a spooky, hulking relic known as Bannerman Castle. It was built by Frank Bannerman VI who, at 13 years of age, took over his father’s military supply business in New York City when his father left to fight … Continue reading
Fountain of Time
The Fountain of Time by Loredo Taft was dedicated in Chicago in 1922. Taft spent fifteen years on the project and even included himself as one of the figures. The fountain is 125 feet long and contains 100 figures passing before Father Time. It represents the full spectrum of humanity in varying stages of life … Continue reading
Tower Grove Park Fountain
Tower Grove Park in St. Louis opened in 1868 with the then largest variety of tree species (over 200) of any urban park in the country. Today it still holds that honor with 7500 trees covering 325 species. The stone blocks in the photos came from the Lindell Hotel which burned in 1867. They were … Continue reading
Elk Fountain
The Elk Fountain was donated to the City of Portland OR in 1900. It has four water troughs for horses and is still serving them to this day. The early photo is ca.1900.
Buckingham Fountain
Buckingham Fountain was donated to the City of Chicago by Kate Buckingham in honor of her brother. She left $1,000,000 ($14,000,000 in today’s dollars) for construction and maintenance. It is still one of the largest fountains in the world with 15,000 gallons per minute flowing to a height of 50 feet. The fountain contains 1,500,000 … Continue reading
Dupont Circle Fountain
The Dupont Fountain sits in a Washington D.C. traffic circle and was dedicated in 1921 However, it originally was a Civil War memorial honoring Rear Admiral Samuel Francis Dupont. It was installed in 1884 and had only footpaths around it as seen in the 1900 photo (click to enlarge). The monument was replaced by the … Continue reading