Author Archives: Dablad1
Point Isabel Lighthouse
Point Isabel Lighthouse is located just south of South Padre Island near the Rio Grande River, which separates Texas and Mexico. The lighthouse was built in 1853 and extensively damaged by the Confederates during the Civil War. It was deactivated in 1905, but returned to service in 1955. In 2000 it was restored to its … Continue reading
Biloxi Lighthouse
Biloxi Lighthouse on the Mississippi Gulf Coast was built in 1847. In that long history it has had the most number of female keepers of any lighthouse in the country. Such history also includes numerous hurricanes, including Katrina. Biloxi Lighthouse also has the distinction of being the only one in America to be situated in … Continue reading
Key West Lighthouse
Key West Lighthouse is located at the tip of the southern most city in the US. It was built in 1848 and, 158 years later, still has the Fresnel lens installed in 1858 although the lighthouse was deactivated in 1969. During its years of service the same family were the keepers for over 80 years. … Continue reading
Martagora Island Lighthouse
Martagora Island Lighthouse is located on the Texas Gulf Coast and was built in 1852. In 1859 it was disassembled and moved 2 miles inland due to erosion. It was frequently exposed to hurricanes and bugs so plentiful they would block out the light. Even worse, rattlesnakes were a constant threat and antivenum was always … Continue reading
Port Pontchartrain Lighthouse
Port Pontchartrain Lighthouse is located on Lake Pontchartrain Louisiana and was built in 1855. For 47 years–1882-1929– it had a series of three women lighthouse keepers. In 1939 the surrounding land was reclaimed resulting in an amusement park which lasted until 1983. In 1991 the University of New Orleans took over and made a research … Continue reading
Thornewood Castle
Thornewood is located in Lakewood WA and comprises 31,000 sq. ft. Starting in 1908, construction took four years at a cost of $1,000,000 ($10,000,000 in today’s dollars). Four-hundred-year-old bricks from an English castle were used. Later development reduced the acreage from 110 to just 4; however, restoration has brought back much of it’s previous splendor. A … Continue reading
Rhodes Hall
Rhodes Hall is one of the last great original homes on Peachtree St. in Atlanta. It was completed in 1904 and built by a successful furniture retailer who offered reasonably priced furniture and installment plans–both innovations at the time. It cost $50,000 ($700,000 in today’s dollars) to build and boasted over 300 light bulbs at … Continue reading
Snyder Castle
Snyder Castle in Camdenton MO. is also known as Ha Ha Tonka (“laughing spirit” in Osage). It was built in 1905 also utilizing local stone materials. Unfortunately, Snyder did not enjoy his new home for long as he was killed in one of Arkansas’ first auto accidents. It sat unfinished for 16 years, then tragedy … Continue reading
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