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 in the Civil War. He purchased 90% of the Spanish American War military surplus and needed space to store 100 tons of black powder.He found the perfect site and built his castle/arsenal starting in 1901. It took seven years to build, mainly because he was constantly changing his design during construction. Later he became the world’s largest supplier of military equipment; his catalog was over 300 pages. In 1920, 200 tons of black powder blew up, and no repairs were ever made. Bannerman Castle was abandoned for 47 years following a devastating fire in 1969 and is now owned by NY Parks and Recreation, which allows for special events, frequent boat tours, and theatrical productions. The first photo shows the Castle under construction, and the third is dated 1905 (click to enlarge).
