Yes even in a sleepy old fishing town, there lay castles

Herreshoff Castle was built in the later 1920's by a local Marblehead artist; Waldo Ballard, (pictured right)after touring Northern Europe, to study the several medieval designs and architectural to incorporate into his building plans. The final design was based on a castle in Brattahlid, Greenland (now named Qagssiarssuk, Greenland) created by Erik the Red.

For a comprehensive history - refer to: http://www.herreshoffcastle.com/History1.html

Carcassonne Castle

Built in 1935 and fashioned after the Carcassone castle of southern France, this waterfront Marblehead structure boasts 14 rooms and an outdoor pool and tennis courts. The castle's original owner was Lydia Gove, the daughter of patent medicine maven Lydia Pinkham of Lynn, Massachusetts.

The Castle is located on Marblehead Neck ( Marblehead MA) costing $500,000 to build (a lot of money during the depression years) and was originally called, "Sky High." And as the story goes, being such a high cost and extravagant project during the height of Depression, Ms. Pinkham received a personal letter from President Roosevelt thanking her for providing employment for so many people.

After Ms. Pinkham's death in 1948, the castle sold for $50,000 to a Guido Lawrence Rugo (who was part owner of Boston Braves professional baseball team in 1944-1951). The Town of Marblehead had also briefly considered the structure for a hospital, but the idea was discarded . The castle then sold to George A. Butler, a Toyota tycoon who set a high standard for society during the '70s and early '80s at this ocean front castle. The castle then switched over to Lily "the Condo King" until his incarceration for fraudulent dealings and is now owned by the President of Polyurethane Corp.

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Good Health – Evan Pantazi
#Kyusho

Image Credit: iPhone, herreshoffcastle, mhd