The castle...

Went back to Gillette's Castle today. It was such a beautiful day, big white puffy clouds, blue skies, not too hot. The plan was to meet Auntie Scoot at the ferry, just below the castle, go back and forth on the Connecticut River, then check out the castle again.

When I was small, my parents used to take us there all of the time, and the ferry ride was the best part!! Jack has never been on any kind of boat, so he was pretty excited. That is, until we got to the ferry road, and a sign said the ferry was closed today. No explanation, just closed. I had a pretty disappointed kid on my hands, but thankfully, it's only about a half hour away from where we live, so we can do it another day and he is pretty understanding.

Off to the castle we went.

Here's a little info on the castle and the castle grounds....

The castle was built by William Hooker Gillette, noted actor, director, and playwright, best known for his portrayal of "Sherlock Holmes".

The woodwork within the castle is hand-hewn southern white oak. Of the forty-seven doors within the structure, there are no two exactly the same. And each door has a handsome external latch intricately carved of wood. Even the Castle's furnishings are indications of Gillette's inspirations. The built-in couches, a movable table on tracks, and light switches of carved wood all point to his creative genius.

Outside on the grounds, Gillette's influence is no less in evidence. The trails often follow, over trestle and through tunnel, the actor's three mile long narrow gauge railroad. Gillette's own walking paths were constructed with near-vertical steps, stone-arch bridges, and wooded trestles spanning up to forty feet. Other outdoor attractions include a vegetable cellar, the railroad station (Grand Central), and Gillette's goldfish pond.