People across the pond talk a lot about how important American history is, but we don’t need that. Because we have something better: plain old American creativity and inspiration. Europe, show us your castles and palaces built of stone and masonry from the Middle Ages. Then show us your huge American chateaus with turrets, moats, drawbridges, and even a dragon that breathes fire. There are amazing American houses all over the country that anyone can visit. Some are right out in the open, while others are hidden in the strangest places.
The Historic Castles in the Entire US
History is still a big part of the American story, even though it’s not as important as it is for our friends across the pond. Today, you can visit ancient castles in the US. They have interesting stories, like real American fairy tales.
Montezuma Castle, Arizona
There is a beautiful desert house in Arizona that is dug into the ground. A very long time ago, the Sinagua people made this 20-room castle on a cliff in what is now Camp Verde, Arizona.
This natural landmark was created in 1906 and is one of the best-preserved cliff dwellings in all of North America. It is the third of its kind to protect Native American culture. Because Montezuma Castle is so fragile, people aren’t allowed to go inside. However, the views from below this old home are amazing.
Smithsonian Castle, Washington, D.C.
There is a national prize called the Smithsonian, and its main building, the Smithsonian Institute, is like an American castle of today. The red Norman-style castle stands out in the middle of the National Mall in Washington, D.C., where most of the landmarks and monoliths are gray.
It is made of red sandstone and was built in 1855. It was the home and office of Joseph Henry, the first Secretary of the Smithsonian. However, it is now the Smithsonian Institute’s visitor center. Its past and uniqueness have made it an important (and controversial) spot in our nation’s capital.
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Fonthill Castle, Pennsylvania
Fonthill Castle is a beautiful castle in Pennsylvania. It was once the home of archeologist, artifact collector, and tile maker Henry Chapman Mercer. From 1908 to 1912, he built this house in Doylestown, Pennsylvania. Fonthill Castle looks like it came from a picture-perfect European countryside. Its architecture is a mix of Medieval, Gothic, and Byzantine styles. Today, people can walk around the grounds, which include the nearby Mercer Museum, and learn about this American visionary’s life and work.
Thornewood Castle, Washington
Thornewood Castle, also called “the house that love built,” is the most beautiful building in Washington. It is on the shores of American Lake. One of the people who helped build the Port of Tacoma is Mr. Chester Thorne, who is the start of Thornewood’s story. Chester bought an Elizabethan house in England that was 400 years old and had it taken apart and shipped to Lakewood, brick by brick, to be used in the building of Thornewood. As a gift to his wife Anna Thorne, Chester had the castle and gardens made. It took three years to finish.
The Norumbega Inn, Maine
As it is, Maine already feels like a fairy tale. It is a place of rough beauty and old buildings. The Norumbega Inn fits right in with this Maine mood because it is a handsome and grand stone house that looks like a real castle. It was built in 1886 for Joseph Barker Stearns, who invented the duplex telegraph. It was a private home for about 100 years before it opened as a bed and breakfast in 1984.
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