Just North Of New York City Lies Bannerman Castle, An Abandoned Army Surplus Arsenal That’s Said To Be Haunted
On the isolated shores of Pollepel Island, just 60 miles north of New York City, sits the ruins of a structure from the 20th century known as Bannerman Castle.
It was originally constructed as an army surplus arsenal in the early 1900s but was abandoned after suffering damage from multiple fires and explosions. The island is said to be haunted, contributing to the spookiness of the castle.
The person responsible for the castle’s existence was none other than Francis Bannerman, an arms dealer who was also a pacifist. He was from Brooklyn, and his family was of Scottish descent. He considered his collection of weapons as works of art.
Bannerman’s business was based in Manhattan, but it expanded enough to the point where he was forced to move. He purchased Pollepel Island in 1900 after his son discovered it while canoeing in the Hudson River. From there, he went on to build an arsenal to store his huge stock of weapons.
The castle contains many elements with Scottish, Moorish, and Belgian influences. Although he wasn’t an architect, Bannerman designed the castle mostly on his own.
The stone and brickwork were intricate, the details were beautiful, and the texture was elaborate, all contributing to a structure that looks like it belongs in a fairytale.
He even designed a second castle to serve as a family summer residence. It was decked out with gardens, a moat, a dock, and an outhouse built for two. The Bannermans tended to the gardens themselves, and some of their plants are still alive today.
Before Bannerman Castle was ever built, Pollepel Island had already been established as an eerie place with a dark history. The part of the river that winds around the island was known for its raging storms and fierce winds.
According to local legend, Dutch sailors in the 17th and 18th centuries credited the storms to a creepy goblin king living on the island named Heer of Dunderberg.
Col. Wilson – stock.adobe.com – illustrative purposes only
He ruled over a large group of imps and summoned violent storms that overwhelmed passing ships. A ship called The Flying Dutchman was lost during one of these squalls, and it is said that the captain can still be heard shouting orders to his crew whenever a bad storm rolls through.
Bannerman Castle has also experienced its fair share of tragedy. Bannerman himself died in 1918 before the castle could be completely finished.
Two years later, the powder house at the arsenal exploded, causing severe damage to the castle. Around 200 tons of shells and powder were involved in the explosion.
The Bannerman family barely made it out in time. They lived there until 1930, which is when the castle began to fall apart.
In 1967, the Bannerman family sold the island to the state of New York. In 1969, a mysterious fire reduced the castle to ruins. New York prohibited people from visiting Pollepel Island for years because it was too dangerous.
However, that didn’t stop a few brave souls from making the venture anyway, all to catch a glimpse of the crumbling castle.
In 1992, Neil Caplan, a Hudson Valley local, founded the Bannerman Castle Trust to raise funds for rebuilding the castle and cleaning up the surrounding area.
Today, the castle is a center for many cultural events. Tours, horror movie nights, theater performances, and dinners are held there, designating it as a historic landmark.
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