Emily Chan
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.
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