Photo: Shaun O'Boyle
Pollepel Island is a 6.5 acre island off the shore of the Hudson River Valley and home of the architecturally magnificent Bannerman's Castle. The castle is an abandoned arsenal, and today is a mere shell, having experienced several fires. The grandeur, dilapidation, and limited accessibility of the Castle make it a very tempting target for teenage vandals, yet organizations attempt to emphasize the castle's history rather than its death.
Photo: Shaun O'Boyle
Photo: Shaun O'Boyle
Bannerman's Castle is particularly interesting architecturally because it is out of place in the American landscape. The castle was, in fact, designed and built by a Scottish man, Frank Bannerman, who owned a Brooklyn-based army surplus goods business. The business had expanded so much by the end of the Spanish-American War that the laws of New York required that the weapons be stored outside of the city limits. Bannerman had purchased 90% of the captured weapons and equipment of the Spanish, but needed a secure storage facility a distance away.
Photo: cwbuecheler
One day, while sailing on the Hudson River, approximately 50 miles north of New York City, Bannerman spotted Pollepel Island and felt it was a prime location for his warehouse. Bannerman purchased the island from the Taft family in 1900, and set out to build a structure in the fashion of his homeland's architecture. Because the Scottish architecture was so unique for the region, the Bannerman Castle prominently stood out – making it the perfect advertisement for Bannerman's business. Twenty years later, however, a portion of Bannerman's Castle was destroyed, after 200 tons of ammunition exploded within. Over time, several more fires occurred, rendering the castle unusable.
Photo: Leonard G
Photo: Shaun O'Boyle
Pollepel Island itself, before the construction of Bannerman's Castle, has a rich history. The island was thought to be haunted by Native American tribes, and provided a safe refuge for those fleeing the Indians. The name of the island derives from the name of a legendary girl, Polly Pell. Polly was drowning in the river when the island's shores saved her. On the island appeared her true love, and they were married to live happily ever after. “Pollepel” is in fact the Dutch word for ladle, but once Dutch rule was exchanged for English rule, knowledge of this origin was lost.
Photo: Shaun O'Boyle
Today, Bannerman's Castle is owned by the New York Parks and Recreation Department, which seeks to preserve the structure and island. Tours are conducted at the castle, though these could soon end considering portions of the castle still periodically collapse.
Photo: Shaun O'Boyle
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