They say a man’s home is his castle. But here in Ohio, there are a handful of actual castles, just waiting to be discovered.
Piatt Castle Mac-A-Cheek
Piatt Castle Mac-A-Cheek, located one mile east of West Liberty, has been operating for more than 100 years.
The story of Piatt Castle Mac-A-Cheek starts in the 1820s, when Judge Benjamin M. and Elizabeth Barnett Piatt moved their family from Cincinnati to Logan County.
Today, the Piatt Castle Mac-A-Cheek stands as a family heirloom and museum, while Mac-O-Chee is no longer open for tours.
“Piatt Castle Mac-A-Cheek represents seven generations of a family living on land in Ohio near the town of West Liberty,” says owner Margaret Piatt. “Five of those seven generations have lived in the limestone mansion with a tower, named Mac-A-Cheek.”
She says the building itself represents the land, as the limestone was quarried from a small deposit on the Piatt farm between 1864 and 1868, and the interior walls and floors are made of native oak, ash and walnut grown on the land and processed in the family sawmill.
The home was finished in 1871 and contains furnishing and personal items from all the generations that lived there. Tours have been offered at Mac-A-Cheek since 1912.
“Our historical interpreters welcome all visitors, offer guidance on how to visit the house and land, and remain available to answer questions and engage in conversation. We call these experiences facilitated, self-guided tours,” Piatt says. “We wish for our visitors to take the time to enjoy the collections, exhibits, settings and hands-on activities they find the most interesting, while also having a way to learn more through live interaction.”
There are also outdoor exhibits for guests to peruse while they enjoy the surrounding fields and stream. Still photography is permitted throughout the exhibits.
Tickets are priced at $13 for adults, $7 for ages 5-15 and $11 for ages 65 and up. Tickets can be purchased online in advance, and COVID-19 health guidelines will be followed.
“Our purpose is to invite you to think about your own histories, and many visitors say that the personal connection is the most lasting result,” Piatt says.
Matthew Lovette
Ravenwood Castle
Ravenwood Castle, located near Hocking Hills in New Plymouth, is newer, but still a medieval experience. The castle was inspired by 12th and 13th century castle designs in England and Wales.
Ravenwood Castle was built by Sue and Jim Maxwell and finished in 1995. The castle was purchased by Jim and Pam Reed in 2012.
Matthew Lovette
“While the castle itself is only 27 years old, it is patterned off of typical Norman border forts,” Jim says. “As a full-time lodging business, we don’t typically offer day tours. Guests who visit the castle to stay with us should expect a unique ‘unplugged’ experience, where they can enjoy the peace and quiet of the Hocking Hills with a medieval flair.”
Guests interested in staying at Ravenwood Castle can book a reservation on its website, as well as view different rooms and check out dining options. Guests can also participate in murder mystery game events that are hosted by the “Ravenwood Detective Agency.”
“The most memorable aspect of the castle is the ability to reconnect with family and friends, away from the hustle and bustle of today’s hectic world,” Jim says.
Loveland Castle
Heading to the southwest quadrant of the state, is Loveland Castle, located in the city of the same name. Construction of the castle began in the early 1920s by World War I veteran Sir Harry Delos Andrews, while he was a Boy Scout leader, and continued for more than 50 years.
Andrews and his Boy Scout troop, the Knights of the Golden Trail, acquired the land through a Cincinnati Enquirer subscription promotion, and started to frequent the river banks for camping. The idea for a castle began when he decided to build stone tents to keep their equipment safe and dry.
Andrews built Loveland Castle nearly on his own, pulling stones from the nearby Little Miami River and, when that supply ran out, molded bricks with cement and quart milk cartons. The castle features three distinctive styles of architecture – German, French and English – four types of towers, a dry moat, hand-tiled ceilings, murder holes, stoop doors and more.
Andrews willed the castle and grounds to the Knights upon his death at age 91 in 1981, and the Knights still guard the castle to this day.
Tickets to visit the now expanded castle cost $5 per person; children under 5 are free. Guests can participate in a self-guided tour of the castle, which features picnic tables, benches and gardens as well. Guests who make arrangements to stay overnight will receive a full tour of the castle.
The operating hours of Loveland Castle are Friday through Sunday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Social distancing guidelines are in place and a facial covering is required for all guests above age 10 inside the castle.
“The Historic Loveland Castle & Museum Chateau Laroche was built as an expression and reminder of the simple strength and rugged grandeur of the mighty men who lived when knighthood was in flower. It was their knightly zeal for honor, valor and manly purity that lifted mankind out of the moral midnight of the dark ages and started it towards the gray dawn of human hope,” per the Loveland Castle website.
Stan Hywet Hall and Gardens
Northeast of Columbus is Stan Hywet Hall and Gardens, located in Akron. The nonprofit historic house museum includes a 65-room Tudor Revival manor house as well as a recently restored gate lodge. All of this spans approximately 70 acres of formal, manicured gardens.
F.A. Seiberling, co-founder of the Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company, started purchasing land on the west side of Akron in 1910 to accommodate his growing family, along with his wife, Gertrude.
They named this grand estate Stan Hywet, meaning “stone quarry” in Old English. In 1915, the estate and gardens were finished, and the Seiberlings entertained many guests there for more than 40 years. 95 percent of the estate contains its original collection and furnishings.
Tours of Stan Hywet Hall and Gardens are all self-guided, though the Corbin Conservatory is closed. Masks are required for all buildings and social distancing is highly encouraged. Operating hours are Tuesday through Sunday, 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Tickets for self-guided tours of the manor house are $15 for adults, $6 for ages 6-17 and free for Stan Hywet members. There is also a virtual tour option.
Helen Widman is a contributing writer. Feedback welcome at feedback@cityscenemediagroup.com.
