Is There a Scottish Castle in Orange County, NY? ~ You Bet There is, On Bannerman's Island

On a tiny island in the Hudson River, between Duchess County to the East and Orange County to the West, stands a fragile, nearly forgotten, remnant of New York State's past, Bannerman Castle. Constructed of red brick, concrete and stone, the ruins of this structure remain a fascinating anachronism in modern day New York.

The genesis of Bannerman's Castle was purely economic, and the result is spectacular. In 1901 Francis Bannerman chose to erect this building on an island to attract attention to his military surplus business and to warehouse his inventory. Why build it in the style of a Scottish castle? Why not. Originally Mr. Bannerman used the walls of the warehouse castle as immense billboards, clearly visible to those traveling past via steam boat and rail. In no time at all his island castle had made, "Bannerman's Island Arsenal," household words.

Even before constructed of the castle in 1901, Bannerman's Island, previously know as Pollepel Island, had a history that attracted attention. In earliest times Indians believed the location haunted, and they would only dared to venture to the island during daylight hours. Later, early European settlers used the island to demark the point at which navigation becomes difficult on a northward river journey. And still later, during the Revolutionary War, the island was used as part of a barrier intended to keep the British from traveling up the Hudson River to Lake Champlain.

Now owned and protected by the state, Bannerman's Island is accessible from Newburgh, NY by tour boat and kayak. The non-profit organization, the Bannerman Castle Trust, works in conjunction with the New York State Office of Parks Recreation and Historic Preservation to maintain and operate this amazing remnant of local history.

For information call: (845) 831-6346
Or visit: http://www.bannermancastle.org/