Sherman, Byron R., House - White Sulphur Springs, MT
Posted by: T0SHEA
N 46° 33.035 W 110° 54.059
12T E 507590 N 5155229
Built by the most energetic and successful man of the area, the Castle of White Sulphur Springs is the largest, most impressive residence ever built in this isolated part of Montana.
Waymark Code: WMWM5B
Location: Montana, United States
Date Posted: 09/17/2017
Views: 1
Set on a hilltop overlooking the City of White Sulphur Springs, its location only adds to its imposing stature. Built at a cost of $36,000 in 1890-92 entirely of local granite, the castle was designed by its original owner, Byron Roger Sherman, a cousin of the Civil War general, William Tecumseh Sherman. Romanesque in style, the two stories Victorian mansion was built with two full height towers along the south façade, a round tower with a conical cap at the southeast corner and a square one with a gable end set at a 45 degree angle at the southwest corner. The fact that the building rests on a tall basement makes the towers appear to be three stories tall.
As seems to be the norm, when a building comes to be known by a name such as "The Castle", ghosts and spectres begin to come out of the woodwork. Such is the case with this "Castle", actually once the residence of Byron R. Sherman. Haunted Places has apparently received reports of the hauntedness of "The Castle", as indicated below.
This historic mansion is perched high on a hill above the town, and was built in 1892. Locals have reported many strange occurrences, including a phantom lady in a beautiful white dress and a lantern that has been seen floating around the castle. The building is open to the public, and people touring the building during the day have reported hearing ghostly laughter.
From Haunted Places
We visited and toured the house, but were completely luckless as we weren't bothered in the least by any other-worldly apparitions. At least I don't think we were...
Sherman moved to California in 1902, selling the building to the Donahoe family in 1905. Heirs of the Donahoes donated the building to the Meagher County Historical Association to be used as a museum in 1960.
The museum is open daily 10 am to 5 pm, from Memorial Day weekend to Labor Day, with the last tour at 4:30 pm. Admission is Adults - $5; Children 12 to 5 and Seniors over 60 - $3; Children 4 and under free. Prearranged tours of 10 or more - $3. Incidentally, photography within the museum is prohibited.
The mansion has twelve rooms all laid with hardwood floors and covered with Belgian and Oriental rugs. In the bathrooms were washbowls and stands of Italian marble, and the light fixtures were of crystal and brass. The Victorian landmark is made of hand-cut granite blocks hauled by oxen from the nearby Castle Mountains. The museum is complete with period furniture, mineral samples, clothing and artifacts from the region's past.
Sherman installed a large water tank in the attic, supplied by pump from a windmill in the northeast corner of the yard. In 1894 he enlarged a pond on his ranch that was fed by an abundant spring, and laid a twenty-inch pipe about 150 yards down the hill to a two-story electric light plant that had two dynamos in the basement. The electricity was carried into town on bare wire strung on pine and spruce poles. The plant could run only about six hours before the pressure of the pond became too low. Consumers learned to plan their activities around the 'on' hours, but they could lay claim to living in one of the first towns in the state to have electricity.
From Central Montana
Street address: 310 2nd Avenue Northeast White Sulphur Springs, MT United States 59645
County / Borough / Parish: Meagher County
Year listed: 1977
Historic (Areas of) Significance: Exploration/Settlement, Architecture
Periods of significance: 1900-1924, 1875-1899
Historic function: Domestic - Single Dwelling
Current function: Domestic, Recreation And Culture - Museum
Privately owned?: no
Primary Web Site: [Web Link]
Secondary Website 1: [Web Link]
Season start / Season finish: Not listed
Hours of operation: Not listed
Secondary Website 2: Not listed
National Historic Landmark Link: Not listed
|
Visit Instructions: Please give the date and brief account of your visit. Include any additional observations or information that you may have, particularly about the current condition of the site. Additional photos are highly encouraged, but not mandatory.
Recent Visits/Logs:
There are no logs for this waymark yet. |
|
|
|