Bannerman Castle

70 kilometers north of the city of New York, Pollepel Island is located, on which the remains of the once magnificent Bannerman Castle live out their days.

The island was originally a military prison founded by General George Washington during the War of Independence. In 1900, the island was purchased by Frank Bannerman for $1,500. Bannerman was a collector and purchaser of military ammunition and equipment, he spent 17 years building his island castle in the Scottish style. The castle served as a warehouse for Bannerman’s incredible weapons collection. There were real docks, garden fences, gun towers and ditches, in which weapons were stored.

By some estimates, Bannerman’s collection totaled more than 30 million units. Most of the weapons were used during the American Civil War.

But, never fulfilling his dream of collecting the most incredible collection of weapons, and transferring it to the inheritance, Bannerman died, and the island along with the castle was sold to the state of New York. The weapons were transferred to the Smithsonian Institution, but some of them remained in the castle. In 1969, according to some reports, lightning struck the castle’s weapons depots, causing a massive fire. As a result, most of the buildings burned down and the castle almost collapsed.

Now the island is closed, and you can admire the ruins of the castle only from the Hudson River.