Bannerman Castle

Bannerman Castle

 

Location: Hudson Island, NY  Map

Area: 6.5 acres

Constructed: 1901

 

Bannerman's Castle is a castle ruin located on Polepel Island near the city of Newburgh in New York State in the United States. The castle is named after its original owner, Frank Bannerman.

Bannerman bought the island in November 1900 as a storage area for the ammunition he traded. In the spring of 1901 he began to build the arsenal building. After Bannerman's death in 1918, construction ceased. In August 1920, approximately 200 tons of shells and gunpowder detonated near the building, destroying part of the complex. The island and building were purchased by the State of New York in 1967. On August 8, 1969, a fire occurred and the castle's roof and ceilings were destroyed. In 2009, part of the castle collapsed.

The castle is currently owned by the New York State Parks Department and is in ruins.

 

History of Bannerman Castle

The Pollepel Island was first visited by the Natives. They never actually settled the islands since they considered it a haunted place unfit to live. The Dutch explorers also had similar sentiments about this piece of land and left this “Northern Gate” of the Hudson Highland unsettled. During Revolutionary War patriots attempted to prevent the British fleet from moving upstream by placing 106 chevaux de frize (vertical logs with iron tips) between the island and Plum Point. It did not have a desired effect although remains of this logs are still visible on the bottom of the Hudson river.

Bannerman’s castle was build in 1901 by Francis Bannerman VI (1851- 1918) as a additional storage arsenal for ammunition bought from US army upon conclusion of the Spanish- American war. Businessman wanted to advertise his name and words “Bannerman’s Island Arsenal” are still visible on a side of the structure. The castle did not have a very lucky or very long history. Two years after death of its founder 200 pounds of shells and powder exploded destroying part of the structure. In 1950 a ferryboat Pollepel that served the island sank in a storm and the castle was left abandoned. In 1968 tours were given after removing military arsenal, but fire in 1969 burned much of the structure. Today Bannerman’s castle is property of the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation Bannerman’s Castle Trust. Regular tours are held, but many thrill- seekers still manage to trespass at night.

 

Current status

The castle is currently the property of the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation and is mostly in ruins. While portions of the exterior walls still stand, all the internal floors and non-structural walls have since burned down. The island has been the victim of vandalism, trespass, neglect, and decay. Several old bulkheads and causeways that submerge at high tide present a serious navigational hazard. On-island guided hard hat tours were recently made available through the Bannerman's Castle Trust. The castle is easily visible to riders of the Metro-North Railroad Hudson Line and the Amtrak Empire Service. One side of the castle, which carries the words "Bannermans' Island Arsenal", is also visible to southbound riders.

Sometime during the week before December 28, 2009, parts of the castle collapsed. Officials estimate 30–40 percent of the structure's front wall and about half of the east wall fell. The collapse was reported by a motorist and by officials on the Metro-North.