A
few years ago, Litchfield Castle lost its title of the only castle in the
Adirondacks. It must now compete with Leary Castle, a medieval-themed stone
mansion in Tupper Lake that was completed in 2014 (2). While it is named Leary
Castle, the family that did the majority of the construction on the castle
actually has no relations to the Leary’s. Instead, Andy Ramsguard and his
family stumbled upon the beginnings of a castle, and took it upon themselves to
build a new kind of summer home (1). The building of Leary Castle and its
current existence represent the uniqueness of Adirondack culture and the
strength of the Adirondack community.
Ed Leary, a Tupper Lake resident with a passion for
medieval history, began the construction of the castle (1). Leary was a high
school teacher in Tupper Lake, and a native to the Adirondacks (1). The
Adirondack spirit of doing things one’s own way lent itself perfectly to Ed,
who, after years of planning, bought land in Tupper Lake in 1986 and began his
castle (1). For years, he worked on the castle only with the help of a friend
who was a mason (1). He even petitioned the APA for permission to build a stone
tower that was 20 feet higher than the park allowed (1). He wrote that the
tower would lend “a definite aura of neo-Gothic enchantment to the surrounding
area”, and the petition was granted. However, in 2009, before he reached the
roof of the tower, Ed Leary died of a staph infection, and the castle was
abandoned.
Later in 2009, Sherie Ramsguard read about an
unusual property for sale in Tupper Lake, a property that included 20 acres of
land and an unfinished castle. The Ramsguards lived in Skaneateles with their
two children, but Mr. Ramsguard was intrigued by the idea of the castle and eventually
drove out to it, where he was struck with the possibility of finishing it (1).
They purchased the land and the unfinished structure and went to work on its
completion, coming up to the Adirondacks every weekend to work on it (1). They
worked on the castle like this for around 4 years, pouring cement, constructing
windows and arches, and scouring antique stores for medieval decorations (1).
Finally, in 2014, the castle was finished, complete with 6 bedrooms and 6 and a
half bathrooms, one of which is accessible through a secret door in a bookcase.
Only in the Adirondacks could someone begin
hand-building a castle and then have that project taken up by someone else with
the same passion until its completion. A
neighbor marveled at the Ramsguard’s work and said how “it was a real labor of
love. Ed would be so happy to see that somebody wanted to keep it going” (1).
The castle not only represents the unique passions of the people of the Park,
but it also contributes to the Park community. The Ramsguards hold fundraisers
and other community functions in their castle, sharing the beauty and awe of
the renaissance-styled castle with the people of the Adirondacks (2). The
Ramsguards, despite their success, never forget the workings of Ed Leary. Mr.
Ramsguard says, “We didn’t write the beginning of this story, but we get to
write the middle, and that’s good enough. This castle will live on long past
us, but we get to be a part of it. For now, we’re appreciating the moment” (1).
Sources:
Interesting. I didn't know that there were castles in the park (other than the annual Saranac Ice Fort). I wonder why they chose to design a castle inside the park, and if it has any historical significance to Tupper Lake.
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