Hoquiam’s Castle – A beautiful Home with heritage and tradition
In the peaceful town of Hoquiam, State of Washington one can find a real national treasure. Listed in both state and National Historic Registries as a heritage site, it is a masterfully built 19th century Victorian-style home that is more affectionately known by residents and visitors alike as Hoquiam’s Castle. This historic home can be viewed and experienced by those who can reserve in advance since it is being operated as a bed and breakfast.
In 1897 Robert Lytle began construction of his 10,000 sq. ft. home on an area that overlooked the logging town, a town which logger’s built back in the 1850′s. Lytle made his fortune in this same trade by introducing the first electric saw mill in the west coast.
It took Lytle three years to complete his Victorian era castle and in 1900 he and his family started calling it their home in the quiet town. This was to be their home for the next 10 years or so until the Lytle family decided to move to Portland. The mansion or “castle” as it was more popularly referred to was graciously transferred to the ownership of Theadosia Bale as a wedding gift to their niece from the kind heart of the Lytle family. This was to be her home until the late 1950′s.
After Theodosia Bale’s demise the castle was left unused for quite some time, and was the object for children’s adventurous streaks of curiosity and occasional trespassing. The mansion was then bought by the Watson family in 1968, it was this family that began the restoration of the house and the antique collection that graces the inside of the Castle. The Watson’s also began the tours of the castle, which gave the residents the chance to personally appreciate the architecture and relevance of the home to theirs prestige as a community.
The castle reverberates the history of the town as it bears witness to the peak of its township as a center of commerce and industry during the late 1800′s, it also reflects the towns demeanor, that of comfort, yet inviting and wonderfully exciting all at the same time.
In 1999 the castle was bought by a couple named David and Linda Carpenter and proceeded to utilize it as a bed and breakfast. David and Linda Carpenter painstakingly restored the home to its original state of glory, transforming it into what is known as Hoquiam Castle Bed and Breakfast, with five stately rooms that give an air of royalty to anyone choosing to stay in and enjoy the castle hospitality.
In 2004, The Castle Bed and Breakfast changed owners’ again and this time it was purchased by Donna Grow who still operates it as a five room bed and breakfast that offers the same amenities that made it possible to be part of the list of National Geographic’s “America’s Most Beautiful Homes” and people should better believe it, yes, in the town, in Washington State. The five rooms are aptly named after the supposed residents of a castle; The king’s suite, the queen’s suite, the princess’s suite and the knight’s room. You can also avail of the maid’s room granting you make a one week reservation so that the occupants, actually the owner’s can move out so that the visitor can stay in as a guest in the maid’s room and as such is Hoquiam’s hospitality.
The town will always be proud of its castle that overlooks the town proper, it will always be known as a welcoming place where people give you warm attention and care, something that other places seem to be short of nowadays, but not in this town.
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