Wilson Castle
Physical Address: 2708 West Street, Proctor, Vermont
Mailing Address: P.O. Box 290, Center Rutland, Vermont, 05736
The minute I heard about this place, I knew I wanted to visit. Thanks to a magazine write-up about it, I was alerted to this place. Then I signed on to Wilson Castle's Facebook page, which provides information. In June, we made a visit, and I was happy to cross this off my "Bucket List." As I entered the property, I was amazed at the size. The 32 room castle sits on 115 acres in a beautiful area, north of Rutland, Vermont.
http://www.wilsoncastle.com/history/ From this site you learn that the castle's construction was begun in 1885 by Dr. and Mrs. Johnson, and lasted over seven years. After their death, the castle was bought and sold numerous times. It wasn't until 1939 that Colonel Herbert Wilson purchased it as a summer home. He opened it in 1962 for tours.
From Wilson Castle's Facebook page, July 2018, "This massive stained glass window along with the two on each side were purchased from a deconstructed church in France and are said to be over 500 years old. They are original to the Wilson Castle and the building was designed to incorporate them. Colonel Wilson had them strengthened in the 1970s by adding the steel bars running horizontally to prevent the window from sagging from its own weight."
Front hallway, stairs to the left.
This is the room where we sat, below a Tiffany chandelier, and watched an informative DVD about the history of Wilson Castle. Just look at the ceiling.
The four photos below are of the formal living room. There are antiques from around the world, including a Louis XVI crown jewel case.
The Music Room (above and below). While looking at the photos on the piano, I mentioned I was into genealogy. I was told who these people were, by the granddaughter.
Dining Room, with Tiffany chandelier.
Our tour guide was the granddaughter of Colonel Herbert Wilson who bought this castle. She told us that this is the place setting they used for holiday meals that were served in the dining room, shown above.
Pantry, looking into the Dining Room.
The Pink Room. Usually used for brides prior to their marriage in the castle.
Various seating areas, and bedrooms, all have great views. I read there are 84 stained glass windows!
I love fireplaces, here are three of the 13 in the house.
Veranda
Something this old always needs some touch-up.
I learned there is a ballroom on the 3rd floor, now closed to visitors, but when repair work is completed, it will be open. I can't wait to make a return visit.
All statistics were confirmed by Wilson Castle on July 8, 2018. I had been given a few from my tour guide, but I didn't have the number of rooms or number of fireplaces. Searching the web showed that some sites had different figures!
Their Facebook page is loaded with information.
