Kimball's Castle . . .

[nj2nh]

. . . is where exactly? I know it is on Belknap Point, but I have been utterly unable to find it. Can you see it from the road? If so, which road?

My kids are curious - me, too. We just want to see it. I've got tons of postcards of the place, but never laid eyes on it from land or lake.

Many thanks,

nj2nh

[Seaplane Pilot]

It's on the west side of Rt. 11 - barely visible from the road. As you go around the big curve on Rt. 11 near Belknap Point Motel, it sits up on top of the hill. To get to the castle, you take Locke's Hill Road off of Rt. 11.

[Rattlesnake Gal]

I finally found it last year! :laugh:

http://www.winnipesaukee.com/photopost/data/506/medium/9-12-06_123_-_2.jpg

From the lake it can be seen from the western side of Timber Island, near the red marker #28 or near The Witches.

[nj2nh]

My boys and I will go on a hunt and see if we can find it. It's not that far from our place.

nj2nh

[GWC...]

My boys and I will go on a hunt and see if we can find it. It's not that far from our place.

nj2nh
Try to remember that it is private property.

Vandalism has been a problem - what's in your wallet? :eek: :D :laugh: :laugh:

[Weirs guy]

My boys and I will go on a hunt and see if we can find it. It's not that far from our place.

nj2nh

Careful nj2nh, the new owners are not terribly interested in tours and you have to drive up their driveway to get a good view. We tried to check it out last summer but got the hint very fast. Good luck, and if you get close post pictures please.

[nj2nh]

I guess it will have to be enough to figure out where it is. I might try Google Earth and see if I can track it down there. That is where we started searching for it a while back.

nj2nh

[mcdude]

nj2nh: Take the boys for a hike up Locke's Hill. You can get a pretty good view of the castle from there. Here's a shot from a few years ago. There are some fine shots on Photopost by flyguy and dcr.
http://www.winnipesaukee.com/photopost/data/506/medium/20CASTLEgif.JPG
follow the link for more information on HIKING the BELKNAPS (http://mysite.verizon.net/vze3nm2c/hikingmap222/)

[SteveA]

I drove up the driveway several years ago to sneak a peek.. noone stopped me.. but I didn't stay long and didn't take pictures.

They have a website...http://www.kimballcastle.com/

[Weirs guy]

I guess it will have to be enough to figure out where it is. I might try Google Earth and see if I can track it down there. That is where we started searching for it a while back.

nj2nh


Its really not that hard, just as Seaplane Pilot said once you get to Locke's Hill Road follow it to the end. There will be a long, swooping driveway on your right and the Castles on a little noll just on the other side of the driveway.

[Mr Port Jefferson]

I thought it was owned by the town of Gilford and the grounds were open to the public? Is this not so? Has it ever been so? This was on my list of things to do when I am at the lake but never got a chance

[Rattlesnake Gal]

The town of Gilford subdivided the land and castle in hopes that there would be a resort developed there. The town approved these (http://www.kimballcastle.com/concept.html) plans.
You might try contacting the owners (http://www.kimballcastle.com/contact.html) if you are set on seeing the castle up close.
According to The Gunstock Parish, Benjamin Kimball named his castle The Broads. How fitting.

[Rattlesnake Gal]

I just remembered that last year McDude and I caught a special Chronicle that had unique places for sale. Kimball’s Castle was one of them. We thought it was pretty cool. Did anyone else see it? It was on the Boston Chronicle.

This quote taken from the home page leads me to believe it is still for sale.
“For more information on how to claim your castle, please contact Tom Lavoie at (603) 594-4123.”

Too bad the Chronicle special didn't result in a buyer.
:idea: I think we need a benefactor like Bob Bahre with oodles of money to set the castle back to right. Does anyone have Bob’s number? :laugh:

[MJM]

So, has the castle ever been owned by an idividual, as a house?

The strange thing is, I've been told super-wealthy Ray Ozzie

www.microsoft.com/presspass/exec/ozzie/default.mspx

owns (or owned) a house over in that general area, and that it was supposedly a castle. Now I'm wondering if this was it....??

[Rattlesnake Gal]

A quick search in county records show a Raymond Ozzie owning property on Varney Point Road and Dockham Shore Road, nothing about Kimball Castle.

The Castle passed to Benjamin’s wife and then to his daughter-in-law Charlotte, who spent summers at The Broads until her death in 1960.

More on Benjamin Ames Kimball. (http://www.benjaminameskimball.com/castle.htm)

The Weirs Times and Tourists Gazette - Thursday, June 15-29, 2000 (http://www.benjaminameskimball.com/Castle/WeirsTimes1.htm)

[Rattlesnake Guy]

You can tell from this that my dear wife is obsessed with Kimball's Castle. She informed me recently that if we won the 240 million power ball she would like to buy it and live there. :eek:

I conceded that if we won she could buy it and she could visit any time she wants. I was hoping that might increase my chances. Apparently it did very little.....

[Rattlesnake Gal]

I conceded that if we won she could buy it and she could visit any time she wants.

You know I’d hold you to it! :laugh: It would be nice to have a mainland place near the lake, especially one that has a view of our island. :D
:idea: We could have the yearly ForumFests there too!

I'm off to buy some lottery tickets... bye!

[Weirs guy]

You can tell from this that my dear wife is obsessed with Kimball's Castle. She informed me recently that if we won the 240 million power ball she would like to buy it and live there. :eek:

I conceded that if we won she could buy it and she could visit any time she wants. I was hoping that might increase my chances. Apparently it did very little.....


Sorry campers, err, islanders, the powerball and castle are mine! I'm actualy a distant relative of Mrs. Ben Kimball (grandfathers cousins brothers dog trainers...) so I get first dibs. It does kill me to see it not being used for much, but it does look like the current owners doing their best to fix it up. It just happens to need a LOT of fix it up'ing.

[mcdude]

I'm off to buy some lottery tickets... bye!

GOOD LUCK!
....and if you win we'd all like a nice webcam (or two) from the castle!
(CastleCAM??? KIMBALLKAM???)

;) McD

[SIKSUKR]

How about the "Castle Gal Cam"?

[SunsetPointWentworth]

http://www.unionleader.com/article/20130801/NEWS06/130809973/0/SEARCH