Kimball's Castle . . .
 

. . . 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

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.

The Lake View
 

I finally found it last year! :laugh:

http://www.winnipesaukee.com/photopo...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.

Many thanks
 

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:

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.

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

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/photopo...0CASTLEgif.JPG
follow the link for more information on HIKING the BELKNAPS

Website
 

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/

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.

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

The Castle is Not Open to the Public
 

Must Still Be For Sale?
 

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

http://www.microsoft.com/presspass/e...e/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....??

Castle Owners
 

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.

The Weirs Times and Tourists Gazette - Thursday, June 15-29, 2000

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.....

I'd Love it!
 

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.

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

;) McD

How about the "Castle Gal Cam"?