Gillette Castle State Park
Located on a 184-acre property on the top of one of the hills known as the Seven Sisters, Gillette Castle State Park overlooks the Connecticut River from high above, and is surrounded by beautiful woodlands and vistas. The former property of the American actor William Gillette, it is now restored and completed with a museum, picnic area and hiking trails, and receives hundreds of thousands of visitors every year.
History
The castle was designed and commissioned by William Gillette, known on the American stages at the beginning of the 20th century primarily for his impersonation of Sherlock Holmes. The castle took 20 men and five years (between 1914 and 1919) to complete, and was the actor’s residence. After his death, the castle and surrounding grounds were purchased by the State of Connecticut in 1943, and started their existence as a state park.
Oddities
Reminiscent of a medieval castle, the actor’s former residence features a large number of oddities from Gillette’s own design ideas: secret passages and hidden compartments, 47 doors among which no two are the same, doorknobs and locks with intricate wood carvings, built-in couches, a table on tracks, and a system of hidden mirrors through which the public rooms are viewed from the master bedroom. The actor is known to have invented trick stage props and lighting techniques, so the ingenuity visible in the design of the castle is not surprising for those familiar with what was called “his creative genius.”
Activities
Visitors can take a tour of the castle and enjoy the surrounding areas, by means of both walking trails and an electric engine on a railroad track, whose design was influenced and supervised by William Gillette. The castle is home to many theatrical activities, including seasonal presentations of Gillette’s own plays. A vegetable cellar, a goldfish pond and the Grand Central station are other outdoor attractions.
The creation of an ingenious mind in the middle of a spectacular piece of nature, the Gillette Castle State Park is one of the little wonders of Connecticut, and a place to visit again and again.