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Loveland Castle, Chateau Larouche (OH)


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Can you believe a youth leader with a some youth help, built a castle for his group?

During WW1, Harry Delos Andrews was stationed as an hospital administrator in Chateau de la Roche in southern France. The posting left a lasting impression.

"In the 1920s, one of Andrews’ projects was his Boy Scout-esque troop, which he named the Knights of the Golden Trail (KOGT).  The group often camped along the shore of the Little Miami River, which bisects Loveland. The two plots where the group stayed were donated by families of the scouts, who obtained the land through a subscription promotion held by the Cincinnati Enquirer newspaper. The KOGT spent so much time on the site that they began to leave their camping gear there, leading Andrews to want to build two stone structures as shelters. Of course, the combination of knights and stone abodes led Andrews to decide that a castle needed to be built."

The Knights of the Golden Trail were said to be like a boy scout troop but based on the Ten Commandments and a Knights Code of Chivalry.

Andrews refused to sell castle to Elvis Presley, and ultimately willed the castle and its ground to the Knights of the Golden Trail, who maintain it to this day.

"Nothing that God ever made on the earth is more awe inspiring and heart warming than the sight of a noble youth just budding into manhood, Any man of high ideals who wishes to help save civilization is invited to become a member of the Knights of the Golden Trail."  - Harry Andrews

More at sources:

http://mentalfloss.com/article/68755/ohios-loveland-castle-was-hand-built-midwestern-medievalist

http://www.weirdus.com/states/ohio/personalized_properties/loveland_castle/index.php

https://www.roadsideamerica.com/story/9795

I could find no current contact information for the Knights of the Golden Trail. 

Edited by RememberSchiff
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4 hours ago, RememberSchiff said:

Can you believe a youth leader with a some youth help, built a castle for his group?

During WW1, Harry Delos Andrews was stationed as an hospital administrator in Chateau de la Roche in southern France. The posting left a lasting impression.

"In the 1920s, one of Andrews’ projects was his Boy Scout-esque troop, which he named the Knights of the Golden Trail (KOGT).  The group often camped along the shore of the Little Miami River, which bisects Loveland. The two plots where the group stayed were donated by families of the scouts, who obtained the land through a subscription promotion held by the Cincinnati Enquirer newspaper. The KOGT spent so much time on the site that they began to leave their camping gear there, leading Andrews to want to build two stone structures as shelters. Of course, the combination of knights and stone abodes led Andrews to decide that a castle needed to be built."

The Knights of the Golden Trail were said to be like a boy scout troop but based on the Ten Commandments and a Knights Code of Chivalry.

Andrews refused to sell castle to Elvis Presley, and ultimately willed the castle and its ground to the Knights of the Golden Trail, who maintain it to this day.

"Nothing that God ever made on the earth is more awe inspiring and heart warming than the sight of a noble youth just budding into manhood, Any man of high ideals who wishes to help save civilization is invited to become a member of the Knights of the Golden Trail."  - Harry Andrews

More at sources:

http://mentalfloss.com/article/68755/ohios-loveland-castle-was-hand-built-midwestern-medievalist

http://www.weirdus.com/states/ohio/personalized_properties/loveland_castle/index.php

https://www.roadsideamerica.com/story/9795

I could find no current contact information for the Knights of the Golden Trail. 

I live in that council, the Castle is fairly close to our council camp. I have never been, I'll see what I can do as far as hunting down more information. Found a bit of info here: http://www.lovelandcastle.com/

Edited by Sentinel947
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That sounds completely amazing.  I just love hearing about people who think outside the box and let their dreams guide their actions.

There is a somewhat similar story around these parts of a guy who owns a bakery in the town of Bellville, Texas.  He visited castles in Europe and decided that he needed to build himself one too.  The result is Newman's Castle which is open for tours to those who patronize his bakery...

http://newmanscastle.com/

image.png.0e701dcf9a06a851bb71eef9a442fdf0.png

Edited by mrkstvns
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