Loveland Castle: A local curiosity

Thursday
This morning, we decided to visit a local curiosity, Loveland Castle or Chateau Laroche, built overlooking the Little Miami River in the adjacent suburb of Loveland. It was the creation of one remarkable man, Harry D. Andrews, 1890-1981. After graduating from Colgate University in Hamilton N.Y., he joined the U.S. Army medical Corps during World War 1. While he was at an army hospital at Camp Dix in New Jersey, he was struck down along with many others by cerebrospinal meningitis. At one point, doctors detected no vital signs, and his body was taken to the morgue and he was declared dead. However, when his body was returned to the hospital for dissection, it was discovered he was in fact still alive, but barely. The doctors decided to try a new approach, using adrenaline to make his heart. start beating. Over time, he recovered and returned to duty. Sometime later he found himself stationed at an army hospital at the Chateau La Roche in the Dordogne in France, whose name he used for his own castle. When the war was over he initially remained in France studying architecture at Toulouse University. When he returned to the States he had a Sunday School class of teenage boys, and he purchased land along the Little Miami in Loveland, intending to provide a place for his class to swim, fish and camp. From these humble beginnings, he formed the Knights of the Golden Trail. Based on the Ten Commandments and principles of chivalrous knighthood, the purpose was to save modern civilization from degradation and degeneration. This marked the origins of his castle, in 1930, which he devoted the rest of his life to building, still working on it when he died in 1981 at age 91! The boys and young men would help by bringing stones up from the river, but all the building he did himself, and it eventually became his home. Due to the Depression and the Second World War, progress was slow until he retired and had more time. The story received a lot of media attention at the time. Harry appeared on TV at least 50 times on local stations as well as further afield. Numerous radio, newspaper and magazine articles were also written.
As you enter the castle, you can step into a little room and see several of these old films. The castle is full of items, such as armour and swords he collected over the years, as well as things people gave him. The lower centre image for example shows small pieces of rock that people had brought or sent from other places.
A bizarre but fascinating piece of local history, and an extremely dedicated, imaginative and informed man. Besides all this, he reportedly spoke half a dozen languages!
Just posted three blips tonight, do check them out if you have time!