The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1906-01-19
CRAZYMAN's CASTLE.
NOVEL STRUCTURE ERECTED
BY CIVIL WAR VETERAN.
For Forty-Two Years the Builder
Labored at It Daily, But
Never Completed His
Task.

For 40 years passengers on the steam
| boats plying the Mississippi river be-
tween st. Paul and st. Louis have risen
| at daylight, stayed up till dark, or
| passed up their meals that they might
see the far-famed "Crazyman's castle, "
on the right bank of the Mississippi riv-
er, about so miles south of st. Paul,
near the village of Minnesota, MINI.
There is something intensely interest
ing about the castle that excites the
wonder and admiration of all behold
ers, for it was the work of one man, COW
ering period of more than 40 years, and
that man man of mystery" without
education as an architect or builder,
though a polished, accomplished gentle
man.
The castle was erected on a plateau
of rock near the river bank under the
shadows of a towering bluff, and stands
cut prominently like the home of some
feudal lord.
There came to Minnesota AZ years
ago, Putnam Gray, straight from the
battlefelds of the civil war. Why he
came here nobody knows. Whether he
came to seek seclusion from the world
and bury himself from friends and rela,
lives no one has ever been able to dis
cover When he arrived he was still i'll
from wound in his head, caused by the
bursting shell on the field of battle at
Shiloh.
For AZ years Putnam Gray has labored
daily to complete his novel structure,
the only ambition of his life, and for
which he was often heard to say that
be wished his life would be spared.
He began collecting logs, driftwood
and wreckage, of which his castle" is
constructed, circumstance which |
makes his achievement in building all |
the more remarkable.
During the first year of his residence |
here he earned a few dollars by tending |
the government lights on the river at |
that point, but aside from this period |
he has never sought employment, other
than that of building his castle
He accomplished his work without
nails or other building material, save
wrecks, broken lumber, and logs that
came down to him on the current of the
river. The main part of the
castle is three stories high
The lower story and foundation is
built of logs, carefully dressed. The sec.
Dnd story is constructed from the hulls
Of three wrecked steamboats,, while the
upper part is made of lighter materl
H., such as the upper decks of steam
boats. Several frowning towers are seen
Using to twice or three times the height
If the main structure, while at each cor
her is watch tower. Bubbling up in tho
center of the ground floor is spring OF
,ure ice-cold water, which has dubbed
as the old man toiled to
his life work.
Putnam Gray is not insane. When he
irst began to erect his Castle" the
steamboat men called 1t a crazy affair,
md this term has been applied to him
md his home, though since the steam
oat men have been compelled to ac- 1
that his work, with scant l
ools and raw material, would do credit '
0 many first-class mechanics. He Is 1
ow rs years old, and the first mishap v
Thich came to him, after weathering tho L
forms of 40 years, occurred last sum
Ter, when terrific storm swept the s
liver and partially demolished his still t
lcompleted ''castle." a
81 can't finish it now" he cried. 81 am t
DO old and feeble, and it was almost q
1mpleted" The tears came to the old a
,an's eyes and his voice trembled as he il
ave vent to his feelings, but he did il
0mething he never did before The ST.
mt man became laxative, and to the
w sightseers who ever came to view
lie storms work, he told where the vari-
is parts of the building had come >
stadrways, holdings, and win. :"
ows from this or that steamboat which Il
ad 1oated ashore after being wrecked. -"
ut he gave the curious visitors no fur. u
Ter information concerning himself. v
Thousands of passengers on the pass. -"
g steamboats, and as many visitors "
I've admired "Crazymans Castle" for 81
ore than quarter of a century, and W
me will forget it or the strange old III
an who built it. pl
OF
lii