SEARLES CASTLE – JOHN DEWEY ACADEMY

Great Barrington, MA - The castle was commissioned in 1886 by railroad magnate Mark Hopkins for approximately $2.5 million. He died during construction, and the widow Hopkins married Edward Searles - hence Searles Castle. Construction was finished in 1888. They enjoyed the estate for four seasons until 1891 when Mary Searles (nee Hopkins) died. Edward never enjoyed Barrington much and had on-going feuds with the area. He erected a wall to keep out the noise from the Great Barrington Trolley after trying to fight the system. He then was besieged with the curious trying to see more of the great castle. The latter, it's been said, was the breaking point and he left (taking numerous architectural details with him) to his house in Methuen, MA where there is another castle. The built a third castle in Windham, NH which is actually their summer home.

This castle is now the John Dewey Academy, a co-ed private school.

I got the info from: http://www.dupontcastle.com/castles/searles2.htm there seems to be many versions of stories about the Searles and the castles, so this is as close as I can come. Enjoy the Photo.