Successfully Preserving Architectural Heritage

Bannerman Island, located in the Hudson Highlands of New York, is home to the stunning remains of a Scottish-style fortress. The island's story began far before it was named after the Scottish-American businessman, Francis Bannerman VI, who purchased the entire island in 1900. Yet he left the most indelible mark on the premises, and so this exploration of the history of the mysterious ruins must begin with him. Mr Bannerman immigrated to New York from Scotland at the age of five, and he followed in his father’s footsteps to become a successful munitions dealer. He purchased the island and built the castle to store his massive collection of military equipment. He founded Bannerman's Co. in 1865 and, by all accounts, did very well. In fact, the arsenal he amassed was so immense it could have quite literally blown the island of Manhattan out of the water!

All images are taken from the Bannerman Castle official website.

Modelled after the grand castles of his homeland, the fortress or castle was completed in 1918. Bannerman and his family stayed in a separate lodge in the summertime, slightly higher on the hill, to escape the summer heat of the city and to have more comfortable lodgings away from the armoury. The castle itself is sometimes called a fortress because, as one can see from its ruins today, it had the appearance of strength and fortification in its brickwork, as well as the actual incorporation of armoury refuse. There were even cannons used on the exterior as decoration!

Withstanding the test of time?

Unfortunately, the castle was fated to become a ruin. After nearly 50 years of occupancy, the Bannerman family sold the property to New York State, and it was negotiated that it would belong to the people as a protected site. Tragedy struck when, in August 1969, a massive fire gutted the building, leaving behind the wonderfully mysterious ruins we see today. Most fortunately, no one was hurt in this incident. The castle fell into further disrepair due to neglect and constant exposure to the harsh East Coast elements (acid rain and snow, high winds, and occasional freezing temperatures) throughout the seasons. The masonry did not stand the test of time, as a large section of the Northern and Eastern walls collapsed in 2009.

A caring heart, A local treasure

But wait, there is hope! In 2017, the Bannerman Castle Trust, led by executive director Neil Capman, began efforts to save the site. The trust is working to stabilise the remaining structures and educate the public about the island's history. Thanks to their efforts, visits to the island tripled from 2004 to 2017, according to an article (linked below). Mr Capman actually began working behind the scenes towards a fully-fledged preservation plan for the castle back in 1994. According to their website:

"Since 1994, [the Trust] has been working to find resources and funding to stabilize the island’s historic structures and has made it their mission to educate the public on [its] value and history (...) [Their goal is] to make it a safe and welcoming place for the public to enjoy as an educational, cultural, historical and recreational facility, promoting heritage tourism in the Hudson Valley [of New York State]."

Capman also astutely continues to invite modern artists to exhibit their works on the premises to draw in the art-loving and 'avant-garde' crowd. The team on site regularly ensures that safety measures are in place, in order to remain a viable tourist attraction as per local requirements and, of course, to attract a variety of tourists (and not just curious explorers!).

Looking to the future

This architectural gem with a colourful past has a promising future if the Bannerman Castle Trust and the state of New York (or other local governments and organisations) are willing to put in the time and able to put aside the resources to preserve this piece of American heritage. We can conjecture some options based on the state it is in and what its content can provide to the people. If it were rebuilt as a museum, it would not only be a physical reminder of Mr Bannerman's story, but its content and accompanying informational packets could also highlight the culture and traditions of the local Indigenous population who were present there long before the munitions warehouse. In fact, there is a convoluted folklore (too much so for this current piece) regarding the original name of the location: Propel Island. This was decades, perhaps centuries, before the arrival of the Bannermans, thus would round out and bring to life the historical details presented if this were a museum. Alternatively (or additionally, depending on resources available and, of course, the socio-political concerns of the property managers), the castle could house Civil War artefacts. It was once a bastion of American resistance during battles against the British.

All this history inherent in the location, sprinkled with a bit of tech, and wrapped nicely with safety measures, would make for a thrilling adventure! It could attract visitors from school-aged children to history-amateur retirees!

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If you'd like to learn more about this place and it's history, do please have a look at the following sources:

https://www.poughkeepsiejournal.com/story/life/2017/09/20/bannerman-castle-trust-neil-caplan-pollepel-island/528708001/

https://www.scenichudson.org/viewfinder/not-a-castle-never-a-mansion-bannerman-islands-surprising-past/#:~:text=Though%20the%20business%20remained%20housed,the%20Taconic%20State%20Park%20Commission.

https://www.dutchess.org/history/bannerman_castle_history

https://vimeo.com/1155145658?fl=pl&fe=ti