Yes! Illinois Has Castles and One Survived the Great Chicago Fire
Illinois is the last place that I would think to have a castle, but not only was I wrong (don't tell my husband) the state has seven.
All throughout Illinois you would never guess that there are seven castles in the state. One of them I have seen at least 100 times if not more and would never consider it a castle its more like a castle-like structure, but according to MoneyInc it makes the list.
The Water Tower in Chicago is more than just a piece of history in Illinois, it's the only surviving structure from the Great Chicago Fire of 1871. The tower was originally built as a pumping station that pumped water from Lake Michigan. It sits 182.35 feet tall and was built with yellowing Lemont limestone which might have helped the structure survive the Great Chicago Fire. This might be the most recognizable castle in the state, but by far it's not the only one.
Castles in Ilinois
- Ravenstone Castle in Harvard, Illinois
- Bettendorf Castle in Fox River Grove
- Wayne Dunham Castle in Wayne, Illinois
- Altgeld Hall Castle in DeKalb
- Stronghold Camp and Retreat Center in Oregon, Illinois
- Cook Hall Normal
A few of these castles are on college campuses which makes sense. I remember the admin building on my college campus resembled a castle. Surprisingly, the Villa Katherine didn't make the list. Maybe cause it's not as large as some of these other structures, but still, it's a castle and should be on the list. In my opinion anyway.
