24. Bannerman Castle
In 1900, Francis Bannerman VI, a wealthy businessman, bought a small island in New York’s Hudson River. After creating a military surplus business after the Civil War, he became rich. Aside from using the island as a warehouse to keep the weapons that the U.S. had captured during the Spanish-American War, Bannerman also built himself a great house on this land. The island’s condition began to decline after his death in 1918.
A great storm destroyed the ferry used to travel from the property, and cause the explosion with some old weapons. After such damage, the company decided to desert the island. In the 1960s, the state of New York bought the property, and it ended up receiving a bit of T.L.C. – Bannerman Castle Trust. Now, it is a historical landmark, and tourists can revisit the island. Technically, one does not abandon this property. And it became a tourist attraction of New York State.
