Log In or Register
I was surprised to learn that Michigan does have a castle which was Built by Albert Loeb, the acting President of Sears, Roebuck, and Company in 1918 and owned by Albert Loeb until his death in 1924. The Castle was built in 1918 as a model farm on which prize-winning livestock were raised, as well as where Mr. Loeb showcased the newest farm equipment sold through the Sears and Roebuck catalog. Castle Farms was designed by architect Arthur Heun. The buildings were designed based on the stone barns found in Normandy, France. Local field stone was used in the construction. When construction was completed, the farm was opened to the public. Cheese and ice cream were sold and spectators could watch the local baseball team play. Castle Farms employed 90 people in its prime. In 1924, Albert Loeb died, leaving his son, Ernest Loeb, to run the farm. From 1924 until 1927,The United States was in the midst of an agricultural recession, which preceeded the Great Depression. The Loeb family sold off the livestock and the farm was then rented out for storage during the next 30 years. During the Mid 1960'2, John Van Haver bought Castle Farms and changed the name to Castle Van Haver. The property was used as an art gallery and an art studio. Mr. Van Haver cleared the caved in roofs and added Renaissance touches to the property. Castle Van Haver was opened to the public for tours. From 1959 to 1999, The property was sold to Arthur and Erwina Reibel. The Reibels changed the name back to Castle Farms, and had plans to set up a center for the arts, as well as a medieval tavern. During their ownership, Castle Farms, was host to many rock concerts. In 1999, Mr. Reibel died, and the property went up for auction. From 2001 To the Present, The property was purchased by Linda Mueller, the current owner, whose intentions were to restore it for future generations. An extensive restoration of the buildings and grounds began in 2001. The restoration of Castle Farms was completed in May 2005. Today, Castle Farms is open year 'round for weddings & receptions, festivals & shows, corporate & social events, and castle & garden tours.