The Samuel Taylor Suit Cottage, also known as the Berkeley Castle or Berkeley Springs Castle, is located on a hill above Berkeley Springs, West Virginia, United States.
Samuel Taylor Suit Cottage | |
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  Samuel Taylor Suit Cottage  Samuel Taylor Suit Cottage  Samuel Taylor Suit Cottage | |
| Location | 276 Cacapon Road, Berkeley Springs, West Virginia |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 39°37′38″N 78°13′49″W / 39.62722°N 78.23028°W |
| Built | 1885 |
| Architect | Mullett, A.B. and Ashford, Snowden |
| Architectural style | Late Victorian |
| NRHP reference No. | 80004035 |
| Added to NRHP | November 28, 1980[1] |
History
editThe castle-like house was built for Colonel Samuel Taylor Suit of Washington, D.C. as a personal retreat near the spa town, beginning in 1885. It was not complete by the time of his death in 1888 and was finished in the early 1890s for his young widow, Rosa Pelham Suit, whom Suit had first met at Berkeley Springs, and their three children.[2] The post 1888 work is of noticeably inferior quality.[3]
The fifteen-room interior features a ballroom 50 feet (15.2 m) wide and 40 ft (12.2 m) long. The design is attributed to Washington architect Alfred B. Mullett, who is alleged to have drawn a rough sketch of the plan on a tablecloth at the Berkeley Springs Hotel. The design may have been based on elements of Berkeley Castle in Gloucestershire, United Kingdom.[4] Detailed design and construction supervision was carried out by Snowden Ashford, who designed Washington's Eastern Market, apprenticed for Mullett and is also credited as an architect.[5] Mrs. Suit entertained lavishly at the house until her money ran out and the property was sold in 1913.[3]
Purchase by the VDARE Foundation
editIn February 2020, the property was purchased by the VDARE Foundation, a tax-exempt affiliate of anti-immigration organization VDARE, which publishes writings by white nationalists.[6]
The purchase was met with resistance from residents and leaders in Berkeley Springs.[7][8]
VDARE founder and editor Peter Brimelow stated "We absolutely will not be having rallies, marches or demonstrations. We've never been involved in anything like that, and we never will be," and "We just want to be quiet, good neighbors. The only public events we're anticipating right now are the local charitable functions that we understand the castle has traditionally hosted. We hope to have some private meetings and functions, but don't have plans for any public VDARE events."[9]
VDARE purchased the house for $1.4 million and the source of the money is unknown.[10] New York Attorney General (NYAG) Letitia James alleged that VDARE had violated New York law by misusing non-profit resources while residing on the castle grounds since March 2020.[11][12]
In March 2024, a New York state judge found the VDARE Foundation in civil contempt for failing to turn over evidence related to the investigation. The organization is required to pay a $250-per-day fine until it complies with a subpoena issued by the NYAG in 2022.[12] In July, it was announced that VDARE would be suspending operations, with Brimelow resigning as president of the VDARE Foundation. A spokesperson for the attorney general's office said that the website's closure would not affect their investigation.[13]
In popular culture
editBerkeley Springs, including the Samuel Taylor Suit Cottage, inspired a location in the online multiplayer game Fallout 76.[14]
References
edit- ^ "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. April 15, 2008.
- ^ Mozier, Jeanne (2016). The Story of Berkeley Castle: What's True and What's Not. Berkeley Springs, WV: High Street Press. p. 2. ISBN 978-0989801829.
- ^ a b Rodney S. Collins (July 10, 1980). "National Register of Historic Places Nomination: Samuel Taylor Suit Cottage" (PDF). National Park Service.
{{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires|journal=(help) - ^ "Colonel Suit". History. U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved 2011-11-22.
- ^ Sullian, Jack (Spring 2005). "The Life and Loves of S.T. Suit: A Jug-Filler's Story" (PDF). Bottles and Extras. Federation of Historic Bottle Collectors. pp. 66–69. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2010-09-20. Retrieved 2009-02-10.
- ^ A "hate castle" or welcome neighbor? VDare divides a West Virginia town.
- ^ Olding, Rachel (May 29, 2020). "Tourist Town Desperate to Reopen Faces Another Battle—White Nationalists in the Castle". The Daily Beast. New York City. Retrieved April 20, 2021.
- ^ Conroy, Sean (March 20, 2020). "LETTER: How could a white nationalist group buy Berkeley Castle?". Charleston Gazette-Mail. Charleston, W.Va. Retrieved April 20, 2021.
- ^ Vincent, Jenni (25 February 2020). "Foundation focused on immigration buys Berkeley Springs castle for $1.4M". Herald Mail Media. Retrieved 26 February 2020.
- ^ "West Virginia Tourist Hub Rejects VDARE's "Negative" Message". Southern Poverty Law Center. Retrieved 2020-03-19.
- ^ Newton, Creede (May 24, 2023). "Experts: VDARE's Real Estate Deals May Cost Group Nonprofit Status". Hatewatch. Southern Poverty Law Center. Archived from the original on May 3, 2024. Retrieved 2024-06-25.
- ^ a b Gais, Hannah (June 20, 2024). "What We Know About the VDARE Legal Situation That They Say 'Finished' Them". Hatewatch. Southern Poverty Law Center. Retrieved 2024-06-25.
- ^ Gais, Hannah (18 September 2024). "White Nationalist Website VDARE Suspends Operations Amid Legal Scrutiny". Southern Poverty Law Center. Archived from the original on September 23, 2024. Retrieved 23 September 2024.
- ^ "Bucket List, Fallout 76 Quest". guides4gamers.com. Retrieved 2020-04-07.
External links
edit- Atlas Obscura: Berkeley Springs Castle Berkeley Springs, West Virginia A wealthy widow lived the high life in this Gilded Age country house.
- Andrew Gosline, Owner of Berkeley Springs Castle, Dies at 74
- Berkeley Castle Living in a Landmark (an interview with former owner Andrew Gosline)