Jay Cooke House facts for kids
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Jay Cooke Home
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 Location in Ohio
Location in the United States
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| Location | Gibraltar Island, Put-in-Bay, Ohio |
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| Area | 8 acres (3.2 ha) |
| Built | 1865 |
| Architectural style | Italianate |
| NRHP reference No. | 66000620 |
Quick facts for kids Significant dates |
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| Added to NRHP | November 13, 1966 |
| Designated NHL | November 13, 1966 |
The Jay Cooke House, also known as Cooke Castle, is a special old summer home. It sits on Gibraltar Island in Lake Erie, near Put-in-Bay, Ohio. This house was built in 1865. It was the favorite summer spot for a famous money expert named Jay Cooke (1821–1905).
Since 1925, the old Cooke property has been home to the Stone Laboratory of Ohio State University. This is one of the oldest places in the country where scientists study freshwater. The whole island, which is about 8 acres big, was named a National Historic Landmark in 1966. This means it's a very important historical place.
What Does Cooke Castle Look Like?
Gibraltar Island is a small island next to South Bass Island in Lake Erie. It's located inside a quiet bay called Put-in-Bay. The island is shaped a bit like a long oval and is about 8 acres in size.
Cooke Castle is on the eastern side of the island. It's the building furthest to the east. The house has three stories and is made of stone with wooden decorations. Its most striking part is a tall, four-story tower with eight sides. The top of the tower looks like a castle wall with notches, a style called Gothic Revival. The front porch also has these castle-like decorations. Inside, the house has fancy wood details and a beautiful marble fireplace in the living room.
The Story of Jay Cooke and His Island Home
Jay Cooke bought Gibraltar Island in 1865. The house was built soon after. Cooke was from Sandusky, Ohio. He played a huge part in helping the Union side pay for the American Civil War. He sold almost a billion dollars worth of war bonds to many different people.
Cooke loved spending time at his island home. He usually visited for three weeks in the spring and again in late summer. In 1874, he had to sell the island because he lost a lot of money during a financial crisis called the Panic of 1873. But he managed to earn back some of his wealth. He bought the property back in 1880.
The island was bought by Ohio State University in 1925. They turned it into a research center for studying freshwater. Today, scientists still use it to learn about Lake Erie and other freshwater environments.
