Knapp's Castle facts for kids
Knapp's Castle is a famous ruined mansion. It is located in the Santa Ynez Mountains near Santa Barbara, California. This special place is privately owned. George Knapp built the original mansion in 1916. It was a very large home with five bedrooms. It even had a room for an organ and a place to look at the stars called an observatory!
Knapp's Castle sits on a ridge in the Los Padres National Forest. From this spot, you can see amazing views. You can look out over Lake Cachuma and the beautiful Santa Ynez Valley. For many years, people loved to visit this spot. Hikers and photographers often came here. However, the site is now closed to the public.
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The Story of Knapp's Castle
Building a Dream Home
George Owen Knapp was the person who started a big company called Union Carbide. He bought the land for Knapp's Castle in 1916. The property was very large, about 160 acres. The location was so private that a new road had to be built. This road was needed just to get to the mansion.
A Fire Changes Everything
In 1940, a woman named Frances Holden bought the property. She invited her friend, the world-famous opera singer Lotte Lehmann, to live there. But only five weeks later, a forest fire sadly destroyed the mansion. Now, only parts of the original seven buildings remain. You can still see the huge stone foundations. There are also fireplace pillars and some walls.
For many years, even though it was private land, the ruins were open to visitors. Many hikers and photographers enjoyed exploring the site.
Recent Changes to the Site
In January 2011, the owner started new construction at the site. They added a stone area like an amphitheatre. They also made some parts stronger. Santa Barbara County told them to stop building. This was because the owner did not have the right permits. Even so, the construction equipment stayed on the site.
As of August 2020, Knapp's Castle is no longer open to the public. This is because there is active construction happening there.
