Oheka Castle facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Oheka Castle
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Oheka Castle seen from the east
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 Location in New York
Location in the United States
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| Location | 135 W. Gate Drive, Huntington, New York |
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| Area | 23.2 acres (9.4 ha) |
| Built | 1914–1919 |
| Architect | Delano & Aldrich; Olmsted Brothers, et al. |
| Architectural style | Late 19th and Early 20th Century American Movements, Chateauesque |
| NRHP reference No. | 04000996 |
| Added to NRHP | September 15, 2004 |
Oheka Castle, also known as the Otto Kahn Estate, is a large hotel. It is located on the North Shore of Long Island, in West Hills, New York. This area is sometimes called the "Gold Coast."
The castle was once the country home of a wealthy businessman named Otto Hermann Kahn and his family. The name "Oheka" is made from the first letters of Otto Hermann Kahn's name. Kahn also used this name for his yacht, Oheka II, and his home in Palm Beach, Florida.
Kahn built the mansion between 1914 and 1919. It is the second largest private home in the United States. The castle originally had 127 rooms and covered over 109,000 square feet (10,100 m2).
Today, Oheka Castle is a historic hotel. It has 32 guest rooms and suites. It is a very popular place for weddings and special events. Many famous people have used it as a backdrop for photos, TV shows, and movies. The estate also has a restaurant and offers tours of the castle and its beautiful gardens.
In 2004, Oheka Castle was added to the National Register of Historic Places. This list recognizes important historic places in the United States. Oheka Castle is also part of Historic Hotels of America. This program is run by the National Trust for Historic Preservation.
Contents
History of Oheka Castle
Building a Dream Home
Otto Kahn wanted a special country home for his family. His previous home had been destroyed by fire in 1905. Because of this, Kahn decided to build a fireproof building.
He hired architects Delano and Aldrich. They designed the castle using steel and concrete. This made Oheka one of the first fireproof homes ever built. Workers spent two years building an artificial hill for the castle. This gave it amazing views of Cold Spring Hills and Cold Spring Harbor.
Kahn also hired the Olmsted Brothers to design the castle's grounds. They created a formal French-style garden. It had neat green areas, gravel paths, and water features. High hedges hid the garden from the main entrance road.
The 443-acre (1.79 km2) estate also included an 18-hole golf course. This course was designed by Seth Raynor. There were also large greenhouses, tennis courts, and an indoor swimming pool. The property even had a landing strip for planes, orchards, and stables.
Changes Over the Years
After Kahn passed away in 1934, the estate was sold. It was used for different things. For a while, it was a retreat for sanitation workers from New York City.
In 1948, the Eastern Military Academy bought the castle and 23 acres (93,000 m2) of land. The school removed the gardens and divided the large rooms. The academy used the castle until it closed in 1979.
For the next four years, the building was empty. During this time, there were over 100 attempts to set it on fire. But the castle survived every time. This showed how well Kahn had built it to be fireproof.
In 1946, the golf course and stables became part of the Cold Spring Country Club. The greenhouses became a florist shop. Much of the rest of the land was used to build new homes.
Bringing the Castle Back to Life
In 1984, a developer named Gary Melius bought Oheka. The castle was in very bad condition. Melius started a huge project to restore the house. This was the largest private home renovation project in the United States. He also recreated the gardens using the original Olmsted plans.
In 1988, Melius could no longer afford the huge project. He sold the property to Hideki Yokoi. Ten years later, after a legal case, the building went to one of Yokoi's daughters and her husband. They also found it hard to keep up the property.
So, Melius got the castle back through a long-term lease. Later, he bought the estate again. Now, he operates it as a place for weddings and events. It is also a luxury hotel and a conference center.
Famous Events at Oheka
Many famous people have been married at Oheka Castle. These include athletes like Curtis Martin and Kevin Jonas. Other notable people like Megyn Kelly and Joey Fatone have also had their weddings there.
Images for kids
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Main staircase
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See also
In Spanish: Castillo Oheka para niños
