Piatt Castles facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Abram S. Piatt House and Donn S. Piatt House
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Mac-O-Chee and Mac-A-Cheek castles
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| Location | 10051 Township Road 47 (Mac-A-Cheek); 2223 OH 287 (Mac-o-Chee), Monroe Township, Logan County, Ohio |
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| Area | 4 acres (1.6 ha) |
| Built | 1864 |
| Architect | William McCoy Piatt; Kenton G. Haver |
| Architectural style | Gothic, Flemish |
| NRHP reference No. | 82003604 |
| Added to NRHP | May 3, 1982 |
The Piatt Castles are two amazing historic houses near West Liberty, in Logan County, Ohio. Brothers Donn and Abram S. Piatt built these homes in the 1860s and 1870s. They designed them in a cool Gothic style, which looks a bit like old European castles.
These houses are about 1 to 1.75 miles east of West Liberty. In 1982, the castles were added to the National Register of Historic Places. This means they are important historical sites. Both houses used to be historic house museums. The Piatt family owned them from 1912 until 2019.
One of the castles, Mac-O-Chee, was sold in 2019. This helped the family restore the other castle, Mac-A-Cheek. Mac-A-Cheek is still open for public tours today.
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Who were the Piatt Family?
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The Piatt family came from France a long time ago. They were French Huguenots, a group who faced challenges for their religious beliefs. They moved to the United States to find a new home.
The family first settled in New Jersey. Jacob Piatt, the grandfather of Abram and Donn, helped the country during the American Revolutionary War. As a reward, the government gave Jacob land in Kentucky. He built his home there.
Jacob was a farmer, and his son Benjamin became a lawyer. The family also traded goods on flat boats along the Ohio and Mississippi Rivers. They also bought and sold land. By 1828, Benjamin moved his family to Logan County, Ohio. He built a log cabin for them. At that time, Donn was 9 years old, and Abram was 7.
Discover the Piatt Castles
The two castles are named Mac-O-Chee and Mac-A-Cheek. Donn built Mac-O-Chee, and Abram built Mac-A-Cheek. They started building both homes in 1864. Mac-A-Cheek was finished in 1871, and Mac-O-Chee was completed in 1879.
The homes are quite close to each other, only about three-quarters of a mile apart. Abram's home, Mac-A-Cheek, is a bit smaller. It is also more hidden and set back from the road. Donn's home, Mac-O-Chee, is larger and sits closer to the road.
Both castles have three stories and tall towers. They feature beautiful painted ceilings and detailed wooden designs. An old book from 1880 described Mac-O-Chee as having "almost baronial splendor." This means it looked very grand and impressive. The castles are also near where the Shawnee village of Mackachack used to be.
Why Mac-O-Chee Was Sold
On July 26, 2019, the Piatt Family announced they would sell Mac-O-Chee. They decided to sell it because it cost a lot to keep up and repair both large properties.
On October 19, 2019, Mac-O-Chee Castle was sold at an auction. It was bought by brothers Ryan and Jason Cole from West Liberty, Ohio. They paid $561,000 for the castle, its farmhouse, and the land. The Coles also bought many antique items from the estate. The Piatt family plans to use the money from this sale to restore their other castle, Mac-A-Cheek.
Taking a Tour of Mac-A-Cheek
Public tours at Mac-A-Cheek began in 1912. This was four years after Abram Piatt passed away. When William McCoy Piatt, Abram's fourth son, inherited the home, he already had a large collection of interesting items.
William had a special cabinet built to show off his collection. Then, he opened his home to visitors who wanted to see his curiosity cabinet. This is how the family started their tourism business. At first, it was a small part of their work, compared to their farm and grist mill.
The family continued to live in the home and offer tours until 1985. That's when they moved out of the house. Today, tours of Mac-A-Cheek are still available to the public. The Piatt family still owns and manages the museum at Mac-A-Cheek. It is also a popular place for weddings and other events.
Images for kids
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Mac-O-Chee and Mac-A-Cheek castles
