Pollepel Island facts for kids
Pollepel Island is a small island, about 6.5 acres (26,000 m²), located in the Hudson River in New York. The most famous thing on the island is Bannerman's Castle, which used to be a big warehouse for military supplies but is now abandoned.
About Pollepel Island
Pollepel Island has had many names over time, like Pollopel Island and Bannerman's Island. The name Pollepel comes from a Dutch word that means "pot ladle," like a big spoon for cooking.
The island is about 50 miles (80 km) north of New York City. It's also about 1,000 feet (300 m) from the eastern side of the Hudson River. Most of the island is made of rock.
Island's Early History
Europeans first found Pollepel Island when Dutch settlers explored the Hudson River. This happened near the "Northern Gate" of the Hudson Highlands.
During the American Revolutionary War, American fighters tried to stop the British from sailing up the river. They placed 106 chevaux de frise (sharp, iron-tipped logs) in the water between the island and Plum Point. These were meant to block ships. Even though some of these logs are still at the bottom of the river, they didn't stop the British from burning Kingston in 1777. Later, George Washington even thought about using the island as a military prison, but it seems this never happened.
Bannerman's Castle Story
Quick facts for kids |
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Bannerman's Island Arsenal
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The castle from the railroad, around 2003
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| Location | Pollepel Island, Newburgh, New York |
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| Area | 13.4 acres (5.4 ha) |
| Built | 1901 |
| Architect | Bannerman, Francis VI |
| MPS | Hudson Highlands MRA |
| NRHP reference No. | 82001121 |
| Added to NRHP | November 23, 1982 |
Why the Castle Was Built
Francis Bannerman VI, who the castle is named after, was born in Northern Ireland in 1851. He moved to the United States with his family in 1854. His family started a business selling military surplus items in 1865, right after the American Civil War ended. They bought leftover military gear.
As their business grew, they needed a safe place to store a lot of military supplies, including millions of ammunition cartridges. So, in November 1900, Bannerman bought Pollepel Island. In 1901, he started building a large arsenal (a place to store weapons) on the island. Bannerman designed the buildings himself.
Most of the castle was used for storing army surplus. But Bannerman also built a smaller castle on top of the island to live in. He even used some of his military surplus items to decorate it! The castle was easy to see from the river, making it a huge advertisement for his business. On the side of the castle facing the river, Bannerman had the words "Bannerman's Island Arsenal" carved into the wall.
Construction stopped when Bannerman passed away in 1918. In 1920, an explosion of shells and powder in a nearby building destroyed part of the complex. Over time, Bannerman's sales of military weapons to regular people went down because of new laws. After a ferryboat that served the island sank in a storm in 1950, the castle and island were left empty.
New York State bought the island and buildings in 1967. Tours of the island started in 1968. However, on August 8, 1969, a big fire badly damaged the castle, destroying its roofs and floors. After the fire, the island was closed to the public.
What the Castle Looks Like Now
Today, Bannerman's Castle belongs to the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation. Most of it is in ruins. While some of the outer walls are still standing, all the inside floors and walls have burned away. The island has faced problems like vandalism and neglect.
Around December 2009, parts of the castle's walls collapsed. Officials estimated that about 30-40 percent of the front wall and half of the east wall fell down.
In 2015, an art project called Constellation was put on and around the castle ruins. It has seventeen LED lights on tall poles that light up each night, making it look like a new group of stars.
You can easily see the castle from trains like the Metro-North Railroad Hudson Line and Amtrak trains. One side of the castle, with the words "Bannermans' Island Arsenal," is also visible to people traveling south on the river.
Bannerman's Castle in Books
The book Bannerman Castle by Barbara Gottlock and Thom Johnson came out in 2006. It has many old photos and tells the story of the island. Money from the book helps the Bannerman Castle Trust, which works to save and improve the island's buildings.
There's also a children's book called "My Name is Eleanor" by Wesley Gottlock and Barbara H. Gottlock. It's based on the real experiences of Eleanor Seeland, who lived on Pollepel Island with her family in the early 1900s.
In the book Adventures of a Cat-Whiskered Girl by Daniel Pinkwater (2010), which is set in the 1950s, the main characters visit Pollepel Island. They even meet a family of trolls living in the abandoned castle!
Bannerman Island is also the setting for Roanoke Academy for the Sorcerous Arts in L. Jagi Lamplighter's book The Unexpected Enlightenment of Rachel Griffin.
Bannerman's Castle on TV
In an episode of the TV show The Venture Bros., called "The Forecast Manufacturer," the island is shown as the secret base for a villain group called "The Peril Partnership."
