The Pythian Castle was built in of cut limestone blocks in 1913 by the Grand Lodge of Knights of Pythias, a fraternal order. Its original purpose was to serve as a home for aged members and orphaned children of members. The design was grand, with a large foyer, ballroom, meeting rooms, and dining hall on the first floor alone. At the top of dual staircases were dormitories. The upper floor also had a fully-outfitted theater, while the basement held a gymnasium. In 1942, the property was sold to the US government during World War II. The few remaining orphans ad elderly residents were placed in private institutions, while the building served as a popular spot for USO dances and shows. Bob Hope appeared on stage there, among others.

POWs from several nations were held in the castle during wartime as well. During our tour, we saw a painting and writing on the wall of a basement cell that had once held a Japanese prisoner. The castle later became a part of O’Reilly General Hospital and then it was used for a number of years by the Army Reserve. It is now owned privately. In 2009 Pythian Castle was listed on the US National Register of Historic Places.

For those who believe in such things, the castle has been certified haunted by several paranormal organizations. It was even featured on a Sci-Fi Channel show on haunted places. People report hearing unexplained noises, voices, doors opening and closing, and objects moving around by themselves. Orbs have been detected in several areas of the building along with temperature changes and voices caught on tape. Click here to see what showed up in some of our photos and judge for yourself. We both agree that the scariest part of the building was the underground passageway leading to the old powerhouse and laundry facility of the institution. We could imagine children making their way down this narrow passageway on their way to do chores or for late-night peanut butter raids. (That story was told by a woman who had lived in the castle as a young girl.) It’s dark and eerie, and you can definitely feel the presence of those who came before.

Daytime and night Ghost Tours are available. There are also occasional paranormal investigations hosted by organizations such as the Paranormal Task Force. Check the Pythian Castle website for details.