The historic Thornewood Castle in Lakewood, Washington, has a long and rich history and is also home to several resident ghosts.

This magnificent three-story manor home was built by Chester Thorne, one of the founders of the Port of Tacoma. Taking almost four years to complete, the 27,000-square-foot manor was finally ready in 1911. Only the very best went into the building of the manor, including 400-year-old bricks from an original English castle.

With design help from his wife, Anna, and the renowned 1800s architect Kirkland Cutter, the English Tudor/Gothic mansion, which boasts 54 rooms, including 28 bedrooms and 22 bathrooms, is one of the few genuine private castles in the United States. Over 100 pieces of stained glass from 15th— and 16th-century churches in England can be found throughout the Castle, which an English duke previously owned.

Thorne was fascinated with the grandeur of old English estates, and the wealthy man was determined to reinvent his castle and dream house. Built to last through the centuries, Thornewood Castle features solid three-foot-thick foundations, 18-inch floors of concrete and cinder, 10-inch walls, and hand-hewn woodwork crafted from ancient English oak, all held together by solid wood dowels. Three ships had to be commissioned to transport the original bricks, wood, and windows around Cape Horn to the Pacific Northwest.

After the house was built, Thorne hired a landscape architectural firm that transformed 37 of the estate’s 100 acres into formal English gardens, which required a full-time staff of 28 gardeners. Inside, the staff consisted of 40 servants to attend to the needs of Chester, his wife, Anna, and their daughter, Anita.

Over the years, the house hosted many fine garden parties and dinners, with Presidents Theodore Roosevelt and William Howard Taft among the guests.

When General Stone passed away in 1959, Anita sold the house and grounds to Harold St. John, who subdivided the land into 30 home sites. Just over four acres were reserved for the mansion, along with 110 feet of the lakefront. Over the next several years, the house was sold several times until it was purchased by the current owners, Wayne and Deanna Robinson, in 2000.

Today, the historic castle is said to be haunted by several spirits that refuse to leave, either due to their love for the manor or the tragedies that have occurred over its long history. The most prevalent sighting is Chester Thorne, who has reportedly made several appearances over the years. In what was his former room, light bulbs are often found to be unscrewed.

Others have reported seeing Anna, Chester’s wife, sitting in the window seat of her room, overlooking the garden. Anna’s room is now the bridal suite, which contains an original mirror from her time; guests have reported seeing her reflection in it.

Reportedly, the grandchild of a former owner drowned in the lake, and occasionally, guests have seen a small child standing alone by the lake, only to rush down and find no one there.

Now on the National Register of Historic Places, the castle serves as a gracious country inn that has been lovingly restored, offering all the modern conveniences of modern lodging. The land also presents its guests with the opportunity to roam the grounds, a lovely ½-acre sunken English garden, and enjoy fishing, swimming, and boating on American Lake.