Back in the day, the Bauçay family, lords of Loudun, wrote a fairy tale with a moat, turrets, and towers in Les Trois- Moutiers, France, which is now a deserted and abandoned building. Later, ownership passed from one person to another, and the castle survived the French Revolution’s looting until 1932, when a fire mostly destroyed it.
A dilapidated 11-bedroom mansion in New York state that has been left unoccupied for almost a century is currently on the market. Some claim the creepy home appears to be haunted.
BARRY KUKOWSKI and HOWARD HANNA
The history of the Carleton Island Villa is undoubtedly tragic, with the first owner, William O. Wyckoff, apparently passing away from a heart attack at the age of 60 on his first night there, according to New York Upstate.
Over seven decades have passed since anyone has resided in the dilapidated castle located just across the border from Canada. The crumbling building is open to the elements, and restoring it to its former splendor would cost millions more than its modest sale price.
But because his death occurred so soon after the death of his wife, it dealt the family a double blow.
When a community called the Dartagnans was established to safeguard and restore the chateau, members each contributed $50 to create a group of over 11,000 people who now jointly own the property and will work to complete the restoration, it seemed like an odd turn of events.
Many curious onlookers have clicked on the eerie listing, which just appeared on our weekly list of most popular residences, despite the hard job.
The abandoned estate is undoubtedly a ghost of what it once was, even though it may not be haunted. And the story behind it is undoubtedly a bad one.
According to news reports, William O. Wyckoff, a merchant, erected the once-grand estate on the little Carleton Island in the 1890s as a holiday residence.
Wyckoff had made a fortune for the armaments firm E. by selling the newly created typewriter at the time. Replenishment and Sons. He made the decision to use his wealth to construct a holiday home on the gorgeous site by the St. Lawrence River.
BARRY KUKOWSKI and HOWARD HANNA
The William Henry Miller-designed palace was only briefly used by Wyckoff as his home. Miller is most recognized for his work on Cornell University. On his first night at the estate, the owner apparently suffered a heart attack and passed away. Around a month before the house was finished, his wife apparently passed away.
Despite the fact that it is thought that any family wealth was probably destroyed during the Great Depression, Wyckoff’s estate was passed on to one of his sons.
According to one account, General Electric briefly purchased the property in the 1930s with the apparent intention of using it as a corporate getaway. The home has been vacant since 1927 because to bad timing, and the firm abandoned its ambitions during World War II.
The current owners, who previously decided to sell the villa because it had fallen into severe disrepair and was a money hole, now reside nearby in a cottage. It has been on and off the market multiple times in search of a buyer willing to throw in the towel, first in 2012 and then again in 2015, all for the same asking price. Of course, this doesn’t take into account the tasks the next owner will have to complete.
According to listing agent Barry Kukowski, “What you’re going to have to do today is not a restoration, it’s more of a re-build.”
Every week, Kukowski gets calls from potential customers, but no one has yet chosen to take on the daunting job. According to him, one recently predicted an investment of between $10 and $12 million.
As the stone foundation and wood frame top levels have deteriorated, the future owner would have to build the house from scratch. There are no utilities connected to the villa, however there is electricity on the Carleton Island and water from the river.
You may also have noticed that all of the windows, doors, and other moveable objects are missing from the photographs. Contractors were permitted entry and removal of those items during World War II, leaving the villa exposed to the elements, as stated in the listing information.
Another obstacle: You can only get to the island by boat. It would be necessary to bring in supplies, vehicles, and equipment via barge. According to the agent, this increases costs by 30% when compared to a project of a similar nature on the mainland.
Nevertheless, Kukowski asserts that the famous villa is ideally situated to operate as a hotel or bed & breakfast. The property has 15,000 square feet, 11 beds, 6.9 acres, three waterfronts, and 198 feet of water frontage. Tour boats frequently sail by the property’s three waterfronts. Visitors to the Carleton Island come from all across New York and Canada.
Kukowski remarks, “It would be amazing if someone could buy it. “The Thousand Islands would benefit greatly from it as a tourism destination.”
There is potential in this. The owners seem to be waiting for someone to restore the once-grand home to life even as the years pass without a sale and show no sign of wanting to demolish it.