Castle in the Clouds

nj2nh · 06-30-2007, 08:45 PM

I recall there being some concern about the Lakes Region Conservation Trust buying Castle in the Clouds some time ago. I could be remembering it wrong, however.

Anyway, my son wanted to go there this past week so we did on Thursday. It seems definitely better than when we were there last a couple of years ago. They have added many more signs with information and there were old advertisements and antique clothes and linens casually draped around the place. They have a plan to completely restore the castle by its 100th anniversary in 2014. Can't wait to see what they do. They even plan on opening the basement!

So, thus far, I am very impressed. Now, if they could only do something about the view on a hazy day . . . .

(Question: Do they still sell Castle Springs water? Loved it and could even find it here in Jersey, but not anymore).

Jersey Girl

bdbd · 06-30-2007, 10:22 PM

J. Paul Sticht sold the water bottling company to international water company CG Roxane (their brand is Crystal Geyser).

Dave M · 09-21-2007, 09:52 AM

I was also interested in what happened to Castle Springs water, used to drink their water all the time. As noted by "bdbd" its now Crystal Geyser. I searched on the Web and sent an e-mail to them. They replied same day and gave me a list of who sells it. They also gave me the number(603-476-8844) of the Moultonborough plant and gave me local places that sell it. The following is a list. Haven't visited all of them to see if they do carry it but have bought some at Greene's Corner. I searched for Dollar Tree & Family Dollar and found some around my area(Mass). Its still the best spring water.
Note: Check for bottled in Moultonborough plant on the label.

Heath's
Shaw's
Cosco
Greene Corner - 8oz bottles

Big Lots
Dollar General
Dollar Tree
Family Dollar

Dave M

offmycloud · 09-21-2007, 10:41 AM

Anyone know what they did with the brewery? Is it just mothballed?

Rattlesnake Guy · 09-21-2007, 08:59 PM

"Lake Winnipesaukee Beer" has a ring to it.

I prefer the winter version if "Ice Out"

offmycloud · 09-21-2007, 10:14 PM

It was the LuckNow brewery! Great beer - they had a big operation right below the Castle using their water.

Argie's Wife · 09-22-2007, 05:37 PM

Luck Now was the name - we had another name for it but I can't post it here...

It wasn't my thing - I like thick, dark, beer - like Guinness.

On the comment about the basement - that would be cool. I'd love to see more of the "behind the scenes" stuff - excellent!

fatlazyless · 01-10-2010, 09:22 AM

Today's Jan 10 Sunday www.citizen.com has an article on the Castle in the Clouds with a long, detailed description of all the structural and repair construction improvements.

Castle trivia - Tom Plante, the shoe manufactorer from Boston who built the Castle in about 1912 lost all his money in 1917 Russian war bonds when Lenin & the Bolshevics won the great Russian revolution and sent the czar on a permanent vacation.

Anyway, the story I heard was Tom Plante ended up a poor, sick, pennyless, pauper working in the Castle kitchen. (....at 15% guaranteed interest...what could go wrong, my friend?)

Maybe the Castle could put up a plaque with a photo and a decription of his fate, since he did in fact purchase all the land, design and build the Castle...............

Lakesrider · 01-10-2010, 04:14 PM

Wow. Sounds like my stock portfolio.....Any jobs left in the kitchen?

NoBozo · 01-10-2010, 04:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fatlazyless

Today's Jan 10 Sunday www.citizen.com has an article on the Castle in the Clouds with a long, detailed description of all the structural and repair construction improvements.

Castle trivia - Tom Plante, the shoe manufactorer from Boston who built the Castle in about 1912 lost all his money in 1917 Russian war bonds when Lenin & the Bolshevics won the great Russian revolution and sent the czar on a permanent vacation.

Anyway, the story I heard was Tom Plante ended up a poor, sick, pennyless, pauper working in the Castle kitchen. (....at 15% guaranteed interest...what could go wrong, my friend?)

Maybe the Castle could put up a plaque with a photo and a decription of his fate, since he did in fact purchase all the land, design and build the Castle...............

According to the tour guide in late September ('09): After Plante lost all his money, he was "Allowed" to live in the house in the manner to which he was acustomed, but with a much reduced staff. I think his young wife left him as well. He also had a neice that would come and visit from time to time. She had her own bedroom.

NB

EDIT: My Wife ..(She keeps track of such things.. where men are sometimes totally deficient). She has indicated that some corrections need to be made to the above. There were TWO wives. Plante met a young women in Europe (He was currently married) whom he eventually married. He returned home and offered his first wife a substantial $ settlement ... for the time.. for a divorce. My wife thinks it was a million dollar check rolled up in her napkin ring at breakfast. . She thinks she..the Second wife.. stayed with Plante for the rest of their lives...in the house.

dpg · 01-11-2010, 08:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NoBozo

According to the tour guide in late September ('09): After Plante lost all his money, he was "Allowed" to live in the house in the manner to which he was acustomed, but with a much reduced staff. I think his young wife left him as well. He also had a neice that would come and visit from time to time. She had her own bedroom.

NB

EDIT: My Wife ..(She keeps track of such things.. where men are sometimes totally deficient). She has indicated that some corrections need to be made to the above. There were TWO wives. Plante met a young women in Europe (He was currently married) whom he eventually married. He returned home and offered his first wife a substantial $ settlement ... for the time.. for a divorce. My wife thinks it was a million dollar check rolled up in her napkin ring at breakfast. . She thinks she..the Second wife.. stayed with Plante for the rest of their lives...in the house.

That's correct at least that's how the story goes. Tom Plante according to the tour did leave his wife a check at the table, for some reason I want to say it was more than 1 mil but I'm not positive. He also had one "servant" stay on after all others had left and at one time even borrowed money from that person...sad...

nj2nh · 01-11-2010, 03:49 PM

Wow. I started this thread over two years ago!

I have heard the story about Thomas Plante so many times (like a dozen) that I could give the tours at the Castle. We heard it again this past summer since my sister-in-law was with us and she had never been there. She loved the place! It is definitely getting better and better. I love the photos they keep in binders on the pool table by the front entrance. Love all those old views.

I believe they are working even on the roof tiles, removing them one by one and numbering them so they can put them back exactly where they were and replacing those that have disappeared or are totally broken.

They have added lots of little touches to each of the rooms - plates, toiletries, linens, etc. Nice.

I am dying to see the basement so I cannot wait until that is finished. Time to read the article!

nj2nh

nj2nh · 01-11-2010, 03:51 PM

Here is the direct link:

http://www.citizen.com/apps/pbcs.dll...WS02/701109995

nj2nh

dpg · 01-12-2010, 08:07 AM

Am I reading the article correctly? A grant of 5,000 is doing all the work?? Can't be, where else is all the money coming from?

fatlazyless · 01-12-2010, 09:35 AM

The article in the January 10 Citizen lists a whole lot of repairs and improvements and just mentions the one $5000 grant and nothing else. So, most likely, the LRCT attorneys are rolling up their sleeves and working weekends to get all these laborious projects finished and ready for springtime???

Hey, here's a thought: Could be that Tom Plante's 1917 Russian war bonds are now being honored by the Russian Federation. After all, that blue, white, & red Russian flag now flying above the Kremlin, is the same pre-1917 flag of the czars. With interest accrued since 1917 that could help pay for a few new slate roof shingles! The power of Russian Oil...rich or poor....is better to be rich.......Comrad! Could be a good time to go freshen up poor old Tom Plante's graveside memorial?

Winnigirl83 · 01-12-2010, 10:18 AM

It's been quite a few years since I've been up there, but I thought the house was built for his second wife.

Seems like the first wife made out better. Any information on what happened to her and her "payoff"?

wifi · 01-12-2010, 11:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Winnigirl83

.....Seems like the first wife made out better. Any information on what happened to her and her "payoff"?

Hopefully, she cashed the check!

NoBozo · 01-12-2010, 11:54 AM

According to the Lite brochure I have in front of me, the check Was for One Million Dollars. When we were there in September, I asked the Tour Guide how many employees they had just to maintain the grounds, which includes some impressive flower beds. He told me everything was done by volunteers, ..except for his job and I think maybe two others..as guides.

Those volunteers do a fantastic job.

NB

EDIT: Here's some interesting reading. http://www.castleintheclouds.org/Lak...on%20Trust.htm

Jersey Bob · 01-15-2010, 01:49 PM

In the version I heard (or read, not sure which now). It was Teddy Roosevelt that recommended he buy the Russian War Bonds.

coltgov101 · 01-18-2010, 11:31 PM

Having been a visitor there for many years, even have pictures of second generation seated on the railing that my wife and I sat on, with my infant son, I had visited the basement (with out permission) seems the staff that worked there lived downstairs. It would be great to see the whole place restored to it's original splendor. The water Co. came and went after I was a visitor there.

06-30-2007, 08:45 PM	#1
nj2nh Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: NJ Posts: 529 Thanks: 80 Thanked 47 Times in 27 Posts	Castle in the Clouds I recall there being some concern about the Lakes Region Conservation Trust buying Castle in the Clouds some time ago. I could be remembering it wrong, however. Anyway, my son wanted to go there this past week so we did on Thursday. It seems definitely better than when we were there last a couple of years ago. They have added many more signs with information and there were old advertisements and antique clothes and linens casually draped around the place. They have a plan to completely restore the castle by its 100th anniversary in 2014. Can't wait to see what they do. They even plan on opening the basement! So, thus far, I am very impressed. Now, if they could only do something about the view on a hazy day . . . . (Question: Do they still sell Castle Springs water? Loved it and could even find it here in Jersey, but not anymore). Jersey Girl __________________

06-30-2007, 10:22 PM	#2
bdbd Junior Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Posts: 4 Thanks: 4 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	"Castle Springs" water no longer exists since J. Paul Sticht sold the water bottling company to international water company CG Roxane (their brand is Crystal Geyser).

09-21-2007, 09:52 AM	#3
Dave M Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Posts: 395 Thanks: 4 Thanked 26 Times in 24 Posts	Castle Springs water - Crystal Geyser I was also interested in what happened to Castle Springs water, used to drink their water all the time. As noted by "bdbd" its now Crystal Geyser. I searched on the Web and sent an e-mail to them. They replied same day and gave me a list of who sells it. They also gave me the number(603-476-8844) of the Moultonborough plant and gave me local places that sell it. The following is a list. Haven't visited all of them to see if they do carry it but have bought some at Greene's Corner. I searched for Dollar Tree & Family Dollar and found some around my area(Mass). Its still the best spring water. Note: Check for bottled in Moultonborough plant on the label. Heath's Shaw's Cosco Greene Corner - 8oz bottles Big Lots Dollar General Dollar Tree Family Dollar Dave M

01-10-2010, 09:22 AM	#8
fatlazyless Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Posts: 8,795 Blog Entries: 1 Thanks: 301 Thanked 1,024 Times in 745 Posts	Today's Jan 10 Sunday www.citizen.com has an article on the Castle in the Clouds with a long, detailed description of all the structural and repair construction improvements. Castle trivia - Tom Plante, the shoe manufactorer from Boston who built the Castle in about 1912 lost all his money in 1917 Russian war bonds when Lenin & the Bolshevics won the great Russian revolution and sent the czar on a permanent vacation. Anyway, the story I heard was Tom Plante ended up a poor, sick, pennyless, pauper working in the Castle kitchen. (....at 15% guaranteed interest...what could go wrong, my friend?) Maybe the Castle could put up a plaque with a photo and a decription of his fate, since he did in fact purchase all the land, design and build the Castle............... __________________ ... down and out, liv'n that Walmart side of the lake!

01-11-2010, 03:49 PM	#12
nj2nh Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: NJ Posts: 529 Thanks: 80 Thanked 47 Times in 27 Posts	Wow. I started this thread over two years ago! I have heard the story about Thomas Plante so many times (like a dozen) that I could give the tours at the Castle. We heard it again this past summer since my sister-in-law was with us and she had never been there. She loved the place! It is definitely getting better and better. I love the photos they keep in binders on the pool table by the front entrance. Love all those old views. I believe they are working even on the roof tiles, removing them one by one and numbering them so they can put them back exactly where they were and replacing those that have disappeared or are totally broken. They have added lots of little touches to each of the rooms - plates, toiletries, linens, etc. Nice. I am dying to see the basement so I cannot wait until that is finished. Time to read the article! nj2nh __________________

09-21-2007, 10:41 AM	#4
offmycloud Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Chicago IL and Moultonborough Posts: 165 Thanks: 3 Thanked 5 Times in 5 Posts	Anyone know what they did with the brewery? Is it just mothballed?

09-21-2007, 08:59 PM	#5
Rattlesnake Guy Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2004 Posts: 1,254 Thanks: 423 Thanked 366 Times in 175 Posts	"Lake Winnipesaukee Beer" has a ring to it. I prefer the winter version if "Ice Out"

09-21-2007, 10:14 PM	#6
offmycloud Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Chicago IL and Moultonborough Posts: 165 Thanks: 3 Thanked 5 Times in 5 Posts	It was the LuckNow brewery! Great beer - they had a big operation right below the Castle using their water.

09-22-2007, 05:37 PM	#7
Argie's Wife Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Alton Posts: 1,908 Blog Entries: 1 Thanks: 533 Thanked 579 Times in 260 Posts	Luck Now was the name - we had another name for it but I can't post it here... It wasn't my thing - I like thick, dark, beer - like Guinness. On the comment about the basement - that would be cool. I'd love to see more of the "behind the scenes" stuff - excellent!

01-10-2010, 04:14 PM	#9
Lakesrider Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2007 Posts: 2,129 Thanks: 380 Thanked 1,016 Times in 345 Posts	Wow. Sounds like my stock portfolio.....Any jobs left in the kitchen?

01-11-2010, 03:51 PM	#13
nj2nh Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: NJ Posts: 529 Thanks: 80 Thanked 47 Times in 27 Posts	Here is the direct link: http://www.citizen.com/apps/pbcs.dll...WS02/701109995 nj2nh __________________

01-12-2010, 08:07 AM	#14
dpg Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Posts: 2,600 Thanks: 155 Thanked 230 Times in 167 Posts	Am I reading the article correctly? A grant of 5,000 is doing all the work?? Can't be, where else is all the money coming from?

01-12-2010, 09:35 AM	#15
fatlazyless Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Posts: 8,795 Blog Entries: 1 Thanks: 301 Thanked 1,024 Times in 745 Posts	The article in the January 10 Citizen lists a whole lot of repairs and improvements and just mentions the one $5000 grant and nothing else. So, most likely, the LRCT attorneys are rolling up their sleeves and working weekends to get all these laborious projects finished and ready for springtime??? Hey, here's a thought: Could be that Tom Plante's 1917 Russian war bonds are now being honored by the Russian Federation. After all, that blue, white, & red Russian flag now flying above the Kremlin, is the same pre-1917 flag of the czars. With interest accrued since 1917 that could help pay for a few new slate roof shingles! The power of Russian Oil...rich or poor....is better to be rich.......Comrad! Could be a good time to go freshen up poor old Tom Plante's graveside memorial? __________________ ... down and out, liv'n that Walmart side of the lake!

01-12-2010, 10:18 AM	#16
Winnigirl83 Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2008 Posts: 119 Thanks: 42 Thanked 30 Times in 12 Posts	It's been quite a few years since I've been up there, but I thought the house was built for his second wife. Seems like the first wife made out better. Any information on what happened to her and her "payoff"?

01-12-2010, 11:54 AM	#18
NoBozo Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Portsmouth. RI Posts: 2,231 Thanks: 400 Thanked 460 Times in 308 Posts	According to the Lite brochure I have in front of me, the check Was for One Million Dollars. When we were there in September, I asked the Tour Guide how many employees they had just to maintain the grounds, which includes some impressive flower beds. He told me everything was done by volunteers, ..except for his job and I think maybe two others..as guides. Those volunteers do a fantastic job. NB EDIT: Here's some interesting reading. http://www.castleintheclouds.org/Lak...on%20Trust.htm

01-15-2010, 01:49 PM	#19
Jersey Bob Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Central NJ Posts: 82 Thanks: 74 Thanked 25 Times in 16 Posts	Russian War Bonds In the version I heard (or read, not sure which now). It was Teddy Roosevelt that recommended he buy the Russian War Bonds.

01-18-2010, 11:31 PM	#20
coltgov101 Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Nj now. Spindle point in the past.(35 yrs.) Posts: 87 Thanks: 106 Thanked 10 Times in 4 Posts	Castle in the clouds Having been a visitor there for many years, even have pictures of second generation seated on the railing that my wife and I sat on, with my infant son, I had visited the basement (with out permission) seems the staff that worked there lived downstairs. It would be great to see the whole place restored to it's original splendor. The water Co. came and went after I was a visitor there.