Voorhies Castle
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Voorhies Castle | |
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| Location | Voorhies, Piatt County, Illinois |
|---|---|
| Nearest city | Bement, Illinois |
| Coordinates | 39°52′01″N 88°34′48″W / 39.86694°N 88.58000°W |
| Area | less than one acre |
| Built | 1900-04 |
| Architect | Schroeder, William H |
| Architectural style | Queen Anne |
| NRHP reference No. | 79000861[1] |
| Added to NRHP | June 20, 1979 |
The Voorhies Castle is a Victorian home located in Voorhies, a small community 4 miles (6.4 km) south of Bement in Piatt County, Illinois.
Nels Larson, a Swedish immigrant who at one point controlled all the land in Voorhies, commissioned the house for himself in 1900; construction was completed in 1904. The two-story house was designed to resemble a Swedish palatial manor, and its name comes from its castle-like appearance; while its design resembles Queen Anne architecture, its symmetrical plan distinguishes it from the style. Its unusual appearance made it a local attraction which drew visitors from throughout central Illinois. After his wife Johannah's death in 1914, Larson abandoned his castle, which sat empty until the 1970s.[2]
