Castles In DC

 Check this place out. It's a castle. Seriously. Actually, I believe the correct term is "late-Victorian home", but I imagine that the Victorians secretly called it a castle. This place is just down the street from where I work, I actually have a friend who works inside. (Their offices are just located there; no relationship to the castle.) There is a law office in there too, I think, but the main portion is a museum and they give tours of the place. I've been in once and stood in the turret, on the third floor. I have not taken the tour, to my everlasting shame.

The castle was built by a German turned American, Christian Heurich, a brewmaster. The guy brewed beer. It was built between 1892-1894 and was completely fireproof, which was unheard of at the time. According to history, to ensure that it was fireproof, the fireplaces were never used.

The owner, good 'ole Heurich, was the world's oldest brewmaster and owned three pretty big breweries in DC. He was also a philanthropist, employed the most German's in the DC area, and was the second largest landowner in DC, right after the Feds. He was 102 when he passed away.

If you want more information, you can check out their website. They have a really nice garden/park in the back that is open in the summer. I visit it with JR for lunch and we picnic back there. I have also seen evidence that the park has been used as a place to have weddings and I see on the Brewmaster website that you can rent the place for just such an occasion. At any rate, it's very nice. I plan to take a tour someday.

NSFW!

 I found this little jewel on the sidewalk when I was walking to take a picture of the castle. I lol'ed for real.