Samuel Taylor Suit Cottage

The Samuel Taylor Suit Cottage, also known as the Berkeley Castle or Berkeley Springs Castle, is located on a hill above Berkeley Springs, West Virginia. The castle-like house was built for Colonel Samuel Taylor Suit of Washington, D.C. as a personal retreat near the spa town, beginning in 1885. It was not complete by the time of his death in 1888 and was finished in the early 1890s for his young widow, Rosa Pelham Suit, whom Suit had first met at Berkeley Springs and their three children.[2] The post 1888 work is of noticeably inferior quality.[3]

For the Original 12th century Berkeley castle located in England, see Berkeley Castle.
Samuel Taylor Suit Cottage
Samuel Taylor Suit Cottage
Samuel Taylor Suit Cottage
Samuel Taylor Suit Cottage
LocationWV 9, Berkeley Springs, West Virginia
Coordinates39°37′38″N 78°13′49″W
Built1885
ArchitectMullett, A.B. and Ashford, Snowden
Architectural styleLate Victorian
NRHP reference No.80004035
Added to NRHPNovember 28, 1980[1]

The fifteen-room interior features a ballroom 50 feet (15.2 m) wide and 40 ft (12.2 m) long. The design is attributed to Washington architect Alfred B. Mullett, who is alleged to have drawn a rough sketch of the plan on a tablecloth at the Berkeley Springs Hotel. The design may have been based on elements of Berkeley Castle in Gloucestershire, United Kingdom.[4] Detailed design and construction supervision was carried out by Snowden Ashford, who designed Washington's Eastern Market, apprenticed for Mullett and is also credited as an architect.[5] Mrs. Suit entertained lavishly at the house until her money ran out and the property was sold in 1913.[3]

Purchase by the VDare Foundation

In February 2020, the property was purchased by the white nationalist organization The VDARE Foundation. VDare is described by the Southern Poverty Law Center as "a place where relatively intellectually inclined leaders of the anti-immigrant movement share their opinions. VDARE.com also regularly publishes articles by prominent white nationalists, race scientists and anti-Semites."[6] VDARE founder and editor Peter Brimelow, an immigrant himself[7], stated “We absolutely will not be having rallies, marches or demonstrations. We’ve never been involved in anything like that, and we never will be,” and “We just want to be quiet, good neighbors. “The only public events we’re anticipating right now are the local charitable functions that we understand the castle has traditionally hosted. We hope to have some private meetings and functions, but don’t have plans for any public VDARE events.”[8] VDARE purchased the house for $1.4 million and the source of the money is unknown.[9]

Berkeley Springs, including the Samuel Taylor Suit Cottage, inspired a location in the online multiplayer game Fallout 76.[10]

References
  1. "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. April 15, 2008.
  2. Mozier, Jeanne (2016). The Story of Berkeley Castle: What's True and What's Not. Berkeley Springs, WV: High Street Press. p. 2. ISBN 978-0989801829.
  3. Rodney S. Collins (July 10, 1980). "National Register of Historic Places Nomination: Samuel Taylor Suit Cottage" (pdf). National Park Service. Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  4. "Colonel Suit". History. U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved 2011-11-22.
  5. Sullian, Jack (Spring 2005). "The Life and Loves of S.T. Suit: A Jug-Filler's Story" (PDF). Bottles and Extras. Federation of Historic Bottle Collectors. pp. 66–69. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2010-09-20. Retrieved 2009-02-10.
  6. "VDARE". Southern Poverty Law Center. Retrieved 2020-04-06.
  7. "Peter Brimelow". Southern Poverty Law Center. Retrieved 2020-04-06.
  8. Vincent, Jenni (25 February 2020). "Foundation focused on immigration buys Berkeley Springs castle for $1.4M". Herald Mail Media. Retrieved 26 February 2020.
  9. "West Virginia Tourist Hub Rejects VDARE's 'Negative' Message". Southern Poverty Law Center. Retrieved 2020-03-19.
  10. "Bucket List, Fallout 76 Quest". guides4gamers.com. Retrieved 2020-04-07.

Atlas Obscura: Berkeley Springs Castle Berkeley Springs, West Virginia A wealthy widow lived the high life in this Gilded Age country house.

Andrew Gosline, Owner of Berkeley Springs Castle, Dies at 74

Berkeley Castle Living in a Landmark (an interview with former owner Andrew Gosline)


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