There are no shots of the interior, because we were too busy chasing Jocelyn from room to room while screaming, “DON’T TOUCH THAT!” and tearing out our hair. We were very grateful when the time came to strap her back into her carseat.

Gillette Castle is located in Gillette Castle State Park in East Haddam, CT. It was about 40 minutes away from our vacation house in Old Saybrook. It was built by William Hooker Gillette, who had a thing for portraying Sherlock Holmes on the stage. That is all I can tell you about him, because instead of being able to stand and listen to the nice lady who was relating all the pertinent details of the castle, James and I had to stop Jocelyn from climbing all over the roped off furniture and wiping her boogers on the beautifully tapestried walls.

One thing I do remember though (although I had to look it up to be exact), the castle was purchased by the state from his descendants, which would probably please him, because in his will, he stated his wish for the property not to fall into the hands of “some blithering saphead who has no conception of where he is or with what surrounded.”

He probably would have kicked Jocelyn out post haste.

More information can be found here.