Manresa Castle in Port Townsend

 

 

Port Townsend, Jefferson County, Washington has a castle! Did you know? Have you been there?

Manresa Castle, as it's commonly called, sits high on a hill overlooking Port Townsend and was completed  in 1892 as the home of Charles and Kate Eisenbeis. He was a prominent member of the community and in 1878 had been elected the first mayor.

First referred to as the "Eisenbeis Castle," the residence consisted of 30 rooms (and only three bathrooms) and was reminiscent of the Eisenbeis' native Prussia. The walls were 12 inches thick and the roof was slate. Tiled fireplaces and finely crafted woodwork were installed by German artisans.  

Charles died in 1902 and Kate remarried a few years later; the Castle was left empty for almost 20 years except for a caretaker. 

By 1928, the Jesuits had purchased the Castle for use as a training college. They added a large wing housing a chapel and sleeping rooms and also installed an elevator. They named the complex "Manresa Hall" after the town in Spain where Ignatius Loyola founded their order. 

The Jesuits left in 1968 and the building was converted into a hotel. The elements "Manresa" and "Castle" were taken from the two previous owners to create the current name. 

You may vacation-stay at Manresa Castle for just under $300 per night. Ghosts perhaps included.