When I first moved to Colorado Springs, my excitement grew at the thought of finally having the opportunity to do on-site research and start planning for books set in historical Colorado. The state itself has always fascinated me. Imagine my surprise, though, when I encountered a man named General William Jackson Palmer (founder of Colorado Springs and owner of the Denver-Rio Grande Railroad) who is famous here in Colorado but was actually born in Delaware -- the same state where I lived for nearly 30 years!Looks like I'm not the only one to move from Delaware and find a home in Colorado. :) Not only did General Palmer find a home here in Colorado, but he built a CASTLE! That's right. The saying goes, "a man's home is his castle," and Palmer took that literally.
Glen Eyrie is an English Tudor-style castle. There are 17 guest rooms in the castle, as well as 4 meeting rooms and 2 dining rooms. This house was his dream home and is near Colorado Springs in the northwest foothills north of the Garden of the Gods rock formations. After building a large carriage house, where the family lived for a time, Palmer and his wife Mary (Queen) Mellen built a 22-room frame house on the 800-acre estate. This house was remodeled in 1881 to include a tower and additional rooms, and made to resemble a stone castle, reminiscent of those native to England.
In 1880, Mrs. Palmer suffered a mild heart attack and was advised to move to a lower altitude. She and the girls moved to the East Coast and then to England where General Palmer visited them as often as he could. Queen died on December 28, 1894, at the age of 44. In sorrow, General Palmer went to England to return Mrs. Palmer's remains and the girls to Colorado Springs. The Palmers had three daughters: Elsie, Dorothy, and Marjory.Glen Eyrie Today
The castle was advanced for its time, featuring a primitive intercom system, and a chimney system that would hold the smoke until the wind was blowing in the right direction to take the smoke out of the valley. Glen Eyrie is on the National Register of Historic Places.
The castle is now owned by The Navigators. The general public is allowed on its grounds Monday through Thursday to visit its bookstore, located at the Carriage House. Tours of Glen Eyrie Castle are available to the public and require an advance reservation.
Events hosted at the castle include English and Victorian teas throughout the week and Christmas Madrigal Banquets beginning after Thanksgiving.Glen Eyrie is also a conference and retreat center that hosts many conferences and programs. The property in the enclosed valley is also available for use by groups for meetings, receptions, and retreats. Herds of bighorn sheep, deer and wild turkey may often be found grazing on the grounds.
Now it's YOUR turn:
- Have you ever visited a castle of any kind, anywhere in the world? Where was it?
- What does *your* dream home look like? What amenities are a must-have?
*** NEW RELEASE ***
February marks the release of my 15th title, Brandywine Brides. This is a 3-book compilation of my series set in historic Delaware during the Gilded Age. The stories connect the family from my very first series to the family featured in this one.Nestled amid the beauty of historical Delaware, three generations of bookstore owners find love grows out of a shared love for great literature. Charlotte Pringle is pressured by her parents to marry advantageously, but while Richard Baxton loves her, he cannot provide for her because all his finances go to help his niece walk again. Grace Baxton is on the search for a missing heirloom book. Andrew Bradenton offers to help her, but his past mistakes cast him in a suspicious light, even while a dashing suitor catches Grace’s eye. After the loss of his friend and her brother on the Titanic, Aaron Stone encourages Lillian Bradenton to restore her hope by bringing a boarded-up bookstore back to life. Will each woman’s literature-inspired dreams lead her to the right man of faith and devotion?
BIO
Tiffany Amber Stockton has been crafting and embellishing stories since childhood, when she was accused of having a very active imagination and cited with talking entirely too much. Today, she has honed those childhood skills to become an award-winning author and speaker who has partnered with Nerium International in the anti-aging skin care industry, helping others look younger and live better.She lives with her husband and fellow author, Stuart Vaughn Stockton, in Colorado. They have one girl and one boy, a Retriever mix named Roxie and and Australian cattle dog named Timber. She has sold seventeen (17) books so far and is represented by agent Sandra Bishop of the TransAtlantic Agency. You can also find her on Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest.
