070506-42

MORNING HAZE RISING OFF OF THE FIELD IN FRONT OF SQUIRE'S CASTLE, ONE OF THE MOST POPULAR PLACES IN THE EMERALD NECKLACE, THE GROUP OF CONNECTED... more

by Mike Davis

Title

070506-42

Artist

Mike Davis

Medium

Photograph - Photography

Description

MORNING HAZE RISING OFF OF THE FIELD IN FRONT OF SQUIRE'S CASTLE, ONE OF THE MOST POPULAR PLACES IN THE EMERALD NECKLACE, THE GROUP OF CONNECTED METROPARKS WHICH SURROUND CLEVELAND, OHIO

I DON'T KNOW IF THIS STORY IS TRUE OR NOT, BUT THIS IS THE WAY I HEARD IT, SO IT'S THE WAY I'LL TELL IT TO YOU.

RIGHT AROUND THE TURN OF THE 20th CENTURY A VERY WEALTHY MIDDLE-AGED MAN NAMED SQUIRES MARRIED A BEAUTIFUL YOUNG WOMAN HALF HIS AGE.
HE WAS COMPLETELY, DESPERATELY, HEAD-OVER-HEELS IN LOVE WITH HER AND SAID THAT SHE SHOULD BE LIVING IN A CASTLE, SO HE WAS GOING TO BUILD HER ONE ON A HUGE PIECE OF LAND THAT HE OWNED IN THE CHAGRIN RIVER VALLEY EAST OF CLEVELAND, OHIO.
SOON AFTER THE COACH HOUSE WAS COMPLETED, AND BEFORE CONSTRUCTION BEGAN ON THE CASTLE, WHICH WAS TO BE BUILT ON THE HILL BEHIND IT, SHE BECAME VERY ILL AND DIED.
MR. SQUIRES WAS HEARTBROKEN AND NEVER BUILT THE CASTLE. THE LAND WAS EVENTUALLY DONATED TO THE NORTH CHAGRIN RESERVATION, AND IS ONE OF THE MOST POPULAR PLACES IN THE CLEVELAND METROPRKS SYSTEM, AND ALTHOUGH IT'S ACTUALLY JUST THE COACH HOUSE, IT'S CALLED SQUIRES' CASTLE.
THE STORY DOESN'T SEEM TO END THERE, THOUGH; A GREAT MANY PEOPLE THROUGH THE YEARS HAVE CLAIMED TO SEE A VERY SAD, VERY LONELY LOOKING YOUNG WOMAN IN A WHITE DRESS WANDERING THROUGH THE CASTLE LATE AT NIGHT.

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June 6th, 2008