THE WHITTIER MIDDLE SCHOOL IN LORAIN, OHIO was built on the site of the ORIGINAL MOXHAM CASTLE.
Whittier Middle School:
"Whittier was built on the foundation of the Moxham Castle. A. J. Moxham, who was planning to start a steel plant in Lorain, built the Moxham Castle in 1890. The thirty-roomed mansion, four-story building had a theater on the fourth floor, and a swimming pool in the basement.
In 1898, the castle was dismantled stone by stone and moved to Sydney, Nova Scotia. The castle in Sydney was a unique and familiar landmark until a fire destroyed it in 1966. "
The only remaining part of the SYDNEY MOXHAM'S CASTLE IS THE WONDERFUL GATEHOUSE located on KINGS ROAD,Sydney, at the entrance of the MOXHAM grounds... now the site of CABOT HOUSE APARTMENT BUILDING. ABOUT 50 feet of the original stone wall has also survived.
Mr.A.J. Moxham was born in WALES in 1854, and came to the U.S. as a young man,taking up residence in KENTUCKY,working in a Steel Mill.He married a Helen Coleman in 1876. His next stop was to ALABAMA and formed a rail making company. In 1894 he moved to LORAIN,OHIO where he built another rail mill and the home he called his castle.
In his mid 40's, he retired only to be convinced by one H.M. Whitney (Whitney Pier named after him) (Whitney Avenue also), who convinced MOXHAM to come out of retirement and help to construct and be a shareholder in a new,state of the art,steel mill to be located in Sydney,Nova Scotia, on Canada's Atlantic Coast.
MOXHAM'S wife was not happy to relocate to Sydney,as her new castle was her pride and joy. She reluctantly moved, when promised her castle would be dismantled,and rebuilt in Sydney,on the shore of beautiful Sydney Harbor.
During the construction,the MOXHAM'S son,Tom was killed in a accident on the plant,and shortly after,in 1902,MOXHAM and wife left SYDNEY, never to return.He died in New York in 1931.
MOXHAM'S CASTLE was one of only 2 castles in Canada....the other being CASA LOMA, in Toronto. It was used as a hospital for the military during World War 1, and used from time to time as a residence for a few prominent families, until it's demise in 1966.
INTERESTING LETTER FROM A FORMER RESIDENT OF THE CASTLE
MY NAME IS JAMES MAC DONALD,AND I JUST FOUND YOUR MOXHAM CASTLE SITE BY MISTAKE. I'M GLAD I DID AS I FIND IT VERY INTERESTING. I WAS BORN IN MAXHAM CASTLE IN 1953 AND THE PICTURES WERE NICE TO SEE.
MY FATHER WAS NORMAN MAC DONALD AND GRANDLATHER WAS W.N. MAC DONALD. I AM LIVING IN THE TURKS AND CAICOS ISLANDS IN THE BRITISH WEST INDIES, AND UNFORTUNATELY HAVE NOT BEEN BACK TO CAPE BRETON FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS.
I AM FORWARDING YOUR SITE TO MY BROTHERS WHO ALL LIVE IN ALBERTA, AS I'M SURE THEY WILL ENJOY IT AS WELL.
THANKS VERY MUCH,
JAMES W. MAC DONALD
Wentworth Neil MacDonald
CB POST _ 15 NOV 1960 - W. N. Macdonald Is Dead At 73
Wentworth Neil MacDonald, a well known figure in coal mining operations and shipping circles, died yesterday morning in the City Hospital. He Was 73.
Went Macdonald was born in Brookville, Pictou County and came to Sydney in 1900. At the age of 17 he started his first business venture in real estate and a few years later branched into shipping and salvaging fields.
Mr. Macdonald was president of the Margaree Steamship Company Limited and also headed others firms which ran steamship services between Newfoundland, Halifax and Boston and to ports in Cape Breton, Prince Edward Island and eastern Nova Scotia.
At the time of his death, he was a director of the Northunberland ferries limited, operating between Caribou, NS and Wood Islands, PEI.
During his shipping career, Mr. Macdonald also took part in many salvage and marine operations.
For mining communities in Inverness, W.N. as he was better known, was a bustling fellow who reportedly had more day to day contact with workmen than any individual operator of his time.
Mr. MacDonald headed a company which operated the previously owned government mine at Inverness and later developed coal mines in Port Hood and Mabou. His kind, generous and modest nature gained him the respect and esteem of all those with whom he was associated
TRIBUTE
A tribute to Mr. Macdonald was paid last night by U.M.W. Board Member, Joseph MacIsaac of Inverness. "It is doubtful that Port Hood mine would be in operation today had it not been for Mr. MacDonald" Mr. MacIsaac Said. "He was a gentleman and did everything possible to develop the Inverness area. Went Macdonald was always willing to give help whenever it was needed and his passing will be learned with deep regret by residents of Inverness"
Mr. Macdonald was an active member of St Andrew's Church and for many years served on the Board of Managers and as chairman of the Board of Trustees. He was a driving force behind the construction of St Andrew's Memorial Hall.
SURVIVORS
He is survived by his wife, the former Margaret MacDonald of Sydney, a son, Norman at home and two daughters, Mrs Arthur Crokett (Peggy) of Toronto and Gwynneth, in Halifax. Six grandchildren also survive.
The remains are resting at the family residence, Moxham Castle, King's Road. The funeral will be held Wednesday afternoon with services in St Andrew's United Church at two o'clock.
Burial will be made in Hardwood Hill Cemetery.
A tour through the Castle
I was at the age of 13 and went on a tour with the girl guides through Moxhams Castle, my first cousin a Mac donald girl who was 13 as well, was a niece to the old MacDonald man that owned the Castle or was in partnership with the place \, anyway this old man took us all on the grand tour even in the glass doom, were there were heavenly flowers and nature perfect plants, not mentioning there were people boarding there at the time who were wondering what we were doing roaming around looking at everything the library was a sight I will keep in my mind for ever, the only part I tried to forget was when I burnt my hand on a hot rock down at the shore behind the castle when we were in training on how to put out rock fires. The stair ways to privet rooms went way up. and huge chandeliers hung from so high my head was bent way back looking up.I could go on and on but I will stop here and leave the rest to your imagination, I felt as bad as every one else when I herd it was Vandalized and then later gone for good. Annabella Bauer
SOME MEMORIES OF THE CASTLE FROM LANSING SMALL
Well hello...
I got this site from a friend, Lloyd MacDonald , who toured the Castle many years ago...
My Dad took me around the outside of it in 1965?....Only saw a part of it as it was boarded up then and we couldn't get inside...Dad saw the inside years before and told me some about the Oak wood trim and great stair cases that he said I would never see the like around here...It had 13 fireplaces if I remember right as Dad told me that...We saw the old car still in the garage..a 1947-48 ?? it looked like and the driver lived above it there...This was next to the glass green house dome and faced towards King's Road...Sydney side of the and back from the Gate house...The pictures at the site will help you understand what I mean...The part of a brook ran through the place and was set with a small water fall and steps on the Harbour side...It was very well planned when build way back....The workmanship was just first rate ,wow and my Dad knew what master work was , as he told me he came their a time or two to study parts of how they must have build it so he could learn more himself...
This was some loss to have this place burn down and the person that did it will one day pay a cost I hope..If ever there was a sin done ...this was it...I know Dad was upset and I was too...The pictures are only a small reminder to me how great a place that was there as I saw it close about 6 months before someone set it on fire...
That day was a special day for me as my Dad took me there and took the time to teach me something's he felt was important...I never forgot it either Dad....
INTERESTING E-MAIL RECEIVED
Name: John DeYoung E-Mail: johndeyoung@ns.sympatico.ca Homepage Title: Homepage URL: http:// Referred By: Just Surfed In Location: Sydney Comments: I like the part on Moxham castle. My father used to clean the place for W.N. Sometimes he would take me with him. I am interested to know about the Gate House.
Sent: Thursday, April 03, 2003 11:58 AM
Hi Lloyd: You might know that at an early age I lived in the gatekeeper's house at Moxham's Castle. The castle was occupied by a local Italian family, the Gentiles. One of my babysitters was their son Umberto' known as Humber. They raised goats, when I was weaned, I could not digest cow's milk, so it was goat's milk for me. We used to play in the woods between the castle and the harbour, as I remember there was the remains of a crashed airplane in the woods., later we moved to Charlotte St., near Victoria Park. Might have some photos in Chester, will look after we return later this month. Regards, Carl Coates...formerly from SYDNEY
