Do you know anything about a castle on State Road 140 in GA going north of Atlanta, toward Canton? The road is also known as Hickory Flat Highway. There is a small castle that has a moat around it and gates with elves/trolls (not sure what) on the gate posts. It looks like someone lives there.
Later, I received E-Mail that said:
The unknown castle in Georgia is in northern Fulton County, on highway Georgia 140. It was built by Rudy and Ruth McLaughlin approximately 25 years ago, 2 bedroom, 1700 square feet. It is made of marble from Ball Ground and granite from Stone Mountain. This information was taken from a ten-year old newspaper clipping I have.
Later, I received E-Mail that said:
I live down the street from it. An older couple lives there and I often see them doing yard work. I have lived down the street from them for 4 years. There have been some additions to the castle that aren't in the picture you have. There are little elves on the posts and it looks like two dancing ones in the entry way.
Later, I received E-Mail that said:
Here's a link with information about the unknown castle near Atlanta.
http://roadsidegeorgia.com/places/thecastle.html
Later, I received E-Mail that said:
Someone on your website wanted more info. on a castle on Hickory Flat Hwy. (with a moat & elves/trolls). Actually, after doing some preliminary research, I believe it's on Arnold Mill Road --
Later, I received E-Mail that said:
The property is very well kept and has a moat and also a swimming pool. There are dwarf statues on the gate posts. You may be able to see them in the photo. These photos were taken in late October of 2002.
Later, I received E-Mail that said:
I've been reading all the comments about the unknown castle in north Atlanta, and I just wanted to let everyone know that the castle was built by a retired truck driver. The moat that surrounds the home serves as a swimming pool as well. It looks like it would be a joke if you drove past it since there are a ton of stupid yard elves all over the place.
Later, I received E-Mail that said:
The granite and marble home pictured on your website is the home of Rudy and Ruth McLaughlin. The approx. 6,600 sq. ft. structure is located at the corner of Georgia Highway 140, officially called Arnold Mill Road (a.k.a. Hickory Flats Highway to residents of 30+ years), and Cox Road in Alpharetta (north Fulton County), Georgia. Construction began in 1969 and was completed (for the most part), in 1977, according to Mr. McLaughlin who completed this "labor of love" primarily by himself, but some help from friends and relatives. The structure was completed using granite mined from quarries near both Stone Mountain & Elberton, Georgia. The pink & white marble used in the construction of the home was mined at the Georgia Marble Quarry in Tate, Georgia (a nearby community to Ball Ground, GA). I noticed that much of this information was already posted in various parts on your web page.
On 5-26-05, I received E-Mail that said:
I am sending a photo I took this evening on my way home from work. I live only a few miles from it. What you cannot see from any of these is that there's actually a moat around the place... but it is the same kind of cement (color and all) that you'd see in a swimming pool. It's like the place is a Disney attraction, done in that style.
I also confirmed it is in Roswell. I noticed someone had said it's in Alpharetta, & it is confusing... the city limits between Roswell & Alpharetta runs along Arnold Mill Rd. -- you're in a different city on each side of the road. The castle is on the Roswell side.
On 6-23-05, I received E-Mail that said:
The castle noted as the ‘Unknown Castle” is indeed located on Arnold Mill Road (a.k.a. GA Hwy. 140 and to some a.k.a. Hickory Flat Highway, though it actually does not become Hickory Flat Highway until that section of the road enters Cherokee County.) It is not though located on the corner of Cox Road but one road east of that on Cagle Road.
My family moved to the area in 1977 when the castle was under construction. Only the first few courses of the marble walls were in place as well as the frames of the windows. In 1977, this area was quite rural with horse and cattle farms and the building looked as though it was going to be a McDonalds or something because of the relative small size (the 1600 sq. ft. reference seems correct.) The question we always asked ourselves was, “Why are they building that way out here?” I as child I would take my friends to this castle when it was under construction and still have a piece of marble used in the construction.
In the late 1970’s or early 1980’s a local community newspaper wrote an article on the castle. The publication was the Roswell Neighbor. Those weekly papers are no longer in existence under that name today. In that article it was stated that the man who built it was a truck driver and that he told his wife that he was someday going to build her a castle – this is the result.
Details: There is a moat that is actually a swimming pool. There are two drawbridges that I believe act as garage doors – but I think I have only seen one of them opened only once. The owner has put gnome figurines on the column tops at the driveway entrances as well as on the peaks. The locals affectionately, if not politically correct, refer to them as “white power” gnomes because of their raised, clinched fist. A pool equipment building mimicking the “castle” has been built behind (to the right in the picture) it. It has what looks like two clown figurines on top of that building – of course with a diving board for the pool.
Does anyone have more information about it? Does it have a name other than "The Castle"?
On 3-28-07, I received E-Mail that said:
The unknown castle on http://www.dupontcastle.com/castles/ga_unk2.htm is
actually on two streets (with two curb cuts) and that is partly what
confuses people about where it is.
http://maps.google.com/maps?q=34.088546,-84.361449(Castle)&hl=en&ll=34.08546,-84.361449&spn=0.021402,0.054245
is a link to it on Google Maps, complete with aerial photo.
If you go there, click on hybrid, and then zoom in using the scale on the left.
On 4-30-07, I received E-Mail that said:
Just wanted to give you a little more info on this castle home. According to Fulton County records, this home was built in 1950 and is a little over 1400 sq ft. The McLaughlins do indeed own the property. A property sketch shows the castle is a modified U shape with 2 garages in the back, one on each side of the house.
Back to "Castles of the United States"
Thanks to Katrina Price for sending the link.
Thanks to tripp d for taking and sending the photo.