Bannerman Island

Visiting a castle on the Hudson

Tours are now open to discover the legend of Bannerman Island with special events planned through 2022

story + photos by niki@hvny.info

Have you been to Bannerman, the castle on the Hudson River? If you’ve travelled the Hudson line, you may have even caught a glimpse of the Scottish-style castle, and that was Frank’s whole point. 

In 1900, Francis Bannerman purchased Pollepel Island to build a storage facility for his extensive collection of military supplies – he bought 90-percent of the US army surplus after the Spanish-American War ended – mostly munitions that were unsafe to keep in his storefront in New York City. (Also, it seems, they were not very safe to store at Bannerman: in 1920, 200 pounds of shells and powder exploded in an ancillary structure, destroying a portion of the complex). Frank also used the building as a giant billboard for his supply business with the words “Bannerman Island Arsenal” still visible on the side of the main facade today.

The six-and-a-half acre Pollepel Island is surrounded by tales of all kinds: it was considered haunted by some Indian tribes, and even the name Pollepel (Polopel) originated with a legend about a young girl named Polly Pell who was rescued from the breaking river ice and landed on the island shore, where she was promptly married the man who rescued her. It is even rumored that some of the banister ornaments at the castle have leftover military parts mixed in with the concrete. During the Revolutionary War, patriots created chevaux de frise, upright logs with iron points, to keep the British at bay (though they proved ineffective, as the British went on to burn the City of Kingston in 1777). Some of the footings of the Frisian horses are still at the bottom of the river. 

“No one can tell what associations and incidents will involve the island in the future. Time, the elements, and maybe even the goblins of the island will take their toll of some of the turrets and towers, and perhaps eventually the castle itself, but the little island will always have its place in history and in legend and will be forever a jewel in its Hudson Highland setting.” wrote Frank’s grandson Charles in 1962.

Today, the island is operated by the not-for-profit friends group, The Bannerman Castle Trust, Inc., and the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation. Stabilization efforts are continuously underway to secure the structures on the island, as well as new additions, including pathways and a classroom pavilion planned for completion this summer.  

Tours are now open for the season with special events – movie screenings, plays, chefs’ farm-to-table dinners – planned throughout 2022. Highlights include “Heroes, Monsters and Madman” starring Broadway star Craig Shulman  and “Scotland Road” a play about a woman found on an iceberg in the 1990’s dressed in 1912 clothing. When she is rescued by Norwegian fisherman, the only word she says is Titanic. The July 23rd performance will include an actual recreated Titanic 1st class Dinner based on the original menu. The theatrical group Theater on the Road will also return this Fall, with their performance of “Dracula.”

Tours depart from the Beacon waterfront and last approximately 2.5 hours. Sturdy, comfortable shoes are recommended. Tours are $40 adults, $35 children, and is best suited for ages 11 and up; Strollers cannot be accommodated. (For a more family-oriented activity, see the Self-Guided Tour with Live Music from Beacon on the third Sunday of every month.) Please note: picnicking is not allowed on the island, but you may purchase snacks on board or bring your own food to eat on the boat ride. Kayak tours to the island will also re-launch, beginning June 4.  

For more information, visit: https://bannermancastle.org/tours-events/ 

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