629 Comments for Bannerman's Arsenal

FRANCIS BANNERMAN, the noted merchant and authority on war weapons, is the sixth Frank from the first Frank Bannerman, standard-bearer of the Glencoe MacDonalds, who escaped the massacre of 1692 by sailing to the Irish coast. His descendants remained in Antrim for 150 years, intermarrying with Scottish settlers. In 1845, Mr. Bannerman's father removed to Dundee, Scotland, where Francis VI was born, March 24, 1851. He came with his parents to the United States in 1854 and has resided in Brooklyn since 1856. The eldest son in each generation is always named Frank. The surname originated at Bannockburn, where an ancestor rescued the clan pennant, whereupon Bruce cut off the streamer from the Royal ensign and conferred upon him the honour of "bannerman."

Here's some Bannerman weaponry:

http://cornellpubs.home.comcast.net/Images/Mauser-98Bannerman-1921-cover.jpg

Here is the man himself:

http://www.electricscotland.com/history/descendants/images/am159.jpg

You can see the turrets intact here:

http://www.bannermancastle.org/gallery/historical2.jpe

I read somewhere that a tour was 40 bucks per person. Well worth it. The money is for a good cause. I'd love to take a vacation and go see this place.

After reading about the horrible explosions that happened on that island, I'd say those stairs deserve their own special holiday.

Hmm... guess there were explosions in August of 1920 and 1969.

In August 1920 tragedy struck Bannerman castle. The arsenal could no longer withstand the heat of the day and 200 pounds of powder and shells stored in the powder house exploded blowing a tower and a portion of the island into the middle of the Hudson River. Stone walls, munitions and heavy military equipment rained down over the island. A portion of the outer wall was blown to the mainland and covered the New York Central Railroad tracks. Window panes shattered between Peekskill and Hudson as the explosion rocked the countryside.

To add insult to injury, the abandoned island, bought by New York state in 1968, was rocked yet again by explosions in August 1969. Officials speculated that shells left over from the previous explosion 49 years earlier decided it was their turn. The remaining interior of the castle was gutted by the fire that resulted. What is left is the ruin that we see today.

Here's another good article:

Eruptions splintered unlikely castle on Bannerman Island

By Heather Rebmann
Poughkeepsie Journal

What would you do if you owned 90 percent of the captured equipment and ammunition left over from the Spanish-American war?

Get it as far away from your home in Brooklyn as possible, at least that's what international armorer Francis Bannerman had to do. Bannerman was told by city authorities that he could not house the newest addition to his military equipment business within the city limits.

So, in 1900 to house himself and his investment, Bannerman bought 6.5-acre Pollepel Island, which lies 50 miles north of New York City on the Hudson River. Over 17 years he built Bannerman castle in the Scottish style of his homeland. By Bannerman's death in 1918 the castle complex covered the island and included gardens, a personal residence, apartments for workers, a powder house, an ice house, and three storage houses.

In August 1920 tragedy struck Bannerman castle. The arsenal could no longer withstand the heat of the day and 200 pounds of powder and shells stored in the powder house exploded blowing a tower and a portion of the island into the middle of the Hudson River. Stone walls, munitions and heavy military equipment rained down over the island. A portion of the outer wall was blown to the mainland and covered the New York Central Railroad tracks. Window panes shattered between Peekskill and Hudson as the explosion rocked the countryside.

More explosions on island

The remainder of the island was still used to store heavy munitions until 1950 when the ferry "˜"˜Pollepel,'' which served the island was wrecked in a storm. To add insult to injury, the abandoned island, bought by New York state in 1968, was rocked yet again by explosions in August 1969. Officials speculated that shells left over from the previous explosion 49 years earlier decided it was their turn. The remaining interior of the castle was gutted by the fire that resulted. What is left is the ruin that we see today. There was so much damage to the island and castle that state officials declared them dangerous and off limits to the public.

In 1994 the Bannerman Castle Trust Inc., founded by Neil Caplan, started offering narrated boat rides twice a month to view the island. The state has allowed the trust to conduct one "˜"˜Hard Hat Fundraising Tour of Bannerman Island'' which took visitors onto the island. The funds raised from these tours go toward stabilizing the buildings so that eventually the public will be allowed back onto Bannerman Island.

I think construction was started in 1901 and finished 7 years later. Arsenal and the island were left vacant in the 1960's. In 1969, fire devastated the Arsenal and most of the roofs collapsed. That's why it looks a lot older than it is. Well, being abandoned for over 40 years doesn't help.

It is found on several Hudson Valley Ruins sites.

Ahhhhhhh, Banerman's. One of the "Holy Grail" abandoned sites. I plan to take the tour next Saturday. It will be worth the money. Thank you for this appetizer, Mr. Motts!

Any poison ivy there Motts?

Simply breathtaking...

I would love to have this picture hanging on my wall.

Motts, were you able to rent a boat or did you enlist the aid of a UE contact with one?

when was this built, and when was it vacated?

I'm almost expecting to see Crusaders milling about!

MY GRANDFATHER USED TO KNOW THE CARETAKER OF THIS PLACE AND MY FATHER AND UNCLE USED TO PLAY HERE AS KIDS - THEY SAID THERE WAS STILL AMMO LYING AROUND.