Built in the 1890's by Cleveland oil pioneer Feargus B. Squire the castle has enchanted generations of Cleveland Metroparks visitors. The structure [now standing] was only intended to be the gatekeepers lodge. Stories abound hinting of a haunted conclusion to the Squire's Castle legacy. Nevertheless, three quarters of a century later, Squires Castle remains a gem in the Metroparks "Emerald Necklace".
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Squire's Castle


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Contributed by Justin Vargo

puppet666@hotmail.com

I read the link you have on your site about squires castle being haunted...well that's a bunch of bull! at least the story that is posted. I am related (that's what my great grandmother told me) to the squires that built the castle. Any way the guy and his wife never lived in the castle. That is why it was never completed. She was a city dweller like the story said, and refused to spend even one night in the castle. Remember at the time it was built it would have taken a extremely long time to get from there to Cleveland (the suburbs were non-existent) so the story about her dying there are 100% false!

Contributed by Becky

becky76@sabreshockey.com

This picture was taken at Squire's Castle on Friday, October 26th at about 9pm. I used my typical ghost-hunting camera, which is a Polaroid 35mm with Kodak 400 film. Out of about seven pictures taken at Squire's Castle, this is the only one that developed with a very dense, clear orb. Dr. Ken of the Ohio Ghost Hunters Society confirmed the anomaly for me. I was aware of all the stories and rumors that have been told over the years, but I never believed that Squire's Castle is haunted. Maybe now I the have proof to show that it most definitely is still home to Mrs. Squire!

Contributed by Renee

LilyMunster623@aol.com

Hi,
I've visited Squire's Castle many times, I even had my 16th birthday party there. I have to say there is nothing scary about it or the surrounding woods at all. I've hiked through those woods and spent a lot of time at the castle and I've never experienced anything out of the ordinary. In fact, I've never even heard any ghost stories about it before I visited this site. Anyway, the rest of the site is cool! I live in PA now but when I go home to visit I'll probably see some of those other places.
Renee

Contributed by Jay at NEOSI

JxNEOSI@aol.com

Ok, heres the whole deal with Squires Castle! I've been here for thirteen years and have heard every story out there about the former maids quarters. First, Mrs. Squire died an old lady of natural causes in her home in Willowick in the early 1900's, not in the basement of the castle. But I'm far from the one to tell you that there's no supernatural activity there, or in the Metroparks period. I have some pics that are clearly orbs. Keep in mind these few things while viewing these pics.

#1. Im a skeptic, I dont use 35 mm 400 speed film. I use a digital camera, no mistakes and no misprints, just high quality pictures.

#2. Supernatural "beings" or apparatus' feed on energy. I use really good batteries that last about two weeks, the ones that I had in died in two and a half hours of use, same batteries that usually last a week or two.

#3. I cleaned the lens before every shot, everytime.

#4. My cousin and I grew ill the moment we stepped up to the main entrance of the "castle" and felt like we had no buisiness being ther in the first place, so we left. We bumped into the park rangers on our mission and they confermed my accusation that during the 60's and 70's devil worshipping and animal sacrifices were practiced there often.

Take it for what its worth, but look at the other pics in the squires castle catagory and make the connection, plus please keep in mind that this was a very clear night and there wasnt a snow flake or dust or rain anywhere in sight. This is the real thing..Im the one on the far right. Notice how clear the picture of us is?

Pic #1 - Tree Orbs
Pic #2 - Us at Squire's
Pic #3 - Orbs!
Pic #4 - Road Orbs

Contributed by Mdniteraven@aol.com

Mdniteraven@aol.com

I just wanted to say anyone going to Squire's Castle looking for ghosts or orbs or whatever is probably wasting their time. Maybe the pics that I saw on the page were real, I don't know. But I do know that I have been going to the castle since I was a little kid(I'm 30 now), and I have never felt anything strange or unusual. I have hiked the woods behind the castle (on and off trail) and have never seen anything there either. I'm not a sceptic, I have been places that I wouldn't go to again because it made the hair on the back of my neck stand up, but Squire's Castle isn't one of them. I do know some people that have been married there, and I have great memories of playing tag with whatever kids were there when I was a kid. We would jump out the windows and all around, unfortunataly they put bars up on most of the windows now :(

Contributed by lakecountypimp@aol.com

lakecountypimp@aol.com

As a former employee of the Cleveland Metroparks, and the Ranger Department, I would have to say that anyone who believes that the stories of Fergus Squire and his beloved wife are untrue, is just being a little too naive. First off, Mr. Squire made building his castle a passion because he was drawn to that area, if you indeed wander up the hill behind the castle there are remnants of the observation tower from which Mr. Squire used to enjoy the spacious view over the valley area. However the story of his Wife's tragic death are very exaggerated, she was indeed the city girl and did not die in the basement.
However here's where the strange parts of this story start, there were indeed, strange people afoot in the 60s and 70s, Biker Gangs, Devil Worshipers, Animal Sacrifices, and there are quite a few suicides in that park every year, probably spawning the paranormal events that occur on occasion. I personally was present a few years back when the maintenance staff reopened the basement prior to refilling it with gravel and concrete, and one of the workers climbed to the top of the turret in order to cut out what turned out to be a small tree growing out of the concrete.
Another little known tidbit is the presence of cult types or "Druids" at the River Grove Reserved area (Just south of the Castle) at the summer and winter solstice. They have the area booked on those two days every year.
Now I've been through those woods at night, and even down some of those walking paths that go very far from the roadways, and I have experienced at times cold chills in the middle of summer an broad daylight, I've seen lights in the hills behind the castle that were too oblong to be man-made, bottom line, too many unexplained things occur in that park to assume that there is a strong presence there.

Contributed by Robert

rs48@uakron.edu

Here it is. I too am a resident of the area. I have been going to Squires Castle my whole life. nothing is strange about the castle no cold feelings as you enter it. As the relative stated above the wife never lived there or died there. At homecoming for the local high school my freshman year we took pics there. NO ORBS. I am not a skeptic though I do believe in the paranormal, ghosts, the whole bit. I just never experienced anything there. Excpet a boxing match which we did video tape inside the castle and nothing was caught on tape. This legend is a hoax. But who knows about the Cults in the 60's and 70's and the suicides they might be luriking around somewhere.

Contributed by velvetniteskys

velvetniteskys@aol.com

I havent been to Squires Castle often but I won't forget my very first visit! The inside wasn't as I expected.
I walked in and saw (briefly) I think what it was supposed to have been-it was furnished, had windows and decorations on the walls and I could hear "bustling" like quick activity that goes on as visitors are expected.
I saw a short bench covered in a deep blue with a candle table next to it with a vase and sunlit streaming thru the side window made a lovely warm welcome-Could feel the warmth in the place and lots of good feelings-sort of like expectations of excitement.
Thing of it was-it was a cold dark, dreary rainy Sept. morning and no one was out and about-not even walking the paths yet. I stood frozen until my friend spoke and it all cleared to what was actually there-nothing. And there was me whipping my head around wondering where it all went - looking rather silly I bet! But I told her stay where she was and went thru the rest of the place by myself-there were bits of impressions but nothing as vivid as that first entry.
I am no psychic - not skeptical of paranormal but no great believer either - too many frauds and too many too quick to believe ANYTHING just for the drama-but I have to believe what I see and experience myself. I believe that was to be a lovely place-or once was! I had heard it was brought from elsewhere-perhaps the things I experienced were from there-or I suddenly stepped into the dream of what it was hoped to be. I had never heard of the place until that day and it was only after talking about my experience to a neighbour that I was told parts of the story about the place.