Braden Castle

Braden Castle (1850-1858) - A private house built in 1850 by Dr. Joseph Addison Braden in present day Bradenton, Manatee County, Florida. Used as a settler fortification during the Third Seminole War. Abandoned as a fortification when the war ended in 1858.

Braden Castle Marker	Braden Castle Wall Ruins
Braden Castle Site and Ruins

Braden Castle History

Braden Castle date unknown

A private house built in 1850 by Dr. Joseph Addison Braden after he moved from Fort Braden near Tallahassee. The house was built by slave labor of a concrete like mixture of lime, sand, crushed shells and water. The Castle was a two story structure with 20 inch thick walls measuring about 50' by 35'. There were 4 large rooms on each floor with four chimneys and eight fireplaces. This strong building offered security for Dr. Braden and his neighbors during the Third Seminole War. Probably abandoned as a fortification when the war ended in 1858. The structure was heavily damaged by fire in 1903 although the walls remanded standing for a number of years. Dr. Braden moved to Texas about 1864.

Current Status

Marker and ruins only in Bradenton, Manatee County, Florida.

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Location: At East Plaza Dr. and Braden Castle Drive in the Castle Park Community, Bradenton, Manatee County, Florida. Maps & Images Lat: 27.50035 Long: -82.53003333 Multi Maps from ACME Maps from Bing Maps from Google Elevation: .....'

Sources:

• Roberts, Robert B., Encyclopedia of Historic Forts: The Military, Pioneer, and Trading Posts of the United States, Macmillan, New York, 1988, 10th printing, ISBN 0-02-926880-X, page 151

Links:

• North American Forts - Braden Castle
• Braden Castle Ruins
• Braden Castle

Visited: 3 Feb 2012

Braden Castle Picture Gallery

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