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.
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Braden Castle History
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 said to have 20 inch thick walls and measure some 100 ft on a side (examination of photographs and the ruins indicate that it may have been a rectangular structure 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. Abandoned as a fortification when the war ended in 1858 and destroyed by fire in 1903. Dr. Braden moved to Texas about 1864.
Current Status
Marker and ruins only in Bradenton, Manatee County, Florida.
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Location: Castle Park Community, Bradenton, Manatee County, Florida. Maps & Images Lat: 27.50035 Long: -82.53003333 |
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:
Visited: 3 Feb 2012
Braden Castle Picture Gallery
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