Braden Castle
Braden Castle (1850-1858) - A private house/fortification 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. Probably abandoned as a fortification when the war ended in 1858.
 |
 |
 | |
Braden Castle History
A private house built in 1850 by Dr. Joseph Addison Braden after he moved from Fort Braden near Tallahassee. Dr. Braden established a sugar plantation on some 900-1100 acres that included the house and a sugar/grist mill. The house was built by slave labor of a concrete like mixture of lime, sand, crushed shells and water known as "tabby". 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. The post was attacked by hostile Seminole Indians in February 1856 but the attack was repelled. 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.
|
{"selectable":false,"width":"500"} |
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 |
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
|
Click on the picture to see a larger version. Contribute additional pictures - the more the better! |