McHENRY COUNTY HISTORIC PRESERVATION LANDMARK

This castle is really a testament to one man's vision of creating his humble home into a castle. Ted Bettendorf s memories of roaming through the ruins of the once grand 11th Century Vianden Castle in Luxembourg as a child inspired him to build his own castle on the bluffs of Fox River Grove. This lifelong undertaking is amazing because of the fact that it was the work of just one man who built it by hand. He quarried the materials from his own property as well gathering stones from nearby areas and quarried in his Model T truck. Using a slip-form construction, he worked on his castle for 36 years until he died at the age of 78. He was also active in the community and opened his grounds for visitors.