This "Castle" Built In 1876 With 41 Rooms And Unique Gothic Architecture Is Listed At Less Than $100k

Renting a place in this economy, let alone owning a home seems very far-fetched. But if you have ever wanted to run away to live in a castle, to see what it would feel like to live like a character in a Jane Austen novel, there may just be an opportunity to do so. It is priced almost at a throwaway price and is located well within a civilization that will let you have the aesthetic of yesteryears but with the benefits of modern-day living. Located in Elmira, New York, it has about 41 rooms spread across three floors and there's even a barn on the property.

The mansard-style mansion stands on a half-acre property and was built in 1876. It is spread across 8,284-square-feet and still carries details from the 19th century. For instance, the main door of the house has intricately painted stained-glass panels. It also has detailed crown molding and Gothic light fixtures. There are multiple fireplaces in the house as well, according to Insider. It has been listed for $99,000, which is almost as much as the modern houses in the area. The only drawback as mentioned by the realtor is that it is in need of so many repairs that it's almost uninhabitable. 

But there is some good news. Shane Searfoss of Signature Properties has mentioned in the listing that restoration of the gothic style home has begun. New electric services have been added including two high-energy efficient boilers and a newer rubber roof was also installed. Some of the rooms have been gutted and are ready for drywall. Many of the rooms still retain their original character. The other unique features of the house include the incredible woodwork, the massive open curved staircase, the original light fixtures with gothic influences.

As for the massive barn, it is currently in rough condition and is not accessible. In total, the house has 10 bedrooms and four bathrooms. Standing on top of the house is a small room that has only windows, that allows a roundabout view of the surrounding area. Because of its distinctive features, the mansion is one of the properties that make up the area's historic district, which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. It has been nicknamed “The Castle” because of its sprawling architecture and intricate stone facade. It forms one among the other historical landmarks in the region including the 1850s founding of Elmira College, dedicated to the education of women, and Mark Twain’s summer home.

According to Brownstoner, the house belonged to Vermonter Lorenzo Webber who arrived in Elmira in 1860. He ran the Bloss Coal Mining and Railroad Company with his partners. His business had to do with transporting coal and lumber from Pennsylvania. He then turned to real estate. A newspaper report from 1875 stated that  Webber was “making some very noticeable changes about his house,” including moving it further back along 4th Street and generally improving the site so that it would surely be “one of the striking landmarks of the city.”

The property was designed to accommodate two families. Webber managed to do this by shutting off the northern section of the building. There were identical entrances accessed by a broad flight of stairs that then led to the separate dwellings. A third entrance provided access to Webber’s office located in the lower brick wing at the rear. In the 1900 census, Webber's daughter Adelle is listed as a widow and the landlord of the house. The house left the Webber family in the 1920s. The property last changed hands in 2005 for $157,500 and the owners began a restoration that is still in progress.