Pythian Castle

The Pythian Castle was built in of cut limestone blocks in 1915 by the Grand Lodge of Knights of Pythias, a fraternal order, as a home for aged members and orphaned children of members. In 1942, the property was sold to the US government during World War II. The few remaining orphans ad elderly residents were placed in private institutions, while the building served as a popular spot for USO dances and shows. Bob Hope appeared on stage there, among others. POWs from several nations were held there at times as well. The building later became a part of O'Reilly General Hospital and then it was used for a number of years by the Army Reserve. It is now owned privately by a family who is restoring it and renting it out for various functions. For those who believe in such things, the castle has been certified haunted by several paranormal organizations. It was even featured on a Sci-Fi Channel show on haunted places. People report hearing unexplained noises, and orbs have been detected in several areas of the building along with temperature changes and voices caught on tape. Click here to see what showed up in some of our photos and judge for yourself.