Ash Wednesday! A Spiraling Time: I know I am hy-stair-ical..... okay no more stair puns!

Written By: Ash Catcher

     This past weekend, I ventured off to New York again! I decided to check out The Ossining Castle, an abandoned estate once belonging to David Abercrombie, and his partner Ezra Fitch. This 25 room Medieval Style home was something to see for sure!  If those names sound semi familiar congrats you were probably one of those snotty teenagers that insisted  on fast fashion, and an ode to  expensive/ cheaply made clothes, made from children all around the world. With their exclusive stores, and oddly dim lighting, the obnoxiously loud music made me both hate, and become oddly ready to embrace mid 2000’s clothing trends, by hopping on that "Hot Topic” Man the mall really screwed me as a teenager. . I am not even going to touch on the perfume air that was circulated through all  those stores either. I am happy to report the remaining part of their home had no traces of such a smell.  Good thing too. 

     There was however a SHIT ton of other people, including a badass lady with a drone. I got to see most of the place, it has not been properly maintained, apparently the property has been on the market since 2017. Now I am trying to do what I do, snap a few pictures, make polite conversation with passing explorers, etch but there just seems like an awful amount of debris for this place to have been “abandoned” so I had a thought: this castle is smack dab in a neighborhood. Conveniently placed near Sleepy Hollow, and Briarcliff Manor, both places known for some spooky activity. What if this place just kinda ended up here as a mistake? Nothing seemed particularly strange about this place. What seemed strange to me was that…..

     Every window was smashed through I couldn’t even get a decent shot of a room without there being someone in it, or some sort of odd item dragged into a corner. i did not move anything, I am not here to deface anything, just observe. Certainly this would either mean there is a person who frequents this property often, and "stages" pictures, or there is a heck a lot of foot traffic coming in and out of this house.  On what was almost 50 acres, now stands at less than 2.5 the surrounding houses seem to mask this decaying building that I had to drive past it twice until I could see a bit of it from the road. Priced at 3.2 million it is technically for sale, but  best of luck trying to preserve this piece of history. ​

10/10 for all the spiral staircases. These were terrifying to go up and down on! I think I counted over 10, too! I am so glad i went here during the Spring and not in Winter. ​

Overall this was an interesting, sort of quick hit on my way home sort of adventure.  Much needed in terms of keeping up with my weekly “Ash” like activities. I need to be going to more places this summer, if anyone has any suggestions I am always looking for new places to hit up and explore. I am not sure what the easiest way that would be, send me a pigeon. ​

See ya next Wednesday! 

-ASH