The Castle

This ornate and exquisite medieval styled castle nestled atop of the old Wing farm in the Town of Washington is the creation of working artists and longtime Millbrook residents Peter and Toni Wing.
Overlooking the nationally renowned Millbrook Vineyards, with breathtaking views of the Hudson Valley below and the legendary Catskill Mountains in the distance, "Wing's Castle" is truly an artist's monument of epic proportions.
The origins of this elegant and interesting edifice began on the Fourth of July weekend in 1969. Beginning with a borrowed bull-dozier, Peter and Toni set out to build a home within the farm, utilizing the natural elements atop the hill and sprouting a vision into reality, finding what Peter Wing says is "inspiration right under your feet in plain sight."
Erected largely from recycled materials (about 80 percent of the castle is stone and wood from salvaged buildings) Peter and Toni have taken four decades to create a one-of-a-kind attraction and home out of inspiration and hard work.
Upon first sight, the castle's features are stunning - massive stones support copper domed roofs, sunlight glistens through masterfully crafted designs of stained glass, stone gargoyles peer from outcrops, spiral turrets soar above a moat - all giving a 16th-century sense of an English or French medieval castle. Tours of the grounds surrounding the building also provide interesting surprises - an accurate stone sun-dial, a miniature version of Stonehenge and other curious features.
Peter and Toni have for years opened the castle to the public for tours, chronicling the different parts of the building and grounds and highlighting recently completed features, including a cavernous grotto-like cave space with ornate sculptures and intricate details.
They have also contributed their artistic talents to the community in the towns of Washington and Standford.
Peter's hand-crafted wooden sculptures of cigar-store Indians and other storefront signs have been a feature in the village of Millbrook for years.
In October, Peter and Toni construct and produce "Frankenstein's Fortress" in Standfordville, a highly-popular haunted tour complete with sets and actors in ghoulish costumes, attracting thousands of visitors annually.
But perhaps the best synergy between their artistic inspiration and their desire to share the castle with the public is the annual "Shakespeare at the Castle," a summer camp for children held with the Annandale Troupe theater group at Bard College. The group helps children of all ages experience the arts of acting, producing and directing Shakespeare plays with "Wing's Castle" as the majestic stage and backdrop.

If you are planning a family travel tour in New York, "Wing's Castle", and undeniable work of artistic genius, is a truly unique and breathtaking experience.

Enhanced Photography of 19th century Architectural and Historical Wonders by Richard S. Wing

This 19th century estate located in Millbrook, NY, has been the subject of great photography and historical controversies. The estate has gone through many transformations and was originally constructed by German immigrant, Charles F. Dietrich at the turn of the 20th century. Designed by architect, James E. Ware, this Germanic estate was finely crafted by many Iberian, Italian, and German stone masons that migrated to America like Dietrich, too. The estate was referred to as a "country block" by other residents of the small village because Dietrich had also purchased the adjacent properties and christened his home, "Daheim".

In 1927, Dietrich died at the age of 91 and his son Alfred Elliot Dietrich inherited this exquisite Germanic estate but was unable to maintain the responsibilities due to health reasons. Daheim passed through many hands in various business deals and was then purchased by the Hitchcock family in the early 1960's. The children of famed Polo player, Thomas Hitchcock Jr., then rented the estate to the Castalia Foundation where Professor Timothy Leary started conducting LSD-25 experiments which gave birth to the east coast psychedelic revolution.

After several years into the decade, the social and political climate of the 1960's became inevitably tumultuous. Because of the Vietnam war coupled with the persecution of social revolutionaries and controversial figures like Timothy Leary wreaking havoc within society, the government stepped in. Daheim estate then became a target for Dutchess County Assistant District Attorney, G. Gordon Liddy, stemming from those LSD-25 experiments and there adverse affects upon society. After several raids and legal attempts to convict the professor, Leary was banished from Daheim. In an ironic twist of fate, several years later, G. Gordon Liddy went on to become one of the infamous "plumbers" in the Watergate scandal during the Nixon administration and was convicted serving many years in a federal penitentiary. In recent years it's been revealed by government documents that Leary was part of the highly classified CIA's covert operation, MK-Ultra.

Through the many years as a Millbrook resident from Dutchess County, I've experienced the great pleasures and architectural wonders of this elegant estate and want to share these photos and brief history of the mysterious and intriguing Daheim estate. From the ornate gatehouse leading across to the stone bridge and elegant Victorian era statues, Daheim possesses many architectural fascinations steeped in historical mysteries.